In our blog article, Identifying Noise Flanking Paths, we identified several paths by which noise can “leak” through a wall relatively unimpeded.  Soundproofing of noise flanking paths are the proverbial “low hanging fruit” that must first be addressed prior to soundproofing the walls, ceiling or floor.  In this article, we discuss how to find noise… Read More »Soundproofing Doors and Windows ..read more

According to the Guiness Book of World Records, the loudest crowd roar measured with a sound level meter at a sports stadium is 142.2 dbA and was achieved by fans of the Kansas City Chiefs (USA) National Football League (NFL) team, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, USA, on 29 September 2014.  Let’s see… Read More »The Loudest NFL Stadium ..read more

Vent fans are needed in bathrooms in order to remove objectionable odors, moisture, and humidity, which may permeate to other rooms, cause mold or mildew, or otherwise damage paint, walls, metal, and wood.  One problem with such fans is that they can create excessively high noise levels which may make homeowners refrain from using them. … Read More »Selecting a Quiet Bathroom Fan ..read more

Hearing sounds or noises through walls, ceilings and floors is a common complaint for occupants of homes, apartments, hotels and offices.  The typical “knee-jerk” reaction of many property owners and soundproofing companies is to immediately install soundproofing treatments, such as thick carpeting, extra layers of drywall, resilient channel, acoustic blankets, sound absorbing panels, or mass… Read More »Noise Flanking Paths ..read more

Have you ever strummed an acoustic guitar and compared it to the sound of an unamplified solid body electric guitar?  Although we observe that the size of the strings and their vibration amplitude appear to be about equal between the two instruments, we note that the acoustic guitar is significantly louder than the electric guitar. … Read More »How do Acoustic Guitars Amplify Sound ..read more

If you have ever tried to listen to music while flying on a commercial airplane, you know that you need to increase the volume significantly to overcome the airplane cabin background noise.  In fact, according to the US Centers for Disease Controlthe sound levels in an aircraft cabin reach 80-85 dB during flight.  Prolonged exposure… Read More »How Does Noise Cancellation Work ..read more

Home stereo subwoofers and home alarm systems are alike in regards to sound localization.  Have you ever wondered why many home stereo systems require only one subwoofer?  Similarly, many houses have ceiling-mounted fire or smoke alarms that are installed in each room of the house.  Have you ever had an alarm that chirped, requiring a… Read More »How are Home Subwoofers and Alarm Systems Alike ..read more

In recent news, the US Air Force has awarded a contract to a start-up company, Exosonic, to develop technology for a new supersonic Air Force One.  This plane will be capable of traveling at almost two times the speed of sound and can transport the president around the world in half the time of the… Read More »Quietly Breaking the Sound Barrier ..read more

According to sciencealert.com, the loudest sound created by nature occurred on August 27, 1883 by the eruption of the Krakatoa volcano in Indonesia.  It is reported to have a blast that was 10,000 times that of a hydrogen bomb, with sound levels reaching about 172 dB over 100 miles away and circled around the globe four times.  In fact, the… Read More »Nature’s Loudest Sounds ..read more

The loudest animal-made sounds are attributed to either the blue whale or the sperm whale, depending on your point of view.  According to the BBC, the sperm whale makes clicking noises that have been measured at 203 dB; however, the duration of the clicking noise occurs at high frequency (about 10 kHz) and has a… Read More »The World’s Loudest Animals ..read more