Today’s business environment is a very competitive place and it is essential that your employees work to their full productivity potential. Many offices are of an open plan design which has benefits for team working and flexibility but comes with a downside – overhearing others conversations and general office hubbub resulting in employee dissatisfaction and loss of productivity.

There are several ways to address the problem ranging from physical treatment of the working environment e.g. screens, partitions and absorption techniques to noise masking systems.

There are many other instances where privacy is important for example

• doctors surgeries
• solicitors offices
• boardrooms
• interview rooms

Privacy and confidentiality are compromised when others can overhear private conversations.

A speech privacy or noise masking system could provide a cost effective solution.

What is a Speech Privacy System and how does it work?

A speech privacy system, or noise masking system, injects a carefully tailored low level background noise via a number of loudspeakers either mounted in the ceiling/ceiling tile (direct system) or above the ceiling in the plenum (indirect system). The noise is produced by a noise generator and then digitally shaped and amplified before being delivered by the speaker system to produce an even distribution of sound in the area to be treated.

The levels of noise are carefully set to mask unwanted conversational noise whilst not being unduly intrusive. Experience shows that occupants of a space usually adapt to the additional noise after a short period and only become aware of it if the system is turned off. The noise is analogous to that produced by an air conditioner i.e. a gentle whooshing noise.

It should be noted that noise masking is installed in the area where you don't want conversations to be overheard e.g. in the waiting room of a doctor's surgery not in the surgery itself.

RK Sound Engineering Ltd are leading designers and installers of speech privacy/ noise masking systems.

Why would I need a speech privacy system?

Many offices are constructed using demountable partitions which only extend to the ceiling not the structural surfaces above. For this reason sound travels in the void above the ceiling and then permeates into other working spaces e.g. adjacent private offices or open office areas. These partitioning systems provide flexibility, allowing reconfiguration but are poor sound insulators. Some buildings may have other features that permit the unwanted transmission of sound form one area to another.

A noise masking system is a cost effective way of addressing these deficiencies.

Are there other ways of solving the problem?

Yes, it may be possible to make physical alterations e.g. construct barriers that attenuate the sound or install sound absorption which may be effective for certain types of noise but alterations of this type are usually costly and disruptive and reduce flexibility options.

A noise masking/speech privacy system is usually more cost effective and much less disruptive to day to day operations.

What services does RK Sound Engineering provide?

RK Sound Engineering can conduct a survey of your premises and advise on the most effective ways of tackling the problem.

If a noise masking system is deemed to be appropriate then we will

• design a system in keeping with your environment
• install the system at a convenient time e.g. during the evenings or weekends.
• commission the system
• maintain the system thereafter

We provide all the electronics mounted in a cabinet in keeping with your decor, select and source the most appropriate loudspeakers and provide all the manpower required for a fast, professional installation to the highest standards.

RK Sound Engineering Ltd are based in St Albans and are ideally located for London and the Home Counties so Contact Us or phone us on 01727 756999 to arrange a visit to discuss your speech privacy requirements.