Acoustics in Social Spaces

Bars, breweries, tasting rooms, and other social spaces are rapidly expanding acrossthe nation. These lucrative businesses provide an excellent atmosphere to unwind orhave a bit of fun after a long day or week. However, with so many new competitorsentering the industry, it can be hard to keep ahead of the competition. One of the mostimportant key points in having an atmosphere that draws the crowds and keeps themcoming back is the sound and acoustics of your space.

Areas with exposed ceilings and hard reflective surfaces such as concrete, wood, orbrick might create beautiful spaces but can also result in poor acoustics with excessivereverberation. This excessive reverb can make hearing music or conversations difficult,even when you are just talking to the person sitting next to you. The right sound canmake a world of difference — just ask any band or performing artist. It doesn’t matter ifyou plan out your space’s acoustics during the design phase or after the crowds arrive— it's never too late to make a smart business decision.

Benefits of Good Acoustics
Did you know that without proper sound-absorbing treatments, the average noise levelsin a busy bar or lounge can be as loud as city traffic or a power saw (85–109 decibels).Don't ruin your customers’ experience by making them endure noises above the humantolerance level. What's worse, once it becomes difficult to talk over the backgroundnoise, people will have to shout, making the problem even worse and hindering nearbyconversations. If your bar or venue isn’t a comfortable place for friends to meet up andenjoy the evening, you could be losing business.

Acoustic Panels
Preserve your bar’s ambience and make conversations easy with ceiling clouds,baffles or wall panels. Wall panels are built with specially designed cores that absorbsound and prevent reverberation and echo. This helps to reduce background noise,making it much easier to hear conversations, live music, and more.

Acoustic panels come in any shape, size, and color you can imagine, so no matter whattheme or style you have, we’ve got the panels to match. Don’t let your design space goto waste — break up boring walls and plain backgrounds with large panels coated indesigned fabrics or with several smaller panels arranged in an aesthetically pleasingdesign.

Ceiling Hanging Baffles and Clouds
Another great option for improving your bar or music venue’s acoustical quality is to add ceiling hanging baffles and clouds. Baffles are suspended vertically, perpendicular to thefloor. They absorb sound in the same way that acousticpanels work, and they help to reduce echo and reverberation and can improve theclarity of speech and music. Just like the wall panels, baffles and clouds come in a widevariety of shapes, sizes, and designs.

If you are looking for attractive and effectivenoise reduction, then select Whisperwave baffles and clouds. These products aredesigned to help absorb noise and are a common sight at most concert halls, musicvenues, and just about anywhere where quality sound is a must. They are made fromClass 1 fire-rated melamine foam, making them extremely fire-resistant and a popularchoice for many business owners. If you plan on having ceiling panels or bafflesinstalled, be sure to give them enough clearance from any sprinklers or fire safetysystems you have in place. While the foam can resist flames, the clouds mightaccidentally block water trying to rain down from overhead to put out a fire. Baffles, inthis case, are the preferred choice. Be sure to follow proper guidelines andregulations to keep your place of business and your customers safe.

Soundproofing Your Business
If you are running a bar or nightclub, then the main attraction (other than alcohol) is the music. Just as you want the best performers and musicians, you should also want the best sound quality. Sound-absorbing material such as wall panels and baffles doesn't just help to improve sound quality — these materials can also help your business to meet local noise ordinances. It's important to be on good terms with the neighboring businesses and to soundproof the loud areas of your space. After all, too many complaints could land you or your business in court. Thankfully, there are many great options when it comes to soundproofing your business. We carry a wide selection of soundproofing solutions, such as soundproof windows that can be custom made to fit your exact specifications. Get soundproof doors and door seals to prevent loud noises and music from disturbing neighboring businesses.

Soundproof doors and windows are also great if you have a small office attached to the bar or club. If you are a GM or business owner, then trying to take phone calls or conduct meetings might be difficult with loud music or background noise from customers leaking into your workspace. Imagine how difficult it would be for an accountant to carefully comb through the books or look at recent sales and expense data while tying to ignore the outside noise. In that kind of environment, its easy to see how a simple mistake could be made. Soundproof your workspace and ensure you have a quiet haven to focus and concentrate, no matter how excited the crowd of customers get.

Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of acoustics and how improving the sound quality of your space can lead to a better ambiance and more sales. If you are trying to figure out exactly what you need for your business, use our Acoustic Panel Calculator, or give us a call at 866.768.6381. We're here to help find the sound solution that’s right for you!