Acoustics of Concert Halls and Rooms

SOME BASICS OF ARCHITECTURAL ACOUSTICS

Auditorium Acoustics

Science of Sound, Chapter 23 Principles of Vibration and Sound, Chapter 11

Kimmel Center

SOUND FIELD
p vs r

log p vs log r

Free field

Reflections

Sound decay

Sound decay in a 400 m3 classroom Sound pressure level as a function of time for that room

GROWTH AND DECAY OF REVERBERANT SOUND

RT = K (volume / area) RT = 0.161 V/A (V in m3; A in m2 )

If room dimensions are given in feet, the formula may be written:

RT= 0.049 V/A

(V in ft.3 ; A in ft.2 )

Decay of reverberant sound

(a) and (b) are decay curves of sound pressure and sound level in a room with uniform energy distribution (c) shows different initial and final reverberation times (d) shows peaks due to prominent standing waves or room resonances

CALCULATING REVERBERATION TIME

CALCULATING REVERBERATION TIME

Desirable reverberation times for various sizes and functions

Variation of reverberation time with frequency in good halls

McDermott Concert Hall (Dallas)

Orchestra Hall (Chicago)

Meyerhof Symphony Hall (Baltimore)

Walt Disney Concert Hall

Disney

Kimmel Center Auditorium

BACKGROUND NOISE CRITERIA

Important criteria for concert halls:

Spatial impression Intimacy Early decay time Clarity Warmth

Concert halls throughout the World