Put a hundred people in an open space, whether a call center or office, and you have a recipe for distraction and a near-total lack of privacy. When asked why they want to work at home, many office workers cite “focus” as one of the main benefits. It’s easy to avoid distractions working alone in an empty house. Offices get noisy.

If you’ve sat in a cubicle, you’ve probably been distracted by an outburst across the room or overheard someone’s entire conversation. That might be fine if someone talks about today’s lunch. But in a healthcare facility, if you hear the examination in the next room, you’re looking at a significant privacy issue.

Sound masking can increase focus and reduce distractions in offices and call centers. It can help healthcare providers with HIPAA compliance and improve their HCAHPS scores. It can even ensure people outside a boardroom or conference room don’t hear the conversation inside. The same sound masking systems can deliver all of these benefits!

How do sound masking systems work?
Audio, a masking noise, is generated and played into the room at a low level. That sound has been engineered to match the frequencies used by human speech. It creates a soft, ambient background sound that covers distracting noises.

It also renders speech outside your immediate area harder to make out and understand, which makes it less distracting. It also makes it much harder for others to hear conversations you want kept private, whether a Doctor in a consultation or a lawyer in a conference room. Adding noise to your workspace makes it seem quieter and boosts privacy!

Where are sound masking systems installed?
A sound masking system includes a generator that creates the masking sound and enough speakers to cover your space. Drop ceiling installation is the most common location for speakers, although pendant or wall-mount options are available from some vendors. Speakers are sometimes installed in the plenum above your suspended ceiling.

Who makes sound masking systems?
CTI installs sound masking systems from Cambridge Sound and AtlasIED.

Optimum Masking Sound: White or Pink?
The engineers at most manufacturers would answer, “Neither.” While the audio from sound masking systems is often described as “white noise” or “pink noise,” and some systems offer these as options, most manufacturers have engineered their custom masking sound. That masking sound has been carefully engineered to match the frequencies used by human speech. Systems that use white noise will irritate most people long before they’re loud enough to mask conversations. That’s one of the reasons many companies engineer their own ‘blend’ of frequencies for sound masking systems.

What about Acoustic Panels & Soundproofing?
Wouldn’t soundproofing be better than sound masking? First, effective soundproofing – keeping sound from escaping or entering a room – is expensive and rarely done correctly. It involves significant renovations, including rebuilding walls with double layers of sheetrock separated by a particular compound, soundproof doors with airtight seals, and even special modifications to the HVAC system.

That’s an expensive prospect for a single room: imagine building a space like that around every station in a call center or cubicle in your office! Now, imagine hammering on the soundproof door to ask a quick question. Also, if you manage to soundproof your offices effectively, they’ll block out all noise indiscriminately. If there’s outside ‘noise’ you DO need to hear, such as an alarm, you’re wiring every space for it.

Acoustic panels can significantly reduce the noise level in a room by absorbing sound that would otherwise echo around the room. That’s great for a recording studio or a conference room that echoes when anybody speaks. In an open office space, it will probably make it easier to hear the conversations in the cube around you, especially in the center of the space. That will make things even more distracting!

I’m ready to request a quote for a sound masking system!
The idea is simple enough, but the execution takes skill and experience. CTI’s design consultants will listen to your requirements and help you engineer the appropriate solution for your needs and budget. Our technicians will ensure it’s properly installed and commissioned. Fair, fast, and flexible. That’s the CTI way.