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The WhisperRoom has satisfied the needs of
thousands of customers over the years. We have always offered
high quality, effective, sound isolation enclosures
at very affordable prices. Over the last couple of years, low quality
imitations have begun to appear on the market. Although these imitations
appear similar to a WhisperRoom in photos, they in no way possess the
characteristics inherent in a true sound isolation enclosure. Through lack of
information, as well as misrepresentation, these companies are
attempting to pass their products off as "the same as a WhisperRoom."
There is no comparison! In workmanship, quality of materials and
performance, the WhisperRoom is far superior.
The following facts are provided to help you understand the basic physics
of noise reduction and to counter misinformation. Portable / Modular Sound Isolation Enclosures
are not SOUND PROOF !
Beware of portable / modular enclosures which are described
by representatives and/or advertisements as being "SOUND PROOF." The words
SOUND PROOF are used very loosely and insinuate that absolutely no sound, at all,
will enter or exit the specified enclosure. For an enclosure to acquire this
level of isolation, if possible at all, would require the use of massive,
very heavy materials and elaborate architectural techniques to prevent
air borne and structure borne sound leakage. The words PORTABLE and MODULAR
insinuate that an enclosure can, with relative ease, be assembled/disassembled
and relocated. In a nut shell, an enclosure cannot be both PORTABLE / MODULAR
and SOUND PROOF!
The WhisperRoom, although not sound proof, has proven, time
and time again, its ability to satisfy the needs of customers involved in a
wide range of applications.
Some examples include: voice over booths, vocal booths, broadcast booths,
drum rooms, practice rooms, equipment testing, software development,
music instruction rooms, post production, etc... WhisperRooms are available in
two levels of isolation, "STANDARD" and
"ENHANCED." STANDARD units have a single wall
system and are designed to work in conjunction with existing,
permanent walls to prevent noise transfer to and from
neighboring businesses and residences. ENHANCED units have
a double wall system and are suitable for applications which
require a much greater noise reduction capability.
Customer needs dictate which would be required. Also, a STANDARD, single wall, system can initially be purchased
and later upgraded to an ENHANCED, double wall, system by installing the
appropriate Isolation Enhancement Package (IEP).
This can be done at any time and is extremely convenient when the customers needs
are unclear.
High weight materials are good
noise barriers. Low weight materials are not!
The higher the weight per unit of a material, the better
its noise reduction capability. Near one end of the spectrum is lead which
is extremely heavy. Near the other end is foam (Styrofoam, acoustical foam,
etc...) which has a low weight and consists of thousands of small hollow
cells per specified unit. Two materials often used for the construction of
sound isolation enclosures are steel and wood. Various grades of both are
available and the quality selected determines the level of isolation which
can be acquired. Which material is used depends upon the customer's needs and desires.
WhisperRooms are constructed of one or more layers of 3/4"
Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) wrapped with 1/8" thick cloth. Each one inch thick layer
weighs 3.25 lbs per square foot.
NOTE:
MDF is a premium manufactured wood product designed
to exhibit a high level of consistency throughout and should
not be confused with lower grade, less consistent products such as oriented strand
board (OSB), particle board or wafer board.
Foam is an acoustical material,
not a barrier !
Attaching acoustical foam to interior wall surfaces is
one way of tailoring the interior sound of an enclosure, however it has very
little to do with preventing the passage of sound through the wall. Foam
is not a barrier! It simply reduces sound wave reflection and magnification
by providing a multitude of small cavities for the waves to become caught up in.
No foam, or small amounts of foam, usually results in
a live (highly reflective) interior sound, while large amounts of foam
results in a dead (non-reflective) interior sound.
The manufacturers of some enclosures permanently attach acoustical foam
to every inch of the interior surface. This is primarily done to cut
manufacturing costs by using the foam itself as an interior cosmetic finish.
This practice is bad because it provides a sound which is not acceptable,
nor desired, for many applications. It also creates a situation where
the user may have problems tuning the enclosure to get the desired sound.
The interior surface of every WhisperRoom component is
completely wrapped with the same type of material as the exterior. Acoustical
foam sheets, with pre-attached fasteners, are provided with each
WhisperRoom. The number of sheets depends on the size of the room. The
customer can attach the preferred amount of foam to attain the desired sound.
The noise reduction capability at
the SEAMS between components must be as good as the components
themselves !
Sound leaks most often occur at seams between wall,
ceiling and floor components. The thickness and weight / sqft of
a component means nothing unless the seam between each component
has a noise reduction capability comparable to that of the components
themselves.
Simply covering seams with thin strips of plastic or metal and
a layer of acoustical foam will not prevent sound leakage!
WhisperRoom wall components are attached to one another with components
referred to as Seam Seals. Seam Seals are constructed of the same 1 inch
thick, 3.25 lbs/sqft barrier. They overlap 3 inches onto each wall component
and are bolted, top-to-bottom. In addition to a very tight seam, this system
provides an extremely solid structure.
WhisperRoom ceiling
and floor components attach to the wall system with a series of overlapping
alignment strips which protrude down/up into the walls. Straps and fasteners
are then used to hold the ceiling and floor components tight against
the walls.
The material and design of the DOOR and DOOR
JAMBING system must provide a noise reduction capability comparable to
that of the wall, ceiling and floor components !
What good are wall components which weigh several pounds
per square foot if the door consists primarily of lightweight Styrofoam?
WhisperRoom doors are constructed of layers of the same barrier material
as all other WhisperRoom components. STANDARD doors are 2 inches thick
and weigh 3.5 lbs/sqft. ENHANCED doors are 3 inches thick and weigh 6.75
lbs/sqft. In addition, the door and door jambing
system offer the same noise reduction capability as all other components.
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