Methods of room acoustics
Absorption
Shielding
Reflection / Scattering
Sound waves that strike a hard and smooth surface are reflected back into the room from this surface. In acoustic planning, reflection – or scattering – can be used in a purposeful way, for example in order to direct the sound in a large room, such as a theatre, as far as the last row of seats. Structured surfaces reflect incident sound waves in different directions. Thus, the sound is distributed uniformly in the room and a diffuse sound field results, without disruptive acoustic artefacts such as flutter echoes or standing waves, which is generally perceived as pleasant. In order to use the positive effect of scattering, elements that either have a structured surface or are arranged in such a way as to create a three-dimensional structure are utilised.