What usually goes wrong
- Remote attendees hear echo.
- Glass walls make the room ring.
- Conversations can be overheard in the hallway.
The main noise sources are voices and the conference system. Sound bounces off hard walls, floors and ceilings, so it lingers and builds up. Absorbing panels soak up those reflections.
Where the panels go
- On the wall behind the screen, which the microphones face.
- On the long walls at seated head height.
- A cloud over the table.
Mistakes to avoid
- Only treating the wall behind the screen.
- Forgetting the glass wall reflection.
- Leaving a gap over the wall into the ceiling plenum.
Fire rating and codes
Business occupancy: Class A wall and ceiling finishes are typically required in corridors and recommended everywhere.
Blocking sound between rooms
Panels make a room sound better, but they don’t stop sound passing through a wall. For that you need a wall assembly rated around STC 50, so confidential meetings are not overheard. Read about STC ratings and soundproofing.
Recommended
Panels that suit conference rooms
Learning center
14 guides for conference rooms
Acoustic panels for conference rooms: the complete guideWhat makes conference rooms noisy, which panels fix it, and how to plan treatment from start to finish.How many acoustic panels does a conference room need?A worked Sabine calculation for a typical conference room, with panel counts for small, typical and large rooms.Where to put acoustic panels in a conference roomWhere panels do the most good in conference rooms, in priority order.Wall acoustics for conference roomsHow walls behave acoustically in conference rooms and how to treat them with panels.Ceiling acoustics for conference roomsClouds, baffles and ceiling tiles for conference rooms, and how much of the ceiling to cover.Choosing panel thickness for a conference room1, 2 or 4 inches: which thickness suits conference rooms and why.Reverberation time targets for conference roomsThe reverberation time to aim for in conference rooms, and why it matters.What acoustic treatment costs for a conference roomBudget estimates for treating a typical conference room, and where the money goes.Fabrics, colors and shapes for conference roomsFabric types, colors and shapes that work in conference rooms.Fire ratings and code requirements for panels in conference roomsFire ratings, occupancy rules and mounting requirements for panels in conference rooms.Installing acoustic panels in a conference roomTools, hardware and step-by-step installation for panels in conference rooms.Common acoustic mistakes in conference roomsThe errors we see most often in conference rooms, and how to avoid them.Soundproofing and STC ratings for conference roomsWhen conference rooms need soundproofing, which STC rating to aim for, and how to get there.Conference room acoustics checklist and FAQA one-page checklist and answers to common questions about conference room acoustics.