Wrong Things "Everybody Knows" About Acoustics

Our acoustic expert sets the record straight about some of the more common misconceptions about acoustics that he has heard over the years.

- Richard Honeycutt

My father had five careers. He taught motor vehicle maintenance in the US Army Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion during World War II. After the war, he taught high-school math. Subsequently, he farmed for a short time. Next, he worked as an engineer for Western Electric, working on guidance systems for missiles and rockets. Then his job title was changed to Senior Technical Writer. When I was in high school, I asked him a technical question to which he did not know the answer. Seeing my surprised look, he said, “A good engineer does not have to know all the answers; he just has to know where to look to find them.” I am convinced that this is true not just for engineering, but for all five of Dad’s careers, and in fact for most professions.

As an example, I recently received the following e-mail: “We are a general contractor … and I have a few questions for a client about the cost of acoustic treatment for a large sound stage type building. Call me at the number below please.” In the subsequent thread, it turned out that he was indeed just looking for cost information. I never found out who, if anyone, had decided what acoustical treatment was needed, or even if anyone had. He was not asking me to actually consult on the project.

There is a type of business called an “acoustical contractor.” In working on projects with several of these types of contractors over the years, I have noticed that many of them are mostly drywall installers who also install suspended ceilings. Some of these actually have acoustical value, but many do not, yet they are still called “acoustical.” Some of these businesses offer to determine how much and what kind of treatment a room “needs,” and where to locate it. Probably my correspondent perceived my business in that light.