Sound Masking & Speech Privacy
Noise Control and Reduction for Large Spaces
Is your office too noisy? Are you concerned with speech privacy? Experience Sound Masking solutions for offices, call centers and large spaces, for both closed plan and open plan offices. Our Sound Shadow ® Sound Masking System can create a comfortable, distraction-free environment that is also safe for the privacy concerns of both your clients and employees.
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Our Sound Shadow® Masking Systems deliver a uniform level of properly tuned masking sound through speakers which are installed in the plenum above the suspended ceiling. Our Master Control Unit, the “M-101” provides a signal to 16 plenum mounted speakers. Need more speakers? Our Shadow Central rack mounted system can provide a signal to an unlimited amout of sound units to pefect mask your space. All components meet applicable national codes. Installation and relocation is easy, most components “snap” together.
You can achieve speech privacy with one system, with the efficiency of a low-power requirement. Our first installations have been operating for over 28 years!
Sound Masking is a method of introducing an electronically produced sound, or white noise, evenly distributed throughout a space in an effort to overwhelm sound which cannot be blocked or absorbed by any other means. Sound Masking is the most cost effective and sure proof way of solving loud office noise problems, which hinder productivity.
Why choose Sound Shadow ® Sound Masking:
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It is simple, you should choose Sound Masking as your office solution because:
- You might not notice it when it is turned on, but will miss it dearly when it is turned off.
- Our system has a pleasing tone quality. The speech privacy system produces a subtle “humm” not a “hiss” that most less quality systems produce.
- It is never obtrusive, with a footprint easily mistaken for a HVAC system, so subtle employees would never feel compelled to speak over it or strain to listen.
- Our system evenly disperses sound with zero “hot spots” or “dead spots.” Sound Shadow Sound Masking Systems will accomplish all of this and more.
SMG replaced this Sound Masking system at an emergency Call Center. Click below to watch a video which shows the frequencies too loud. When replaced with our trademark Sound Masking System, we greatly improved the working conditions within the space.
The Sound Shadow® Central System can be utilized for paging or alarm purposes. A separate module is added to allow for paging via a dial up number. The same module can also be programmed to play a pre-recorded alarm signal consisting of voice and/or emergency tone burst.
A dedicated and protected phone line is used to access these features. By simply dialing the number from any phone authorized personnel can make announcements over the masking/paging system. If more security is required, the access can be limited to certain phones. Keeping the access extension number confidential is usually sufficient and preferable.
A system within the module enables emergency announcements to be pre-recorded (for example: “There is an emergency in the building. Please leave immediately”). An emergency sound (a “whoop, whoop” for example) may be added from a menu of ten such tones to draw attention to the forthcoming announcement. A two digit code after dialing the alarm/paging number activates this recording; another two digit code turns it off.
When sound masking is installed in new occupied space, the volume can be set at the final design level. When introduced in occupied space, it may be important that the occupants do not notice it. Frequently, turning the system on after hours is sufficient but a gradual increase in the volume over a period of time may be preferred.
To accommodate this, the Sound Shadow® system has an optional feature that will allow the volume to be ramped up over a period from 5 to 15 days. Simply set the final volume level, select the time period for the gradual introduction, hit the “execute” button and walk away. The Volume will decrease by 20 decibels – well below ambient – and ramp-up at 1/4 decibel steps over the period selected until it reaches the volume that was initially selected.
This option allows the installer/tuner to achieve virtually any spectrum distribution of the masking sound. While the basic options are frequently within the preferred spectrum, a more tailored audio spectrum may be preferred. The Sound Shadow® E-101 1/3 octave 28-band graphic equalizer enables this precise tuning.
The zone attenuator control option enables a zone to be established and controlled independent of the rest of the system. Typical applications are: to reduce volume in a conference room when audio transmission is implemented; to increase volume immediately outside a room where particularly confidential conversations are occurring; and, to eliminate the masking signal in larger space where instruction is occurring. Masking sound can be picked up by video and teleconferencing microphone interfere with the transmitted signal.
This is controlled with a wall mounted control that can vary the volume of a zone from “off” to levels exceeding the level surrounding the zone.
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