Chapter 3.0 Types of acoustic treatment
3.2.4 Sound diffusers
Sound diffusers reflect and evenly scatter sound energy back into a space. Instead of removing or minimising sound, the goal of the diffuser is to improve the quality of existing sound in a space. When a sound wave comes into contact with a diffuser, interference occurs as it encounters uneven surfaces of varying depths. So when the sound reflects and re-enters the room it doesn’t bounce back in the same direction it came from but spreads out in multiple directions over an expanded area. Diffusers come in different shapes and textures, and can even be custom designed to create a special effect for critical listening applications.
Types
- Curved panels
- Quadra pyramid diffusers
- Pyramidal diffusers
- Polycylindrical diffusers
- Quadratic diffusers
- Custom designed diffusers
Use to:
- Reduce echos and reflections
- Reduce sound focusing
- Prevent standing waves
- Enhance richness of sound in a space
- Create a feeling of spaciousness
- Make a dull space feel more alive
- Provide wider sound coverage for speech or music
- Improve speech intelligibility and clarity
