Because our next assignment is going to be revolving around sound, we were all given the opportunity to talk to a lecturer who had a lot of experience with the industry. We learnt many things about the basic principals of sound and also insulation. To fully grasp the concept of sound we were also allowed to explore 2 chambers. One of which was called an acoustic and the other an an-echoic chamber. The acoustic chamber is a large round room with an instrument in the middle that could rotate. The room was mainly used to test materials for the insulating capabilities and how they affect the pressure waves of sound. The main attraction for me however was the an-echoic chamber. Inside I was amazed to see that the floor itself resembled that of a giant circus trampoline (i assumed to prevent reflection of sound). The walls were also covered with hundreds of precisely cut out pieces of foam. In doing so, it meant that sound waves were unable to reflect and spread within the room. You could barely hear yourself speak which was an amazing feeling as I had never experienced anything like it in my life. I could compare it to trying to talk under the water, it just sounded muffled and distorted. I couldn't hear people ac across the room either. Sound was almost completely absent, as if i were drifting out in the vacuum of space. For me, it was a great experience because it gave me a grasp of how much we as humans are able to alter sound itself. It is much more than just vibrations escaping speakers. It is a science in itself that I am interested in exploring further.
No comments:
Post a Comment