Studies - most notably by the Canadian Research Council - have shown that the number one cause of lost productivity at work is conversational distractions. Workers can be distracted by anything from the photocopier, to ringing telephones, to a conversation in the cubicle next to them.

Sound masking systems can be very effective at masking background noises in places of business. They help mask noise by overriding the frequencies of the noise, effectively muting the noise to a very measurable degree.

But what makes a sound masking system effective? Can different systems have different effects? Do some work better than others? If you’re going to invest in a sound masking system, it pays to be certain you’re getting your money’s worth.

Many years ago, sound masking systems emitted very loud noise that was often more distracting than the background noise. In the 1970s, the frequencies were adjusted to match the frequencies in the human voice, which allowed the volume to be reduced substantially while still being effective at blocking much of the background noise in the typical work environment.

These days, sound masking systems can be quite sophisticated. The better systems are able to mask the sound of the human voice, as well as other general office sounds, while still remaining under 48 decibels.

Going over 48 decibels can reach the tolerance level of many people, to the point of being more distracting than the original noise. Good sound masking systems keep their volume under 48 decibels.

Very high-quality sound masking systems make use of a newer direct field configuration. Instead of being mounted in the plenum above the ceiling, emitters are positioned on the ceiling tiles themselves.

This makes sense: you’re buying sound. You wouldn’t buy a high-end car stereo and put the speakers in the trunk. Given the limited speaker technology 40 years ago, it might have made sense to bury the speakers in the plenum, but not anymore.

The latest generation of wide-angle, direct-field office sound masking systems are able to achieve a higher level of sound reduction, while staying at a lower volume than older, traditional plenum-based systems. The wide-angle dispersion is key – simply flipping over the older style loudspeakers won’t work. It’s also why - unlike plenum-based systems - these direct-field systems can provide good sound masking across a wide area, all while maintaining a quiet volume level.

If you’re looking for the best sound masking system for your office, you should make sure to ask your dealer if the system is hidden in the plenum or if it actually treats the area you want treated. Also, be sure the volume level doesn’t go above 48 decibels. Ask them if their speakers are wide-angle (i.e. greater than 100⁰). The combination of these will tell you whether the system provides a good, even noise masking effect – giving you the most effective office sound masking for your investment!