1. What is Reverberation Time?

Reverberation time (RT) is the time required for the sound energy density in a space to decrease by 60 dB after the sound source has stopped. It's a key parameter in architectural acoustics.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Sabine's formula:

Where:

• \( RT \) — Reverberation time (seconds)
• \( V \) — Volume of the space (m³)
• \( A \) — Total absorption in the space (m²)

Explanation: The formula relates the reverberation time to the volume of the room and its total absorption. The constant 0.161 has units of s/m when the volume is in m³ and absorption in m².

3. Importance of Reverberation Time

Details: Reverberation time significantly affects speech intelligibility and music quality in spaces. Different room types require different optimal RT values (e.g., concert halls vs. lecture rooms).

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the room volume in cubic meters and the total absorption in square meters. Both values must be positive numbers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is the optimal reverberation time for a classroom?
A: Typically 0.4-0.6 seconds for good speech intelligibility.

Q2: How is total absorption (A) calculated?
A: A = Σ (surface area × absorption coefficient) + Σ (object absorption) + air absorption.

Q3: What are limitations of Sabine's formula?
A: It assumes diffuse sound field and works best in rooms with moderate absorption (RT between 0.5-5 seconds).

Q4: How does temperature affect reverberation time?
A: Higher temperatures increase air absorption, slightly reducing RT, especially at high frequencies in large spaces.

Q5: What's the difference between RT60 and EDT?
A: RT60 is the traditional measure, while Early Decay Time (EDT) focuses on the first 10 dB of decay and may better correlate with perceived reverberation.