Sound masking systems have become increasingly popular in commercial working spaces over the last few years. Sound masking refers to the process of adding background sound to reduce the distractions of noise, protect speech privacy and increase comfort. Proper sound masking machines are engineered to the frequencies of human speech, whilst subtly masking ambient operating noise.

Adding sound to a space actually makes it seem quieter. Think about a library where there is almost complete silence. Any noises that are made, and even the quietest conversations will be heard by at least some people within the space. When you can hear and understand conversations going on around you, they can be extremely distracting. Generally, as long as the speech is not intelligible, it will not cause as significant disruption to deep concentration.

Sound masking does not cancel sound or eliminate all speech noise in an environment; it simply reduces how far away conversations can be heard and understood by others, which is referred to as radius of distraction. Often confused with 'White Noise', sound masking noises are similar to the sound of airflow.

The problem is, until recently all good sound masking systems were designed for commercial office use with no real domestic solutions.

Sound Masking at Home

Should you consider sound masking for your home?

Do you Recognise yourself as any of the below (taken from Soft db)

• Can't switch your brain off at night
• Having trouble sleeping due to street noise, loud neighbours, dogs barking
• Am a light sleeper who gets woken up easily
• Find it difficult to fall asleep in total silence
• Sleep better with a fan on just because of the sound
• Anxious thoughts fill my mind when its too quiet
• I find silence distracting
• I'd like to achieve deeper levels of concentration for work or other important tasks
• Want to cancel out noise around me but without using headphones
• Have mild tinnitus, ringing and buzzing in my head - find it easier to ignore with some background sound
• I wish my white noise could also play my favourite music
• I just want a compact, stylish bluetooth speaker!

If you answer yes to one or many of these, Soft dB's new product 'Deep' is a great option.

Soft dB Deep Sound Masking Machine

Our sound masking partner, Soft dB, have just launched a new product to the market. Deep from Soft dB is an ambient sound machine and bluetooth speaker integrated into a small desktop unit. "Better sleep at night and focus at work await you—along with your favorite music played wirelessly with premium sound quality. This is meant to be the last ambient sound machine you'll ever need, neatly bundled into a compact Bluetooth speaker that packs a punch."

Stream your favourite music, ambient sleep playlists and apps directly through a high quality bluetooth speaker or use the in-built sound machine. Most bluetooth speakers become useless with a phone or tablet to connect to. Deep was designed from the ground up to provide both compact wireless speaker sound, and an effective sound masking machine.

Choose betweeen 7 comforting, perfectly engineered ambient background sounds to make your bedroom peak zen. Tune out distractions and achieve better productivity thanks to 3 full-spectrum sounds specially tuned by acoustic engineers.

Properly engineered sound masking at home is a new concept in the general consumer world, but we are now seeing new products developed in response to changes to work patterns across the globe.

Sound masking isn’t a one size fits all solution for noise problems. Sound masking is especially effective for spaces which are already relatively quiet, as the system helps to mask and block sudden sounds which would normally be distracting. If the space you are working with is loud, and has already poor acoustic qualities then sound masking may not be the best solution for you or further treatment may be required. Combining sound masking with acoustic absorption panels can provide a holistic approach to acoustic comfort.

Buy the Soft dB deep sound masking system for your home, desktop, office or bedroom.

Home Office Acoustic Panels

If you are experiencing noticeably poor audio quality during video or phone calls, acoustic treatment will help. As most homes aren't designed or set up with acoustics in mind, it is quite common to experience excess reverberation. A few panels strategically places acoustic wall panels will make an immediate impact on reducing harsh reverb and audio problems on video calling. They can also improve the general comfort of the office by helping to soften ambient noise or other sounds that are generated within the room.

Contact us if you have any questions.