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RT60 Formula:
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RT60 (Reverberation Time 60) is the time required for the sound pressure level in a room to decrease by 60 dB after the sound source has stopped. It's a key acoustic parameter used to characterize the reverberation characteristics of a space.
The calculator uses the Sabine formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula calculates how long it takes for sound to decay in a room based on its volume and the absorption properties of its surfaces.
Details: RT60 is crucial for acoustic design in various spaces including concert halls, recording studios, classrooms, and theaters. It helps determine the optimal reverberation time for different types of activities and ensures proper speech intelligibility and musical quality.
Tips: Enter room volume in cubic meters and total absorption in square meters. Both values must be positive numbers. The absorption value represents the sum of absorption coefficients multiplied by their respective surface areas.
Q1: What is an ideal RT60 value?
A: Ideal RT60 varies by room purpose: recording studios typically aim for 0.2-0.5 seconds, concert halls 1.5-2.5 seconds, and classrooms 0.4-0.6 seconds.
Q2: How is absorption (A) calculated?
A: A = Σ(α × S), where α is the absorption coefficient of a material and S is its surface area.
Q3: What factors affect RT60?
A: Room size, surface materials, furniture, audience presence, and temperature all affect reverberation time.
Q4: Are there limitations to the Sabine formula?
A: The formula assumes diffuse sound field and is less accurate for very absorbent rooms or rooms with non-uniform absorption distribution.
Q5: How does RT60 relate to room acoustics?
A: RT60 helps determine if a room is too "live" (long RT60) or too "dead" (short RT60) for its intended use.