Tuning Shared Living Spaces: Acoustic Comfort through Domestic Sound Zones

Sound is a pivotal component in creating a sense of place and time in any given environment. Increasing attention to the adverse health effects of noise in society has led to a singular focus on reducing measurable sound levels by means of insulation and isolation strategies. However, recent studies emphasize that acoustic comfort extends beyond mere sound level reduction. The soundscape approach has fostered approaches that go beyond loudness or level to study the broader impact of acoustic environments on humans in specific contexts. The authors identified sound zones in the context of homes to enable multiple people with different preferences to engage with different audio contents within a shared living space. Listening evaluations were conducted in a simulated living room to evaluate the influence of sound zones on individuals’ affective responses to the overall sound environment compared to conventional speakers. Building on the established understanding of soundscape as a subjective and contextual perception, the results indicate that sound zones reduce subjective annoyance associated with unwanted sound in a home context with multiple co-located individuals engaging with personal audio.