Effect of Sound-Absorbing Treatment on Speech Discrimination in Rooms

Noise and reverberation in a room affect speech discrimination. Sound-absorbing materials are used to shorten reverberation times. To find out the effect of acoustic treatment on speech discrimination, an acoustic refitting was carried out in a classroom and in a multipurpose hall. The normal-hearing test subjects perceived the word material (sentences, words and nonsense words) binaurally from the loudspeaker. The tests were repeated after the acoustic refitting of the rooms. The sound-absorbing treatment improved speech discrimination. In quiet, the improvement in discrimination was minimal or absent, but was well documented in a noisy environment. In rooms where speech communication takes place, attention should be paid to acoustic conditions: acoustic treatment can improve the quality of communication.