title: Effect of sound-absorbing treatment on speech discrimination in rooms.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Turku University Central Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pekkarinen
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Viljanen
mesh_terms: D000162:Acoustics; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004777:Environment; D004779:Environment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009622:Noise; D012574:Schools; D013016:Sound; D013067:Speech Perception