ATS Acoustics

Gym Acoustics

Acoustical Concerns in Gyms

Gyms generally have the following acoustical needs:

• coaching/training where instructions need to be heard clearly
• competition when announcements need to be heard and understood
• recreational use where general communication can be understood and intelligible
• privacy needs for individual training purposes

Many gyms, dance spaces, and indoor pools are constructed as large, open areas. They generally feature tall ceilings, hard bleachers, minimally treated walls, mirrors or glass partitions, and metal training equipment. Additionally, pools have the reflective properties of water.

Sound bounces off of these reflective surfaces and continues to bounce around the room, creating loud, noisy environments. This can affect personal comfort, group dynamics, and audio comfort.

Adding sound absorbing materials will reduce the reverberation and echo to create better sound across all types of functions.

Acoustical Solutions for Gym Acoustics

Wall treatments, such as Acoustic Panels, are available in different sizes, shapes, and materials - all of which will efficiently control side-to-side reflections and help get rid of annoying echoes. Be creative and use your school's mascot or your company's logo on our Art Acoustic Panels.

Treating the ceiling or ceiling hardware with Acoustic Baffles is an option for all types of gyms and training facilities. Baffles offer two exposed sides to absorb excess sound and have the following benefits:

• A 2’ X 4’ hanging baffle has twice the surface area of a wall panel of the same size plus the edge area.
• A 2-inch baffle has 18 square feet of absorptive area with a coefficient approaching the theoretical limit of 1.00.

Alternatively, suspend 2" or 4" thick Acoustic Panels from the ceiling. Use suspension cables to allow for sound absorption through the panel's backside and to help decrease echo and reverb.