1. Sound Masking
Simplified

2. Target Markets Finding Opportunities
Selling Sound Masking
Homework
Target Markets
Finding Opportunities

3. Target Markets Best Return on Time? Commercial Office Space:
They have the money
They have the floorspace
They have the evolving workspace
Do not neglect:
Healthcare c/o HIPAA
Higher Ed
Legal
Government (if you have the patience)

4. Finding Opportunities – Gumshoe Work
Word of Mouth
Networking
Direct Mail
Phone Calls
In Person Appointments
IFMA, IIDA, BOMA, AIA, CoreNet
LinkedIn, Zoom Info
Periodicals from those above, the local business newspapers, the “Interweb”

5. Selling Sound Masking Don't Lead with Product
Establish yourself as a solutions provider and discuss "Office Acoustics" first

6. The Workplace is Evolving
The U.S. workplace is becoming more effective, and more collaborative.

7. Decision Makers VP’s of Real Estate – Network via CoreNET
They are part of today’s senior management business team
Are tasked to Recruit and Retain the Best and Brightest
Manage rapid change in business cycles
Speed to Market is critical
Tasked with effective capital utilization

8. Decision Makers Facility Management – Network via IFMA, BOMA
They report to VP of Real Estate
Must also Recruit and Retain the Best and Brightest
Manage rapid change in business cycles
Speed to Market is critical
Tasked with effective capital utilization

9. Decision Makers Service Providers and Specifiers
The Project Managers, i.e., JLL, CBRE, Cushman & Wakefield, Aecom, Turner, CH2M Hill, etc.
The Interiors Specifiers, i.e., Gensler, HOK, Perkins+ Will, etc.
The Consultants, i.e., Cerami, Salter, Acentech, etc.

10. Ask Questions About Their Workplace
Do they have:
Flex-space
Shared Space
Free Space
Co-Working
Community Space
Collaborative Space
Are they concerned with distractions
Is their enough privacy
Do they have sufficient private meeting rooms, enclaves, conference rooms

11. Help Your Client… Make an Informed Decision Review: Workplace Needs
The A-B-C’s Of Office Acoustics – The Ideal
What is Sound Masking?

12. Workplace Needs
With the advent of a more open and collaborative workplace, increased distractions reduce focused task work hampering productivity
Add sound masking throughout the open office area as conversations will be less intelligible, and therefore less distracting

13. Workplace Needs
Ensure Privacy Between Fixed Wall or Moveable Wall as conversations in adjacent offices must be kept confidential
Add sound masking to both offices to provide Confidentiality

14. The A-B-C’s of Office Acoustics
Think of this balanced approach as a three legged stool
Absorb Sound: – Primarily with ceilings and carpeting
Block Sound: – Achieved with furniture panels, moveable or demountable walls, fixed wall construction
Cover Sound: – Add electronic masking sound

15. What is Sound Masking?
Sound masking raises the background ambient noise level of a space, making private conversations more difficult to hear and reducing distractions in open areas
Sound Masking works by utilizing a network of small speakers that generate a pleasant, airflow-like background sound to “mask” other sounds in a workplace
Sound masking is placed where you don’t want conversations overheard, not where the conversations are taking place
Sound masking is not “noise cancellation” nor is it a “magic wand”
Adding sound to cover other sounds seems counterintuitive but it works!

16. Help Your Client… Make an Informed Decision Review:
Sound Masking A Visual Analogy
The Radius of Distraction (RofD) – The Reality
Differences In Delivery Systems

17. Sound Masking…A Visual Analogy
Sound is like light energy as a flashlight is very noticeable in a dark room (similarly, a voice is very noticeable in a quiet room)
When the background light (or sound masking) is turned on, the flashlight (or voice) is no longer distracting

18. The Radius Distraction (RofD)
It reduces by 2/3 the area of distraction
The key element for the modern workplace that has no acoustical ceilings, reverberant hard surfaces, no carpeting, desking systems

19. Differences in Delivery Systems
Plenum Based Sound Masking
In the space between a “dropped” ceiling and upper deck for the floor
Plenum-based speakers face upwards, towards the upper deck
Employs a network of loud speakers located completely within the plenum
Speakers
Ceiling Tile
Generator in IT room or
Equipment
closet

20. Differences in Delivery Systems
Plenum Based Sound Masking
Uniformity achieved by adjusting the acoustic output of individual or small groups of speakers
Adjustments include changes in output volume and output spectra of individual speakers
To provide this adjustment capability, system electronics for small groups of speakers are required

21. Differences in Delivery Systems
Direct Field Sound Masking
Sound from any specific masking speaker travels directly to the listener
Installed in dropped ceilings mounted facing down
No ceiling environment… they are mounted facing down on any available structure
Roof deck
Ceiling
Central
Generator

22. Differences in Delivery Systems
Direct Field Sound Masking
Eliminates issues of spatial uniformity due to plenum conditions and open air returns
Individual speakers do not have to be adjusted to counteract plenum conditions
Amount of energy required to produce a sound masked space is reduced as signal not driven through a ceiling

23. Differences in Delivery Systems
Raised Floor Sound Masking
Listener acceptance is very high with diffuse / uniform sound
Easily accessible individual speaker adjustment
Adds Flexibility in a non-ceiling environment

24. What Problems Does AtlasIED Solve?
The issue of workplace acoustics so that the user can have focused taskwork without distractions
A more productive work environment
The issue of some privacy in an albeit open environment
The issue of cross-talk between private offices
Mass communication / paging and music potential

25. How Are We Unique?
AtlasIED is a family owned business, we are easy to conduct business with
AtlasIED can provide a complete solution from Racks to Speakers and everything in between
AtlasIED provides free design service and will train dealers who to tune systems

26. The Advantages of AtlasIED
The AtlasIED advantage:
Size, scale and full portfolio of pro audio solutions for commercial offices, healthcare, education, government, along with mass communication