A new approach to control noise from entertainment facilities: Active control and measurement of amplified community noise

Abstract

While traffic noise is perhaps the most pervasive of community noises, much of the contribution now comes from amplified sound: live music, discos, theme parks, and exercise studios. Those producing the sound or music want it loud and those not interested want to be protected against noise. Noise limits at the receiving or producing property line must be met for the minimum community acceptance. However the time‐, and perhaps the spatially‐, varying sound in entertainment facilities is often constantly modified (and maybe monitored) near the source of the sound. Hence it is hard to relate and to control the sound at the property line. This paper presents a unique noise control device. It is based on the octave band ‘‘transfer function’’ between the sound produced in the entertainment area and the noise received at the property line. The overall insulation can be measured and is input to the instrument. When a noise level limit is exceeded at the receiver, due to the amplified interior noise at the facility, the sound output of the device is automatically controlled to reduce the noise. The paper provides details of the design and possible abatement scenarios with examples.