ACINEX

Paris

Acoustique Ingénierie Expertise



Acoustical Studies and Design Engineering

We provide consulting services in architectural acoustics, structural vibration and noise control. The scope of our services include measurements, analysis, models, diagnostics, recommendations, designs and detailed drawings, delivered in the form of reports. Presentations to large and small groups can be included. Electro-acoustic design, measurement and calibration plays a major role in room acoustics today and is also a service that we can provide.

Since 1985, we have delivered acoustic, electro-acoustic, noise and vibration control studies for the following projects:

- Education : universities, high schools, junior high schools, elementary schools, day care and kindergarten, training centers ;

- Speech intelligibility: Conference rooms, amphitheatres, lecture rooms, classrooms ;

- Speech transmission: A/V systems, High definition conference call installations, distant learning systems, web streaming, internet training, conference room sound system calibration, courtroom archival systems, distributed sound systems for speech, remote control audio systems ;

- Healthcare: Hospitals, senior living facilities, clinics, medical research laboratories ;

- Research centers: Micro-g vibration control for lasers, nano-technologies, SEM, TEM, NMR ;

- Recording Industry: Multichannel control rooms, recording studios, vocal rooms, enclosures for recording isolation, multi-purpose rooms for mixing, editing and recording ;

- High resolution audio: Acoustic and electronic design of systems for HD audio, mastering labs, prestige home studios, 3D audio, DxD and VHD audio ;

- Musical performances: Concert halls, theatres, auditoriums, recital halls, music conservatories, music rehearsal rooms ;

- Performing Arts: Theatre rehearsal rooms, dance rehearsal rooms, A/V media rooms, performing art centers ;

- Film Industry: Cinemas, film auditoriums, dubbing and ADR stages, Foley stages, film music orchestral recording stages, Dolby Atmos cinema installations ;

- Restaurants: Noise and reverberation control in public and private restaurants, lunch rooms, cafeterias, profession kitchens and video film studios for food channels ;

- Luxury hotels, Château and villas ;

- Living spaces: apartments, homes, elevators, parking levels ;

- Athletic centers: Gymnasiums, weight lifting and workout rooms, training rooms; swimming pools ;

- Spaces for worship: Churches, Synagogues, Chapels, Cathedrals, Abbeys, Parish churches, Temples ;

- Restaurants, luxury hotels.

- Product development and design

- Software development

- Acoustic and audio hardware development

Diagnostics, studies and solutions - The following missions are part of our scope of service:

- Environmental noise and vibration isolation for the building envelop ;
- Noise and vibration control for HVAC, mechanical plant, machines and equipment of all sizes ;
- Domestic noise reduction between living spaces or from outside of the building ;
- Control of occupied noise levels in rooms of all sizes designed for gatherings ;
- Speech intelligibility optimization with passive or active technologies ;
- Speech privacy mapping, and system layout;
- Enclosure design: Sound and vibration control, heat and cooling, access and maintenance, alarms and security ;
- Construction noise mitigation recommendations and management ;
- We assess and design sound and vibration isolation, as well as impact and shock isolation ;

- We deliver diagnostic reports, accompanied by measurements of room acoustics, sound isolation, vibration transmission, mechanical and equipment noise levels, modal resonance factors, speech intelligibility, speech privacy, signal distortion, system calibration ;

- During a Pre-design(PD)phase, ACINEX can offer site selection assistance, cost estimating and value analysis. Some sites or buildings require noise and vibration surveillance. The data is then used for value analysis and feasibility studies. Remote real time surveillance and analysis during the Pre-design(PD)phase can provide significant cost savings.

- Interior acoustics can also include sound reflectivity index and early reflection ratios for any surface or treatment; the use of which can assist in the guarantee of design results;

- Micro-g vibration measurements is one of our R&D activities: We can measure and provide extremely low vibration level control for nano-technologies, lasers, NMR, SEM, TEM ;

- We are contributing members of the ASTM and ISO. The solutions we provide conform to today's standards for fire, toxicity, hygiene, security, and universal design for public spaces.

Studies in France respond to the criterion « HQE » « Haute Qualité Environnementale ». In the US, we provide LEED certified designs ;

Acoustic, Vibration and Impact Measurements

We provide measurement results for airborne noise isolation, impact isolation, structural vibrations, and general room acoustic measurement results
based on ISO3382 such as ETC, RT60, RTxx, C50, C80, Clarity, Center Time as well as LF, IACC and Strength.

- Impulse responses taken with MLS (Maximum Length Sequence) or Esweep then filtered octave and 1/3 octave ;
- Ambient and environmental noise measurements ;
- Micro vibration measurements for SEM and TEM environments ;
- Measurements of impact or shock transmission levels throughout and between buildings ;
- Occupied noise level limits such as cafeterias, classrooms, lecture halls, gymnasiums;
- Machinery generated noise (HVAC, elevators, kitchen and food handling equipment noise, exhaust fans, industrial machinery noise) ;
- Occupied noise levels in schools, day care centers, public gathering places, amphitheatres ;
- Measurements for musical envelopment/clarity ratios for both the musicians and for the public ;
- Overall frequency response of the direct plus 100ms early energy ;
- General isolation indexes for interior/exterior requirements ;

Measurement equipment :

- Room measurement system (proprietary hardware et software), EASRA software,
impulse responses MLS with post treatment ISO 3382, (filters class 0),
time windows are variable from 1ms to 5 seconds
- 4 low noise microphone pre-amplifiers and converters
- Microphone rail system for area mapping measurements
- Microphones Earthworks M60
- Wide band multi directional high power source
- Source de Pink/White/Sweep Noise Neutrik
- Impactor 200-1500N
- RION VA-12, NORSONIC NOR140 and RION NL42


Acoustic, Vibration, Absorption and Reflectivity Models and Simulations

Acoustic prediction software

Our proprietary software allows us to model first and second order reflections for speech, music using 3D views for complete control of the reflectivity of surfaces, objects and occupants in any room for reverberation time predictions, early reflections, and metrics based on the ISO3382. We also use many different software packages to model air-borne noise and structural vibration isolation, resonance, impact transmission, room modes, surface and material sound impedance, sound reflectivity, speech intelligibility and privacy, electronic and acoustic audio distortion, air flow, pressure drop, duct silencers, machine radiated noise and particle velocity.

Acoustic measurement software

Our proprietary MLS software is used for reverberation time, EDT, clarity, early to late ratios, lateral to frontal ratios, envelopment,
strength, useful early reflection specifics (spectra, time, level).

Our software includes: - HVAC duct noise, vibration and radiated noise calculations
- Partition isolation values
- Façade isolation values
- Composite isolation values with doors, windows, duct passages, cable trays
- Vertical floor/ceiling assembly values for noise and impact transmission
- Speech comprehension values – TSNR (total speech to noise ratios)
- Impedance and sound reflectivity of porous media
- MDOF Micro-g vibration analysis
- Vibration transmissibility of single or dual mass/spring/damper systems
- FFT analysis of WAV files for noise, vibration, resonance amplitude and frequency
- Room mode distribution
- Resonant frequency and efficiency of panel resonators
- Square wave distortion
- Room acoustic measurements DIRAC
- Loudspeaker measurements Clio

Engineering team

Our engineers are regularly developing new tools (both hardware and software) for acoustic predictions, measurements and data treatment.
Signal treatment, filters and MLS software is written by acoustician Nicolas Teichner
Modeling software by Benjamin SanSouci, Fabien Dutuit, Roland Despinoy, Florent Ouchet
Structural engineering calculations and designs are provided by Albert MARCO, building and structural engineer - BRTM
AutoCAD plans are prepared by our engineers.

Isolation and Noise Control Engineering

We have been directly involved in the design and construction of rooms of all sizes intended for audio or video production, voice or music recording, music rehearsals rooms, and large rooms such as concert halls and performance auditoria, which require a high level of sound isolation.
We are involved in industrial noise and vibration isolation, noise control in schools, economical solutions for noisy neighbors in apartments and homes, and work place comfort noise control studies.

Micro-g vibration control is required for SEM (Scanning electron microscopes) and TEM (Transmission electron microscope) which produce images with a resolution of less than 1nm. We provide site vibration surveys for feasibility studies, and we can help integrate active vibration cancellation units to create very low noise environments. The resolution of our MDOF micro-g acceleration measurement system is below 0,1µg.

Consulting with Architects, Engineers, Interior Designers

In the case of construction and renovation projects, as consultants we offer architects, interior designers, and construction management teams guidance and assistance before, during and after the construction.

Pre-Construction Services : Schematic Design (SD)

Design Development (DD)

Construction Documents (CD)

Bidding Documents (BD)

Construction Administration (CA)

Completed Operations (CO)

Verification measurements

Calibration

Commissioning

Plans and Detailing for Construction

We firmly believe that a key factor in the success of a project is in the communication between the design team and the builders, and for this reason we pride ourselves in our detailed plans for construction of the more complex acoustic components. Architects enjoy the ease of plugging our “acoustic detailing” .dwg files into their designs, while the accompanied text offers the contractor specifics that can reduce construction times:

- Floating floor detailing with elastomers or springs ;
- Floating isolation wall/ceiling structures and assemblies ;
- Acoustic and structural detailing for the installation of acoustic doors, windows, ventilation ducts and sound locks ;
- Hundreds of interior acoustic treatments and assemblies with noise control data.
- Systems for vibration, impact and shock control ;
- Plans that clearly define equipment positions for accurate sound system integration ;

Construction Supervision, Estimating, Scheduling and Coordination

Over the last 25 years, we have been responsible for the coordination and construction supervision for the majority of our design projects. This has offered us invaluable experience in building construction. For the last 15 years we have offered training assistance to builders interested in developing their understanding of acoustic installations. On site testing routines to verify compliance with design goals is part of our regular schedule.

Cost Control and Project Status Reporting

Our visits and reporting of the status of a building project during construction allow the performance of the acoustic designs to be verified phase by phase, therefore changes or corrections can be implemented immediately. At the end of a project, measurements are taken and integrated into our models to produce a view of the variance between the objectives, predicted results and the measured results. In some cases like sound isolation renovation, measurements are taken before construction and after construction to demonstrate the value of the increase in isolation. For pro audio, the control room monitors are measured and calibrated and the "sweet spot" around the engineers position is mapped.

Feasibility Studies

Feasibility studies are often required during the pre-design phase for both new constructions and renovations to define the acoustic objectives along with the potential cost. These studies generally involve measurements and models and often several solutions that provide a range of cost/value ratios. Live and dead loads, construction complexity and time required can influence the feasibility.

Environmental Impact Studies

We have been awarded many projects to do pre-design environmental noise impact studies. In these cases we evaluate the risk annoyance factors of both noise emissions or noise intrusions, with regard to the future activities within the proposes structures and the surrounding environment. This can involve isolation proposals with costs and construction schedules. Projects like this have included predicted noise generated from a future outdoor public swimming pool in a residential neighborhood. The risk of noise emergence from music clubs, concert halls, disco techs, cinemas, music rehearsal rooms, music schools in proximity to quiet residential neighbor hoods, the control of impact noise from a dance hall to be built above a lecture hall, loud music studios in residential complexes, noise intrusion risks for a post production recording faculty built next to a highway.

Sound System Design and Integration

Since the late 1970's we have also been involved in both the electro-acoustic design of sound systems associated with acoustic attributes of a space combined with various installation styles and techniques.
Speaker design, amplifier design, microphone pre-amplifier design, compressor design, gain before feedback strategies, installation variations for speech intelligibility for large and small lecture halls, systems for the hearing impaired, systems for worship spaces, general announcement and public warning systems have all been missions that we have taken on with passion.
Systems for music performance are generally based on an entirely different protocol than for speech intelligibility, in that the spectra and peak sound levels for music performance are specific to the type of music and the sensation of enjoyment of music is generally related to the sense of comfortable envelopment and balance between the musical timbres.
Speech intelligibility on the other hand, requires that reverberant factors and occupied noise in a hall be limited while the speech frequencies are increased and enhanced. We have built many custom designed systems to meet the exact needs of clients and the results were always both cost effective and widely acclaimed for their comfort and clarity.


4, rue Cambon 75001 PARIS - Tel : +33 (0)9 77 19 55 99 ; +33 (0)6 25 74 90 68 ; E-mail : info@acinex.fr