To prevent sound waves from creating echo, it is important to absorb some sound waves by scattering or diffusing them. In cases when the sound waves reflect on hard or reflective materials like hardwood floors, walls, etc., many times sound bounces back into the room.
Replacing or covering the reflective surface with an acoustic wall covering will help in trapping sound waves before they re-enter the room and lead to sound issues. Although you wouldn’t want to completely cover the wall as you will end up with a dead-sounding room, finding a balance of soft and hard surfaces will help in creating a natural-sounding room that is suitable for any type of event.
What leads to unwanted noise is greatly dependent on the ability of the sound waves that reflect directly at the source. Most often, reverberations are allowed to happen. On the other hand, if the room is large, you will also feel echoes. Moreover, the amount of echo will also increase with the increase in the size of a room.
The best way to combat the sound waves is to scatter or diffuse them. It can be done by creating curved surfaces or flat surfaces at varying depths. It helps in directing the sound wave reflections within the room and lowering the negative effects of the sound reflections. Diffusers are also of great help, though using them with materials that absorb the waves will cancel out the acoustic treatment plan you have used.
The main way to absorb the sound waves is by using soft and absorptive materials. It is mainly easy in a smaller space like a carpeted living room which is decorated with sound-absorbing furnishings. The smaller space will lessen the reflection, and the soft or porous surfaces in the wall-to-wall carpeting and couches also contribute to absorbing unwanted sound waves.
But, let’s say you occupy a larger room like a gymnasium. What would you do to absorb the sound? Well, a larger room filled with fans, people’s voices, music, etc., requires a great acoustic absorption plan. In such a situation, in the absence of acoustic performance, sound waves will continue to amplify. Thus, you will get the best results only by adopting acoustic absorption properties which are made to combat unwanted noise like echo and reverberation.