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This annoying noise pollution aggravates tenants and property owners and can cause disputes between neighbours.
But how can we get the most out of our living and work spaces without compromising acoustics?
Read more: Floor Soundproofing for Condos and Mixed Use Buildings: Freedom Step

Data privacy is a pressing concern for the overwhelming majority of Canadians.
Read more: Speech Privacy: Is Your Office Private? The Legal and Financial Implications

Do you work in an office? If so, what’s your pet peeve? Awkward events you’ve been voluntold to attend? Meetings that should have been emails? Beyond-burnt popcorn stinking up the place?
All of these are annoying, but there’s something else we maintain is worse, and perhaps even the worst annoyance in any modern office: awful office acoustics.
Read more: Stop Office Noise: Office Soundproofing and Acoustic Treatment

Less than one week to go!
We’re looking forward to Construct Canada at The Buildings Show, November 28 - 30, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto.
The event, in its 30th year, showcases the best in design, architecture, construction and real estate.

The difference is clear. DeAmp Transparent Sound Absorber Panels are a unique solution to control sound reverberation. This is a common problem in atriums, boardrooms and open office areas, which is caused by the widespread use of glass or other reflective materials on walls and ceilings.
DeAmp Panels are unrivaled in acoustic performance and aesthetics. They are see-through and practically vanish into the surroundings without affecting designed transparency and visual openness.

We’re pleased to announce that we are now the exclusive Canadian distributor of RealAcoustix LLC.
Known for their line of diffusion products, RealAcoustix, and now AcoustiGuard-Wilrep, offer the largest range of diffusers and re-directors worldwide.
Leading the industry in performance and aesthetic, our bass traps, custom-made wood absorption products, and standard fabric panel absorbers are where acoustics meet design.
Click below to see some of our new Architectural Acoustics line. All photos courtesy RealAcoustix.
Read more: Our Next Chapter – Architectural Acoustics with RealAcoustix LLC.

This will be our first year at IIDEX Canada, and we couldn’t be more excited to be part of such a prestigious show and to meet members of Canada’s esteemed Design community.
At IIDEX17, we will be officially debuting our DeAmp Transparent Sound Absorber Panels.
These unique panels solve a missing link in acoustical control. They are clear and practically disappear in front of any material or background. DeAmp Panels improve the acoustics within a space, without interfering with the intended design, light and openness. This makes them ideal in any room with a high use of glass or other hard surface material: in modern atriums, offices and boardrooms.
Stop by booth 4818 at IIDEX17 to see them.
Read more: Come See Our DeAmp Panels! Booth 4818 at #IIDEX17

Acoustics Week In Canada, hosted by the Canadian Acoustical Association, takes place this year in Guelph, ON from Wednesday, October 11 – Friday, October 13. Every year it brings together exciting developments in acoustics and vibration – as well as a chance for those of us in the industry to network, educate one another, and share innovative products.
We’re very excited to be a part of this year’s exhibitioners, where we’ll be displaying our new line of Architectural Acoustics Products, including our innovative DeAmp Transparent Sound Absorber Panels, that, when placed in front of glass and other hard surfaces, improve the room’s acoustics while practically disappearing.
Stop by to see our table at the show to learn more!

It’s always exciting to launch a new product. The announcement of our Architectural Acoustics line, including our DeAmp Transparent Sound Absorber Panels, has brought us some unique business opportunities and exciting new partnerships.
We’ve also had the pleasure of working with some very talented people along the way – including Chris Paulis, a Maryland-based Master Photographer who captured shots of DeAmp at Bowie State University’s new Center for Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Nursing.
Read more: Congratulations Chris Paulis! DeAmp Photography Wins Award


Common Q: Do Decorative Absorption Panels (DAPs) block room-to-room noise transfer?
A: In short, no.

Here, at AcoustiGuard-Wilrep Ltd., we are always hunting down new information about acoustics and soundproofing, both for our own research, and to share with you. Along the way we’ve come across some pretty interesting stuff. See our favourites and let us know if there are any sound facts we’ve missed.
Read more: Fascinating Facts About Sound, Noise and Soundproofing

Q: I have a question about soundproofing. Noise from the main levels seems to echo throughout my basement. Is there anything I can do to the ceiling in my basement to help soundproof the rooms down there? I thought maybe I should take off all of my drywall, install something in my ceiling to dampen noise, and afterwards reinstall my drywall. Is this correct?

What’s Behind How Weird Our Recorded Voices Sound?
It’s happened to all of us. We’re okay with how our voices sound when we speak but the moment we hear a recording of our voice, many of us can’t help but exclaim, “Is that really how I sound?!” Sometimes people reel in disgust from their voices. Others are surprised by how high or low it sounds.
We may only become aware of this fact when we hear ourselves in a recording after an interview or, if you have the best of friends, when they do comical impressions of how your voice sounds.
The question is, why?
Read more: What’s Behind How Weird Our Recorded Voices Sound?

Sports Venue Architects have monumental tasks, building big, beautiful stadiums that hold thousands of people. But it’s not only the view of the game they have to worry about; it’s the sound in the stadium too. Many leagues and sports teams have realized the cheering can have – especially in the NFL, where chants have been known to disrupt games.
Architecturally, this issue comes from using reflective materials in ceiling construction or placing the seats in close proximity to the court or field. Another problem is aluminum or plastic seats that fans bang and stomp upon.

Toronto is a big city, and with its size comes a whole lot of noise. The sounds of daily life are practically unavoidable in public, but your home should be your haven, no matter where you live. The only problem is, many of the units in Toronto’s most popular living accommodation – apartment buildings and condos – aren’t soundproof.

The importance of a good night’s sleep cannot be overstated. Getting the sleep we need leaves us energetic and rejuvenated. When you sleep well you’re more productive and your memory improves. Incidentally as we age, both sleep and memory start to worsen.
Read more: Move over White Noise: Pink Noise May Act as a Sleep and Memory Aid

Scientists are currently coaxing sound-sensing cells within the human ear. These cells are known as hair cells. Growing them from stem cells, the long-term plan is to reverse the most common type of hearing loss, or perhaps even stop it completely.

Scientists from The Universities of Sussex and Bristol have invented a new material that shapes sound by bending and focusing the sound waves travelling through it.
It is a metamaterial, which is defined as “[…] a material engineered to have a property that is not found in nature.” It has the potential for exciting applications in personal acoustics, as well as ground-breaking ones in the medical field.
Read more: A Material That Shapes Sound: Fact, Not Science Fiction

Location is everything for hotels and motels. Many are faced with different types of noise pollution, because they’re situated in the busiest areas. Highways, nearby trains, airports, and urban streets are all examples of noise pollution that present a challenge for a hotel or motel.
There are many ways hotels can tackle these issues and the best place to start is with major problem areas like windows and patio doors.

It goes without saying that there are many benefits to working from home. Generally, a home office gives you the freedom to set your own schedule and provides a healthier work-life balance.
At the same time, there are also some considerable challenges. Noises from the rest of your home, condo or apartment building, combined with any potential noises that are coming from outside, can create plenty of distractions.


Atriums and offices are finished in glass, drywall and hard floors. Aesthetically, they’re eye-catching. But once people are in the space an issue becomes obvious – the acoustics are awful due to the highly reflective surfaces.
Glass, drywall and concrete are the most common materials in modern architecture. They present a clean line and lends a feeling of openness. But these materials are poor sound absorbers – the reflecting sound in the room makes conversations unintelligible and produces reverberation and echo.

When you think of sound within a scientific framework, you probably picture sound waves being emitted. While this is an accurate picture from a mechanical perspective, we must also remember that sound truly happens when we sense or perceive it. For instance, when you hear a sound, it reaches your ear as a mechanical sound wave that has travelled through the air, but once it's in your ear it is transformed into neural stimuli.

Water rushes down the pipes and it sounds like Niagara Falls flowing in the rooms or unit below.
Whooshing followed by trickling and then settling, it’s agitating, not to mention off-putting.
Pipes frequently pose soundproofing problems for business owners, homeowners and tenants alike.
But there are solutions. Here’s how to soundproof a pipe.