Acoustical field measurements comparing the performance and cost effectiveness of ceiling plenum and under floor sound masking systems indicate that under floor systems can be the more cost effective. However, positioning of under floor loudspeakers relative to raised access floor system panel intersections, air highways and air grilles is far more critical than those of less penetrated ceiling mounted plenum loudspeaker systems.

Experienced engineers can easily design under floor sound masking to be more cost effective than ceiling plenum masking. The performance of raised access floor masking is quite consistent with ceiling plenum systems with the additional benefit of solving floor induced cross-talk concerns caused by frequent HVAC air grille penetrations.

Direct plus reverberant sound energy analysis for raised access floors shows almost no variation in sound level uniformity when compared to that of ceiling plenum loudspeaker systems of similar spacings that include open return air grille treatment.

Cost efficiencies for raised access floor masking include the ease of access and the elimination of:

• Mechanical equipment and the time required to relocate such equipment to hang and wire ceiling plenum mounted speakers.
• Shots and bins or beam clamps for speaker mounting. Cable drops.
• Attenuators for non-ducted return air grilles.
• Costly ceiling and disruptive plenum retrofits.

Although there are numerous advantages for placing sound masking systems under raised access floors, each application should be evaluated on its own merits for the most cost effective solution.

We offer sound masking for raised access floors including those including the 2" deep to the deeper floors utilizing the floor cavity as a pressurized air-supply plenum. This type of sound masking has special appeal in facilities that will have under floor HVAC and cabling or do not have suspended accessible ceilings such as open structure or "flex-space".

When we install the assembly it is invisibly mounted under the floor and it uniformly disperses a superior sound to enhance mid-frequency responses for sound masking.

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