Partition Walls

[Tyler Lindsley]

Just out of curiosity - how many of you have partition walls along the rear of your auditorium that open to adjoining spaces to allow more seating? Our rear wall (3 sections) opens into the cafeteria and a smaller cafe lounge area. How often do you use them? And what have you tried to improve sound quality in the auditorium? I find that sound travels through the cracks and bounces off the cafeteria wall, making an odd reflection back.

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

I've worked on several renovations where they were removed. Condolences, as it's one of the worst ideas ever. They were expensive and I believe they are rarely used. Much more economical and better value to build the number of seats needed.

 

[Ben Stiegler]

Perhaps a curtain on traveler or even draping on pipes to cover that rear wall is your best bet, assuming you have to leave them operational.

Do you have simultaneous events on both sides of the wall during auditorium use?

 

[Tyler Lindsley]

We do open our wall quite frequently, and there are more often than not simultaneous events in the auditorium and cafeteria. Sound travels in from the cafeteria, often overpowering rehearsals in the auditorium.

 

[Ben Stiegler]

can you share some photos of the wall - both a section view (how thick, what the inter-panel fittings look like) and a side view, especially with 2 panels locked together showing how tightly they fit?

It could be that replacing the gaskets which create the inter-panel seal, and the panel-to-floor seal, will help ... otherwise you want the curtain on the MP side of the wall if possible, not the auditorium, if you can make that work.

Glad to consult with you directly/offline if you like.

Ben

 

[DrewE]

If the cafeteria is like most, some general acoustic treatment in that room could also be beneficial (though hardly a complete solution). It would probably also make it a nicer place for eating lunch and whatever other activities occur there. Finding affordable yet food fight resistant acoustic absorption materials could be a rather tricky task.

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

It's hard enough to stop noise transmission in a fixed walk. It's impossible with a moveable one. In convention centers, I can always here the adjacent presentations, but usually a person talking. The noise level in a theatre OR a cafeteria is much higher.

A second parallel air wall would get you closer but just one will never do much. In laboratory perfect conditions you might get to STC 45-50 but real world is less, and a concert band will easily power through that.

Sorry. Some architect probably believed a sales rep for the partition company.

 

[tjrobb]

Have you tried sealing the joints with gaff tape?

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

I wonder what the STC of gaff tape is?

 

[Tyler Lindsley]

Looking back on this thread, I have realized that half the problem can be aimed at the partition wall not properly sealing to the brick walls on either side of the opening. There is steel support beams sticking out from the walls that don't allow the partition to fully travel to create a seal.

While I do think sound absorbing drapes would help immensely, they would have to go on the auditorium side as the other side is a cafeteria. Food+Theatrical Drapes=Mess. Though I did notice there is carpeting on the lower third of the cafeteria side?

 

[josh88]

While I do think sound absorbing drapes would help immensely, they would have to go on the auditorium side as the other side is a cafeteria. Food+Theatrical Drapes=Mess. Though I did notice there is carpeting on the lower third of the cafeteria side?

Our venue had motorized softgoods (ultimately like 10 panels of duve) that were intended to be lowered to close off the balcony if we weren't seating it (Upper balconies can fit about 300 people) They tried it a couple times 20 years ago right after opening but this past summer we finally just cut them down. They had sat rotting and unused, nothing more than a dumb idea, just like the closable airwalls. It was a nice idea to help absorb/bounce sound and keep it out of the empty space up there, but it didn't work, was a hassle and just never panned out.