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Speaker’s comfort and vocal effort in different room acoustic conditions : A controlled field experiment in a university lecture room

Cansu, Nicole ; Öhlund Wistbacka, Greta ; Holmqvist-Jämsén, Sofia ; Rydell, Roland LU ; Calderara, Pia and Lyberg Åhlander, Viveka LU orcid (2025) In Building Acoustics
Abstract

Speaking in poor acoustic conditions constitutes a risk factor for voice disorders. This study investigated how speaker’s comfort and vocal effort were affected during short speech tasks in four different room acoustic configurations. Voice recordings of the speech tasks and self-evaluations of the speaker’s comfort were collected from 15 participants in four room acoustic configurations as part of an acoustic refurbishment in a university lecture room. The influence of background babble noise and the use of a classroom sound field amplification system were also investigated. Results indicate that speaker’s comfort increased, and vocal effort decreased post-refurbishment, in configurations with reflectors or diffusers above the speaker... (More)

Speaking in poor acoustic conditions constitutes a risk factor for voice disorders. This study investigated how speaker’s comfort and vocal effort were affected during short speech tasks in four different room acoustic configurations. Voice recordings of the speech tasks and self-evaluations of the speaker’s comfort were collected from 15 participants in four room acoustic configurations as part of an acoustic refurbishment in a university lecture room. The influence of background babble noise and the use of a classroom sound field amplification system were also investigated. Results indicate that speaker’s comfort increased, and vocal effort decreased post-refurbishment, in configurations with reflectors or diffusers above the speaker position. Further, speaker’s comfort decreased, and vocal SPL and foincreased, indicating higher vocal effort, in conditions with background noise. Sex differences were observed both regarding vocal effort and speaker’s comfort in noisy conditions. Our results suggest that reflective materials above the speaker position, which enable more early reflections, are important for improving speaker’s comfort.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
epub
subject
keywords
Acoustic refurbishment, background noise, learning spaces, room acoustics, sound field amplification system, speaker’s comfort, vocal effort
in
Building Acoustics
publisher
SAGE Publications
external identifiers
  • scopus:105014651195
ISSN
1351-010X
DOI
10.1177/1351010X251364493
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
c80547ad-1e09-48d5-98c1-8e4eba8e56c2
date added to LUP
2025-11-17 09:26:51
date last changed
2025-11-17 09:27:28
@article{c80547ad-1e09-48d5-98c1-8e4eba8e56c2,
  abstract     = {{<p>Speaking in poor acoustic conditions constitutes a risk factor for voice disorders. This study investigated how speaker’s comfort and vocal effort were affected during short speech tasks in four different room acoustic configurations. Voice recordings of the speech tasks and self-evaluations of the speaker’s comfort were collected from 15 participants in four room acoustic configurations as part of an acoustic refurbishment in a university lecture room. The influence of background babble noise and the use of a classroom sound field amplification system were also investigated. Results indicate that speaker’s comfort increased, and vocal effort decreased post-refurbishment, in configurations with reflectors or diffusers above the speaker position. Further, speaker’s comfort decreased, and vocal SPL and f<sub>o</sub>increased, indicating higher vocal effort, in conditions with background noise. Sex differences were observed both regarding vocal effort and speaker’s comfort in noisy conditions. Our results suggest that reflective materials above the speaker position, which enable more early reflections, are important for improving speaker’s comfort.</p>}},
  author       = {{Cansu, Nicole and Öhlund Wistbacka, Greta and Holmqvist-Jämsén, Sofia and Rydell, Roland and Calderara, Pia and Lyberg Åhlander, Viveka}},
  issn         = {{1351-010X}},
  keywords     = {{Acoustic refurbishment; background noise; learning spaces; room acoustics; sound field amplification system; speaker’s comfort; vocal effort}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{SAGE Publications}},
  series       = {{Building Acoustics}},
  title        = {{Speaker’s comfort and vocal effort in different room acoustic conditions : A controlled field experiment in a university lecture room}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1351010X251364493}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/1351010X251364493}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}