Keeping the noise down in today’s multimedia age

It’s common to develop an increased appreciation of peace and quiet as you get older.

We live in a uniquely noisy world, where home broadband connections struggle under the collective weight of streaming platforms, social media sites, immersive games and video calls.

Because these round-the-clock entertainments are all audiovisual, they generate a significant amount of noise pollution.

This is often greater than we realise – and more annoying than our housemates and neighbours might wish…

Noise annoys

The surging popularity of time spent in anechoic chambers, soundproofed hotel rooms and off-grid rental properties is partly due to the noise levels in daily life.

Some of this lies beyond our control, such as traffic noise, construction work or the mechanical thrum of white goods and heat pumps.

However, much of it is self-generated – MMORPG games where it’s necessary to talk to fellow players, Netflix, TikTok, rolling news channels and so forth.

Concentrating on foreground noise can trigger excessive fatigue, headaches and stress. Yet even when sound fades into the background, our brains are still subliminally processing it.

And because almost every digital entertainment is accompanied by a soundtrack, many of us feel prematurely tired by day’s end.

Worse, this wall of sound routinely leaches outwards to other rooms in the home, or even beyond external walls and windows.

Noisy neighbours probably don’t know (or care) how easily sound waves pass through walls, floors or ceilings.

Sound can carry considerable distances, particularly at night and especially at low frequencies like the bass notes emitted by car stereo subwoofers.

Fortunately, there are things we can do to minimise noise pollution around the home.

Tips for subduing sound

Firstly, consider which rooms host multimedia devices like TVs or games consoles, which routinely emit sound.

Look to add soundproofing to these rooms, trapping the noise rather than trying to smother it in an adjoining bedroom or home office.

Soundproofing could take the form of rubber underlay, acoustic wall panels, high-density carpets, thick curtains, acoustic floor sheeting or rugs laid over tiled/wooden floors.

In general, hard surfaces amplify sound whereas uneven surfaces and fabrics deaden it. Even closing the curtains ought to diminish sound leakage.

Keep doors closed in noisy rooms and consider replacing hollow white colonial doors with solid wooden ones – a slab of timber muffles sound waves quite effectively.

Inject acoustic caulk into any wall or doorframe cracks, and cover gaps below doors with stick-on insulation strips from your local DIY store.

If you have a surround sound system, engage Night Mode if it has one to reduce bass reverberations, point speakers away from neighbouring bedrooms, and try to keep the volume down.

Position subwoofers, bass drums and suchlike above the floor on fabric surfaces to prevent vibrations rippling through the floor – especially in upper storey rooms.

Comprising a multitude of individual air pockets, foam is an excellent sound deadener, whether it’s installed behind plasterboard walls or laid below flooring solutions.

Prevent noise pollution at source

If family members spend hours gaming or streaming, buy them wireless headsets which enable them to move around freely while channelling sound into their ears instead of the air.

Sophisticated headphones (particularly cupped over-ear ones) may also incorporate noise cancelling technology.

This enhances immersive media experiences, while potentially offering respite to people who are otherwise unable to avoid ambient noise around the home or workplace.

Ear defenders do a similar job without the speakers, and even a pair of earmuffs will diminish sounds before they reach your ears.

Noise pollution may be a symptom of today’s always-on digital lifestyles, but many potential sources can be reduced or eliminated altogether…