Concert Hall Acoustics—1991

Abstract

A short history is followed by a discussion of Sabine's finding that reverberation time is the most important design factor, including an equation for calculating it. The principal acoustical attributes of a concert hall are presented: reverberation time; early reflections; initial-time-delay gap; strength; hall shape; and surface irregularities. Discussed in detail are examples of concert halls built from 1880 to 2003. A short section on designing a concert hall concludes the text.