Common questions

FAQs

Everything you need to know about acoustic masking for professional offices, how it works, what it costs, what it sounds like, and how it addresses your regulatory obligations.

About the technology

What exactly is acoustic masking?

Acoustic masking is a technology that raises the ambient noise level in a space by introducing a carefully calibrated signal tuned to the frequency range of human speech. When the background level in a corridor or adjacent room is raised to approximately 45–48 dB(A) in the speech frequency range, conversations transmitted through the partition wall from an adjacent room fall below the threshold of intelligibility, they are heard as indistinct background sound rather than followable speech.

Is it the same as white noise?

No. White noise contains equal energy at all frequencies and sounds harsh to most listeners. The masking signal we use is spectrally shaped, engineered to match the frequency profile of human speech so that it masks speech efficiently without requiring a high overall volume. Within a day or two of exposure, most occupants stop registering the masking signal entirely.

Will it be noticeable to people in the corridor or waiting area?

Initially, yes, for a few minutes, you may notice a slightly fuller background sound. Within a short period of regular exposure (typically a day or two), the auditory system habituates to the signal and stops registering it as a distinct sound. Visitors who have not been exposed before may occasionally notice it, but most describe it as a pleasant, unobtrusive hum, similar to air conditioning, rather than an intrusive noise.

Does it affect the people inside the meeting room?

It depends on where the listener is. The maskers are installed in the receiving space, meaning the space where a listener might otherwise overhear and understand speech from elsewhere. That can be a corridor, an adjacent office, a waiting area, or, where two rooms overhear each other through a shared partition, both rooms. People inside a room being masked from outside are unaffected; in a two-room shared-partition layout, both rooms experience the masking signal.

How loud does it need to be to achieve privacy?

A masking level of 45–48 dB(A) is typically sufficient to achieve Confidential Privacy in standard commercial office environments. 48 dB(A) is approximately equivalent to the background hum of a quiet office with ventilation running; it is not loud. The signal can be verified after installation using a sound level meter and, optionally, recorded in a written commissioning report (available as a paid compliance survey).

Installation & practicalities

Does it require structural work?

No. The maskers are installed in the ceiling void where one exists (typically by pushing through a ceiling tile or fixing to the underside of the floor above), or directly to the ceiling surface where there is no void. No partition work, no building alterations, no redecoration. A typical zone takes an afternoon to install and leaves the office looking exactly as it did before.

How long does installation take?

A DIY kit for a single zone typically takes an afternoon to install. A multi-zone installation covering several floors or several meeting-room corridors typically takes one to two working days. The office does not need to be empty; installation causes no significant disruption. A step-by-step guide is on the How It Works page.

Costs & value

How much does it cost?

DIY kit prices start from approximately £600–900 ex-VAT for a single-zone layout, depending on the zone dimensions and ceiling type. The two-rooms-with-partition worked example on the home page is £1,410 ex-VAT. Use our online estimator for a figure based on your specific dimensions, or contact us for a formal quotation. Full-service installation and on-site compliance surveys are available on application.

How does that compare with soundproofing?

Acoustic masking and soundproofing address the speech privacy problem by different mechanisms and at very different cost levels. Upgrading a standard stud partition to achieve a meaningful improvement in STC, from STC 38 to STC 50, for example, typically costs £800–2,000 per linear metre including decoration, plus significant disruption and likely a full office closure. The same partition with a masking installation in the adjacent corridor achieves Confidential Privacy at a fraction of the cost, with no building work and no disruption.

Is the performance measurable?

Yes, and this is one of the most important features of the technology from a compliance perspective. The masking level, frequency spectrum, and uniformity across each zone can be measured using a calibrated sound level meter. If you need documented evidence (for regulatory or audit purposes), book the optional compliance survey: one of our acoustic professionals takes the measurements on site and issues a written report stating the Speech Transmission Index (STI) achieved in the receiving space and the privacy classification per ANSI/ASA S12.70-2016 (R2025) (a US healthcare-scoped standard, used here as a reference framework).

Regulatory & compliance questions

Does masking satisfy UK GDPR Article 32?

An acoustic masking installation directly supports the obligation under UK GDPR Article 32(1) to implement “appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure a level of security appropriate to the risk”. Personal data discussed aloud is still personal data, and securing it against being overheard falls within the scope of Article 32. Where documented, auditable evidence is required, book the optional compliance survey: the resulting written report confirms that Confidential Privacy has been achieved in the receiving spaces and gives you specific technical-control evidence to present in an audit or a DPIA.

Information only, not legal advice; confirm interpretation with your legal team.

What about FCA-regulated firms?

The starting point for any firm is UK GDPR Article 32(1), which requires “appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure a level of security appropriate to the risk”. In our interpretation, the FCA’s general systems-and-controls expectations (SYSC 4.1.1R and SYSC 6.1.1R) point the same way: a client-facing firm’s systems and controls should address the physical security of client discussions, not only digital security. A masking installation in the receiving spaces around client meeting rooms, supported by a written compliance-survey report, provides specific documented evidence of an organisational measure addressing the risk of unauthorised verbal disclosure of client-confidential information.

Information only, not legal advice; confirm interpretation with your legal team.

How does masking relate to the SRA confidentiality obligations?

Paragraph 6.3 of both the SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors and the SRA Code of Conduct for Firms provides: “You keep the affairs of current and former clients confidential unless disclosure is required or permitted by law or the client consents.” In our interpretation, keeping client affairs confidential includes guarding against client discussions being overheard in reception and corridor areas. A law firm that has conducted an acoustic assessment of those areas and has implemented masking where required has a documented, specific response to this risk, which is the standard expected in a practice management audit. The compliance survey is the recommended way to capture that evidence.

Information only, not legal advice; confirm interpretation with your legal team.

Still have a question?

If you have a question about your specific office layout, your regulatory obligations, or how masking would work in your situation, we are happy to answer it. No sales pitch, just a straight answer.

The references to legislation, regulations and professional codes on this page are provided for general information only. They reflect our best interpretation of how acoustic privacy may relate to these obligations and do not constitute legal advice or a legally informed assessment of your circumstances. The exact interpretation and application of these rules depends on your situation. Before relying on any of them, please discuss them with your own legal advisers and data protection or privacy officers.