Soundproofing and gap testing with the SoundCam (room/building acoustic)

How can you find leaking facades, gaps, acoustic weak points and sound bridges between rooms?

Gone are the days of the tedious search with candlelight for leaks in the windows. With the SoundCam these places can be displayed in real time with ease.

This video shows a window front with leaks. With the help of the SoundCam these leaks can be made visible. On the other side of the window there is a dodecahedron loudspeaker on the balcony that plays white noise. The SoundCam displays the sound that enters the room through the leaks so that the leaks can be located in the window front.

It is clearly visible that the upper corners of the glass door and both sides are leaking slightly below the height of the door handle.

Leaks at a window front
With a high dynamic range, all leaks become visible.
Leaks at a window front
A small dynamic range precisely indicates the largest leaks.

Gypsum partition walls, especially those that are retrofitted, are often problematic for acoustics, as poorly installed connection points create sound bridges or gaps that cause sound to pass unwantedly from one room to another. With the SoundCam, these points can be localised so that suitable measures can be effectively taken to eliminate the gaps for soundproofing. The video shows exactly where the sound from the neighbouring room passes through. A dodecahedron loudspeaker was used for excitation in the room behind the partition wall.

It is clearly visible that the upper corners and the interior window are weak points of the acoustic insulation. Seeing this in real-time helps to effectively do soundproofing measures on site.

In this further example a room separation by glass elements has been investigated. The weak points are clearly recognizable with the SoundCam. In addition, reflections from the sound source in the room are also visible on the wall unit and ceiling.

Acoustic weaknesses between the room dividers
The weak points of the connection between the door and the glass window as well as the wall and the glass window are recognizable.
Acoustic weaknesses between the room dividers
The weak points of the connection as well as a reflection is shown.
Acoustic weaknesses between the room dividers
In addition to the weak points of the elements, the reflection on the ceiling is clearly visible.
Acoustic weaknesses between the room dividers
The leak between the door and the floor and a reflection on the wall unit are visible in this picture.