Reverberation Time Calculator
Calculate RT60 reverberation time for room acoustics using Sabine's formula
Room Dimensions
Doors
Windows
Absorption Coefficients (Advanced)
Typical: 0.05 (painted concrete)
Typical: 0.03 (plaster)
Typical: 0.02 (concrete)
Typical: 0.10 (wood door)
Typical: 0.25 (glass window)
Reverberation Time Results
Formula used: RT60 = 0.163 × V / A (Sabine's formula)
Room assessment: Enter room dimensions
Enter room dimensions
Example Calculation
Lecture Hall Example
Room: 12m × 8m × 3m lecture hall
Volume: 288 m³
Doors: 2 doors (2m × 0.9m each)
Windows: 4 windows (1.5m × 1m each)
Calculation Steps
1. Calculate surface areas: Walls = 120 m², Ceiling = 96 m², Floor = 96 m²
2. Subtract openings: Effective wall area = 120 - 3.6 - 6 = 110.4 m²
3. Calculate absorbing area: A = Σ(α × S) = 7.33 m²
4. Apply Sabine's formula: RT60 = 0.163 × 288 / 7.33 = 6.40 seconds
This is too reverberant for speech - need acoustic treatment!
Common Absorption Coefficients
RT60 Guidelines
Understanding Reverberation Time
What is Reverberation Time?
Reverberation time (RT60) is the time it takes for sound to decay by 60 decibels after the sound source stops. It's a fundamental parameter in room acoustics that affects speech intelligibility, music quality, and overall acoustic comfort.
Why is it Important?
- •Determines speech clarity and intelligibility
- •Affects music quality and richness
- •Critical for acoustic design of buildings
- •Helps determine need for acoustic treatment
Sabine's Formula
RT60 = 0.163 × V / A
- RT60: Reverberation time (seconds)
- V: Room volume (m³)
- A: Total effective absorbing area (m²)
- 0.163: Empirical constant for metric units
Effective Absorbing Area
A = Σ(α × S)
Where α is the absorption coefficient (0-1) and S is the surface area (m²) for each material in the room.