Case Study: Williams College achieves quieter library acoustics with Biamp QtPro sound masking

Williams College quiets 40-foot library atria with Biamp QtPro

Williams College faced a significant acoustical challenge in its Schow Science Library. The beautiful atria, with their 40-foot-high ceilings and sound-reflective surfaces, suffered from low background sound and high reverberation. This caused noise distractions and startle issues from even minor sounds like whispers, making it difficult for students to concentrate. To address this, the college sought a solution that would not mar the space's aesthetics and engaged Biamp for its QtPro Direct Field Sound Masking solution.

Biamp implemented its QtPro sound masking system, which uses Qt Emitters to add a low-level, unobtrusive background sound tuned to mask human speech. The emitters were painted black and mounted discreetly on existing lighting instrument bars high on the walls, making the system completely unnoticeable. The result was an ideal sound masking environment that balanced functionality with aesthetics. The college reported that routine complaints about acoustics ceased entirely, achieving a library that is both quieter and still beautiful.

Williams College