The influence of basic design variables on the acoustics of concert halls; new results derived from analysing a large number of existing halls

A large data base over values of various room acoustic parameters has provided the basis for statistical analyses of how and how much the acoustic properties of conert halls are influenced by their size, shape and absorption area (as deduced from measured reverberation time). The data have been collected over a fifteen year period from about fifty concert halls in Europe and the US.

In all halls the same measurement technique was used (1/1 octave sweep tones all pass filtered to form impulse responses per octave band). Due to the large range of geometric differences contained in the material, it has been possible to derive empirical regression formulae from which the influence of certain geometrical design variables can be quantified.

The author has found these fairly simple relationships useful in teaching and as guide lines both in the early stages of physical hall design and in setting up electronic reverberation enhancement systems.