Published Articles by Art Noxon
Here are most of the many published magazine articles written by Art Noxon over the years. Although the areas of application are widely varied, they all deal with room acoustics and listening.
Art Noxon is a fully accredited Professional Acoustical Engineer with Master’s degree in both Mechanical Engineering (Acoustics) and Physics. He invented the TubeTrap in 1983. He created Acoustic Sciences Corp in 1984 to manufacture and distribute the TubeTrap. A prolific inventor, he has 12 TubeTrap related patents and has developed over 150 other acoustic devices and counting. A scientist, lecturer, writer, and teacher of acoustics, Art Noxon has presented numerous AES papers, magazine articles, white papers, lectures and classes in the field of applied acoustics.
Why Audiophiles Need to Care About Room Acoustics
Author: Art Noxon, PE March 6, 2013 Reprinted with permission from audiophilereview.com Audiophiles are dedicated to the improvement and refinement in the quality of the sound they hear from their sound systems. They change interconnects and listen for improvements. They change components and listen for improvements. (more…)
The Many Voices of NRC
Why All Ratings Are Not the Same —Arthur Noxon, P.E. Article appeared in the Winter 2008 issue of Interior Construction. View as PDF High volume rooms tend to have a lot of hard, sound reflecting surfaces and at the same time hold lots of people. The architectural ceiling and wall systems specified for these rooms are intended not only to deliver aesthetic value to the room, but additionally to deliver acoustic properties to the room. Let's talk about the many voices of NRC The standard specification for the acoustic property of these architectural ceiling and wall systems is the NRC(more...)
Church Acoustics — Unnoticed Means a Successful Job
View as PDF Usually the call from a church goes something like this: Hi, well, I’m from the building committee and we built out church last year and ran way over budget. We spent the acoustic budget on the drain field. We were wondering how much it would cost to fix the sound in our church? Oh we already have expensive speakers, it’s just that we can’t understand what’s being said. (more…)
History of Sound Fusion Recording
History of Sound Fusion Recording, in the early days of recording, it was all about making live mono recordings of acoustic bands, a bunch of mics wired direct to tape. Next came the multitrack and recording evolved into click tracks, isobooths, post processing and mixdown sessions. Then the digital age showed up. Acoustic recording was out, sampling and DI was in and everybody’s cousin had a home studio. (more…)
Creating Authentic Vocal Tracks
Originally published in Oregon Film & Video Magazine, December 2006 By Arthur Noxon, PE One of the many aspects of film production involves visual/sonic continuity. The eyes can easily see the environment surrounding a voice, and the ear-brain can sonically recognize the environment of a voice, so the audience expects to hear vocal tracks that sound like they were made in the scene of the movie. When that doesn’t happen, the magic spell of film is broken. (more…)
Modes Modes and More Modes
View as PDF Most people who read a lot, maybe even, read a little too much, begin to design their home theater by trying to figure out what their room ratios should be. Room ratios are magic numbers that are supposed to proportion the room to make it sound great. But there’s a problem with room ratios. They were originally developed for engineers who had to design reverb test chambers. (more…)
Announcing a Cure for Reflectophobia
By Arthur Noxon, PE. Originally published in Audio Media Magazine, October 2003 View as PDF This debilitating mental condition was first reported in an AES paper in the early 70’s by Helmut Haas, and became known as the Haas Effect. Highly infectious, this impaired judgment condition reached epidemic levels in mid 70’s spread to nearly every recording engineer, producer and AE instructor in the industry. (more…)
Auditorium Acoustics 104
Auditorium Acoustics 104: When working with an acoustician in the design or renovation of a hall it is helpful for all to have an understanding of the basic concepts in auditorium acoustic design. You can’t really design a hall just by knowing the basics of auditorium design. The acoustician maintains an arsenal of trade secrets and insider techniques, reserved to managing sound once it’s been launched from the loudspeaker. (more…)
Auditorium Acoustics 103: Speakers Make Sound, Acoustics Clean It Up
Intelligibility is the single most important service that an auditorium can provide. Without intelligibility, an auditorium is functionally little more than a gymnasium after the basketball hoops have been folded out of the way and the chairs have been carted out, unfolded and set up. (more…)
Auditorium Acoustics 102: Reflections Make All the Difference
An auditorium is a place where people come to “audit”, it’s a place to listen. It won’t matter if the auditorium is big and beautiful, warm and comfortable, if the people can’t understand what is being said in the auditorium, it just isn’t doing the right job. In the previous article on auditorium acoustics, we considered that quietness is more than an important factor, it is the prerequisite for good listening. (more…)
Auditorium Acoustics 101: The Quieter, the Better
The architect designs a great looking and comfortable auditorium. The sound contractor installs a great looking sound system. The people attend the grand opening and are impressed with what they see, but they have gathered for more than a dazzling display of architecture, lighting, electronics, carpets, glass, surface textures and paint. (more…)
Big Church Acoustics
Excerpt: “All too often, a church is built like a civic auditorium–big space and many seats–yet in the case of a large church, the building is expected to perform like a church. An auditorium is made for “auditing”, or listening. A church is made for auditing and singing, therein lies the important difference. Most acoustic design projects, and churches are no exception, start with a budget and a vision. (more…)
Home Theater Acoustics Vol 1
How the Distraction Factor of the Room Is Important We’re in a downtown theater. The lights are dim and the curtains drawn. Let the show begin. But when we’re at home, it’s not quite the same. And so begins the challenge for those AV specialists who work in home theater. This is Home Theater Acoustics Vol. 1 (more…)
Home Theater Acoustics Vol 2
Common Home Theater Acoustic Problems Sophisticated audio tracks may be changing how we think of television audio, thanks to home theater technology. Television sound has traditionally been viewed as second best to the video component – but this way of thinking may soon change. Home Theater Acoustics Vol 2 of a five-part series by Art Noxon from Home Theater magazine. (more…)
Home Theater Acoustics Vol 3
How Resonant Modes Create Sound Cancellation The proper placement of subwoofers in your home theater system is crucial to the quality of the desired sound. Placing them in the correct location creates a bass sound level smooth with frequency. How Resonant Modes Create Sound Cancellation – Home Theater Acoustics Vol 3 of a five-part series by Art Noxon from Home Theater magazine. (more…)
Home Theater Acoustics Vol 4
Speaker Positioning For Maximum Sound Ambiance speakers are readily becoming standard in home theater Speaker Positioning For Maximum Sound – Home Theater Acoustics Vol 4 of a five-part series by Art Noxon from Home Theater magazine (more…)
Home Theater Acoustics Vol 5
Flutter Echo/Flutter Tones In the Home Theater The ambience channel in a home theater system delivers a bandwidth-limited mono signal to a pair of speakers which have been mounted above and to the side of the listener. Flutter Echo/Flutter Tones In Home Theater Acoustics Vol 5 of a five-part series by Art Noxon from Home Theater magazine (more…)
Trapping Bass In Your Project Studio
Sound is acoustic energy and rooms store this energy. Resonance is nature’s most efficient way to store acoustic energy in a room. Resonant energy easily lasts two times longer than sounds that are not resonant, and this is how the coloration of sound occurs. (more…)
