1 (edited by Marcus 2006-11-14 02:16:31)

Topic: Is it possible to negate specific sounds?

We are moving house soon - and whilst it is a pretty nice location - unfortunatly it isn't as quiet as where we are currently.  During the school run hours the traffic gets quite noisy whilst in the front of the house.

So - is there anything we can do, or any device we can build / buy that helps to negate sound - in particular the sound of traffic?

Re: Is it possible to negate specific sounds?

Hi Marcus.  Hopefully someone will come along who knows what I'm talking about, but I've heard of white noise machines that can relieve sounds of traffic, etc., at least in one room of the house.  I think it's a souped-up version of the ones people use to help them sleep at night.

Re: Is it possible to negate specific sounds?

Do you have double glazed windows as this makes a big difference?

Its not like we are fractions of the whole but rather versions of the whole.

Re: Is it possible to negate specific sounds?

There is stuff about about opposite noise cancelling out undesired noise but i have only seen this technology in headphones.
http://www.thetravelinsider.info/roadwa … sindex.htm

I think it will down to good old fasioned sound insulation if its a problem.

Its not like we are fractions of the whole but rather versions of the whole.

Re: Is it possible to negate specific sounds?

Thanks for the replies.  Turns out we are no longer moving to that house - so it isn't really an issue now.

One question still though, that you maybe able to answer Barefoot; there are some theories that suggest that the noise of constant traffic can have harmful affects on developing children.  Seems fairly logical to me - but do you know anything about this?

6 (edited by Barefoot Doc 2006-11-16 09:57:54)

Re: Is it possible to negate specific sounds?

Hi Marcus, i am aware of how noise pollution can affect well being but specifically traffic noise i have not thought about before but i found this.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/1220154.stm

Its not like we are fractions of the whole but rather versions of the whole.

Re: Is it possible to negate specific sounds?

Hmm. There was an article online a few months back reguarding a study of people in the workplace.

The study found that the constant noise pollution of a typical office (fax machines, phones ringing, constant typing, clicking, computer beeps, etc) lowers the average IQ by something like 10 points.

An example for the purpose of demonstrating in the article was that Marjuana was found to reduce the same worker's IQ by only 4 points.

I'll see if I can find the article again, not very likely though. n.n;

Both are temporary IQ loss according to the article, but extrapolating from that: Children in general are deeply effected by everything they exerience in the first few years of life, especially during the first 2 years. I imagine that traffic noises would be significantly detrimental, though I suppose that depends on just how much of an effect one considers detrimental.