A large low-absorption area can outweigh a small high-absorption one in a room

Evidence

Second, because in the steady state the reverberant sound at any time instant is the sum of all the energy in the reverberation tail, the overall sound level is increased by reverberation. The level of the reverberation will depend on how fast the sound is absorbed in the room. A low level of absorption will result in sound that stays around in the room for longer and so will give a higher level of reverberant field. — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1756 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Low absorber rooms raise overall sound level because reverberant energy persists longer — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1756; Total surface area can outweigh absorption efficiency in controlling room reverberation; Physical sound absorption can be strong enough to measurably alter room reverberation

Related

• Physical sound absorption can be strong enough to measurably alter room reverberation (similarity 0.96)
• Low absorber rooms raise overall sound level because reverberant energy persists longer (similarity 0.95)
• Room absorption determines the steady-state level of reverberant sound (similarity 0.94)
• Room reverberation equilibrium mirrors a leaky bucket’s steady-state water level (similarity 0.91)
• Higher absorption reduces the first-reflection energy that feeds the reverberant field (similarity 0.90)
• Reverberation time depends on room volume and surface area, not absorption alone. (similarity 0.90)
• Reverberation can be tuned by budgeting equivalent open window area. (similarity 0.90)
• Low absorption levels increase reverberant field level by sustaining sound energy (similarity 0.90)
• Occupied audiences absorb up to 90 percent of incident sound in a hall (similarity 0.89)
• Reverberation time depends on both surface absorption and time between reflections (similarity 0.88)
• Reverberant sound level stays constant with listener position because reflections arrive from all directions (similarity 0.88)
• Absorption at each reflection governs how fast reverberation decays (similarity 0.88)
• Room sound energy decays exponentially through repeated surface absorptions (similarity 0.88)
• Halls vary reverberation time by either adding volume or adding absorption (similarity 0.88)
• Reverberant sound level stays constant with listener position while direct sound fades with distance (similarity 0.88)

Broader Connections

• Total surface area can outweigh absorption efficiency in controlling room reverberation #corroborates (0.90)
• Low absorber rooms raise overall sound level because reverberant energy persists longer #corroborates (0.82) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1756
• Physical sound absorption can be strong enough to measurably alter room reverberation #corroborates (0.78)