Field Story
Failing BB93: The Auditorium That Could Not Graduate
A new school auditorium failed its BB93 acoustic assessment with RT60 of 1.9 seconds at 500 Hz against the 1.0-second requirement. The building could not receive its occupancy certificate. Impulse response measurements across 6 receiver positions confirmed the issue. Installing Class A absorbers on 35% of the rear wall and ceiling clouds above the seating brought RT60 to 0.95 seconds, passing the standard.
School AuditoriumRTA Measurement per ISO 3382-2
TL;DR
The real-time analyzer supports ISO 3382-2 measurements in ordinary rooms by providing continuous spectral monitoring. In rooms like offices, classrooms, and healthcare spaces, background noise from HVAC and equipment varies over time and across frequency bands. The RTA gives you immediate visibility into these conditions, helping you decide when measurement conditions are acceptable and which frequency bands may be compromised. SonaVyx RTA mode with trace store lets you capture and compare noise conditions at different times and positions, supporting the ISO 3382-2 requirement for background noise documentation.
RTA in Ordinary Rooms
ISO 3382-2 measurements in ordinary rooms benefit from continuous RTA monitoring because these environments tend to have more variable noise conditions than dedicated performance spaces.
Noise Monitoring
- Display the ambient noise spectrum continuously between measurements
- Watch for HVAC cycling that changes the noise floor
- Identify times when noise conditions are most favorable
- Store noise traces at different times for the measurement report
Source Adequacy Check
- Display the source spectrum at each receiver position
- Compare against the stored noise trace
- Verify that every octave band has adequate SNR
- Adjust source level or position if needed
Absorption Assessment
The RTA with pink noise excitation shows the room absorption profile. Compare spectra near and far from absorptive surfaces to understand frequency-dependent absorption characteristics.
Common Mistakes
- Starting measurements without checking current noise conditions on the RTA
- Not documenting the noise spectrum as required by ISO 3382-2
- Ignoring time-varying noise sources visible on the RTA
SonaVyx Workflow
Monitor with the SonaVyx RTA. Measure RT60 with the RT60 tool. Capture IRs with the IR tool. Check levels with the SPL meter. Predict treatment at AcousPlan. Follow the room analysis workflow.
Standard Reference
ISO 3382-2:
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Last updated: March 19, 2026