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Collaboration, Voice & AV · Intermediate

Reverberation Time (RT60)

The time it takes for sound in a room to decay by 60 dB after the source stops.

Definition

RT60 depends on room volume and total absorption, commonly estimated with the Sabine formula. Long reverberation smears speech and challenges echo cancellation; conference and classroom spaces typically target short reverberation times, often well under a second. Absorptive panels, carpet and ceiling tiles reduce RT60.

Example

A glass-walled boardroom with RT60 of 1.2 seconds needs acoustic panels to support videoconferencing.

Exam tip

Longer RT60 hurts intelligibility and AEC performance; add absorption to reduce it.

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