Case Study: Workplace Acoustics & Speech Privacy for Financial Offices
- Rob Skuba
- May 12
- 5 min read
Updated: May 13
When Open Offices Stop Feeling Productive
Modern offices don’t usually become difficult to work in because they are loud. More often, it’s the constant background conversations, phone calls, movement, and distractions that slowly wear people down throughout the day. For this project at 915 Providence Rd. in Charlotte, Automated AV was brought in to improve speech privacy and reduce distractions inside a professional office setting with an open office layout.
When an office environment stops feeling productive, it is often because conversations and activity begin carrying farther than intended. In a banking environment, that becomes more than a comfort issue. Employees need to stay focused on complex tasks, and clients need to feel confident that sensitive financial conversations remain private.
With more than 20 years of experience designing workplace technology systems throughout Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, our team engineered a professionally designed office privacy system using Cambridge and Biamp technology to create more balanced acoustic coverage. Our priority wasn’t making the workplace louder or completely silent; it was to help the commercial environment feel calmer and easier to work in without changing how employees naturally communicate with one another.The
Project Overview
This project involved the design and installation of a speech privacy solution for a professional office located in Charlotte, NC. The open office featured a layout where consultations, phone calls, and day-to-day movement regularly carried throughout the room. The objective focused on reducing distractions and improving speech privacy for both employees and bank clients.
The system was designed around a Cambridge QTX controller paired with 16 Biamp directional emitters installed throughout the existing ceiling grid. This specific setup provides even, localized coverage for the primary open office layout.
Project Details
Property Type: Commercial Financial Office
Location: Charlotte, NC 28207 Primary Focus: Improve speech privacy and reduce distractions
Technology Used: Cambridge QTX + Biamp directional emitters
System Scope: 16 ceiling-mounted emitters
Project Type: Office privacy system installation
The Challenge: Protecting Confidentiality in an Open Environment
Open office environments often work well visually, but they can become difficult to manage acoustically, especially in industries that handle sensitive information. At the Fifth Third Bank office, consultations and phone calls were carrying farther than intended. This created a distraction for the team and a privacy concern for clients discussing financial matters.
The challenge wasn't simply reducing the overall volume in the room. Professional offices are rarely completely quiet. The real intent was creating a more balanced environment where conversations became less distracting and sensitive discussions felt more contained. Most commercial audio companies talk about equipment; we focus on how the workplace actually feels and functions once people start using the space every day. When a workplace acoustic system is done correctly, the workspace simply feels calmer and easier to focus in without the technology drawing attention to itself.
The Solution: Precision Acoustic Engineering
To improve speech privacy and reduce distractions, Automated AV designed an office privacy system tailored specifically to the layout and day-to-day function of this Charlotte office.
Featured Technology
Cambridge QTX Controller: The Cambridge controller generates digitally tuned masking sound designed specifically for professional offices where speech privacy and workplace comfort are important.
Biamp Directional Emitters: A total of 16 Biamp emitters were installed throughout the ceiling grid. These emitters distribute sound evenly across the workspace, avoiding overly concentrated coverage while ensuring there are no gaps in privacy.
Focused Zone Coverage: The system was configured to serve the current open office layout, providing a consistent ambient sound field that makes nearby conversations less distracting and distant conversations more difficult to overhear.
How Commercial Sound Masking Systems Improve Workplace Privacy & Focus
privacy using real-world projects completed by Automated AV in Charlotte. Learn how properly engineered systems help reduce distractions, improve focus, and create calmer office environments without major renovations.
How a Speech Privacy Solution Protects Professional Environments
Most people assume the solution to a distracting office is making the space quieter. In professional workspaces, that usually isn’t realistic. A workplace acoustic system works differently. Instead of trying to eliminate sound, the system introduces a balanced ambient sound designed to reduce how clearly conversations travel across the room.
Nearby conversations remain easy to understand for the people involved, while voices farther away become a blurred background sound. In financial offices, this is critical for client confidence. Sensitive conversations stay contained to the immediate area instead of carrying throughout the workspace. When an open office is designed correctly, most people don’t actively notice the system. They simply notice that the office environment feels more business-appropriate and less distracting over long periods of time.
Real-World Results: A Calmer, More Functional WorkplaceThe impact of this system is felt through the way the workspace functions each day. After installation, the "sharpness" of background noises was smoothed out, allowing for better focus during complex financial tasks.
Everyday Improvements
Private Consultations: Financial discussions feel more contained and secure.Consistent Focus: Phone calls and keyboard activity are no longer intrusive.
Balanced Environment: The open office feels calm even during busy periods.
Business Atmosphere: The commercial environment feels more settled and easier to work in.
Investment Range and Value
A professional acoustic solution is a long-term building asset. For Charlotte businesses, these systems provide a permanent solution to acoustic fatigue and privacy concerns.
Typical Local Range: $5,000 – $15,000+ for small to mid-sized professional offices.
This Project Tier: Under $6k fully installed.
Workplace Acoustics in Charlotte and Surrounding AreasAutomated AV designs and installs speech privacy systems and professional audio for businesses throughout Charlotte and the surrounding areas. Whether you are managing a financial office in Myers Park or a professional office in Huntersville, we focus on the operational reality of the space.
With more than 20 years of experience serving Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, our team works with professional environments that need reliable solutions designed around how people actually use the space. We document our work to provide real-world proof that we have solved these exact acoustic challenges in your neighborhood before.
Learn More About Commercial Sound Masking & Workplace Acoustics
Commercial Sound Services: Commercial Sound Systems
Healthcare Office Sound Masking Case Study: Charlotte Healthcare Office Acoustic Privacy Project
Contact:
Automated Audio Video
(980) 699-0486
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