Reverberation Time (Sabine)

Why do cathedrals echo and studios sound dead? Reverberation time — how long sound lingers — is set by a room's size and how much it absorbs.

Reverberation Time (Sabine)Live

how long sound lingers

Controls

Presets

Room volume (m³)

Surface area (m²)

Avg absorption α

Reverberation time — how long a sound takes to decay by 60 dB — is set by Sabine's formula RT60 = 0.161·V/(S·α). Big, hard rooms ring for seconds; small, soft rooms deaden almost instantly. Concert halls target around 2 seconds; recording studios far less. Adding absorption pulls the decay down.

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Data Inspector

RT600.98 s

Absorption A33 sabins

Charactergood (living room)

Governing equation

RT_{60} = \frac{0.161 V}{A} = \frac{0.161 \times 200}{33} = 0.98 s, A = i \sum α_{i} S_{i} = 33 sabins

Reading this result: RT60 of 0.98 s is a balanced living-room decay: speech stays clear with a touch of warmth.

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How it works

Sabine's formula, RT60 = 0.161·V/(S·α), gives the time for sound to decay by 60 decibels from the room volume, surface area, and average absorption coefficient. Large, hard rooms ring for seconds; small, soft ones deaden almost instantly. Concert halls aim near two seconds, studios far less. Adding absorption pulls the reverberation down.

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Frequently asked questions

Is this reverberation time RT60 calculator tool really free?▾

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The solver uses established numerical methods, but results are for research and educational purposes and should be validated against experiment or professional review before you rely on them.