A soundproof pod has many different names associated with it, from acoustic booths to privacy rooms, all describing the same product in a different way. For the purpose of this article, we’ll use the term soundproof pod and integrate it with the other words used to help you understand the similarities and differences.
Firstly, to make this simple we’ll split the phrase into its two parts.
Soundproof – also referred to as ‘acoustic’
What does soundproof mean? ‘to insulate so as to obstruct the passage of sound’.
‘Acoustic’ also has a similar definition in this context: ‘deadening or absorbing sound’.
The term soundproof and acoustic refer to the need of creating a quiet area so that persons can focus on work or make phone calls without distractions and interruptions, whilst creating a sense of privacy. Only hearing half of a conversation is proven to be far more distracting than a dialogue between two people. This is because our brains constantly try to predict the inaudible utterances that constitute the other half of the conversation, hindering our ability to focus.
A question that often comes up when looking at pods and booths is ‘can you hear what’s being said inside?’ which is why they are specifically designed and engineered to be soundproof. This is often described as speech intelligibility and is explained further in this article explaining pod acoustics in detail. However, ‘soundproof’ does not mean that there will be no sound penetration from within the pod. You will find that sound coming into the pod is dramatically reduced, removing distractions and the potential for loss of focus, and sound from inside the pod is also reduced meaning users conversation cannot be overheard, maintaining privacy and confidentiality.
Pod – also referred to as a ‘booth’, ‘room’ or ‘private space’
What is a pod? The dictionary definition is: ‘a usually protective container or housing’.
The definition of ‘booth’ also explains it as ‘a small enclosure affording privacy for one person at a time’.
To achieve greater levels of privacy, it’s not uncommon to see a whole meeting room in use for a phone or video conversation. Whilst this removes potential distractions from the open space, the misuse of a large meeting room reduces the spatial capacity for face-to-face collaboration in the workspace. The pod creates a room within a room to give persons a private area to work. They are designed to be small enough to fit into existing spaces but still providing a comfortable space for working that is optimised for the best user experience.
The pod is a modular construction which means they can be installed anywhere and moved elsewhere at a later date, making it a pod for life. Future flexibility is a driver for many clients in the design and specification of their spaces, and through the use of modular, furniture-based pods, you can guarantee the ability to change and adapt in the future.
What are the different types of soundproof pods available?
We’ve now established the makings of a soundproof pod, but we’ve only just started as there is a variety of soundproof pods for different use cases and with different functions and features. Let’s look at what’s what.
The 1 Person Phone Pod – The traditional office pod for taking a phone call or focussing on some work for a short period of time.
The 1 Person Video Pod – A newer introduction to the pod market with the increase if video conferencing. Be careful when looking at video pods, as not all pods are optimised for the best video experience. The Consult Plus for example was the first pod built from the ground up to create the best ever video conferencing pod for everyone. There is a comparison article on phone pods vs video pods which explains this further.
The 2 Person Meeting Pod – A pod designed for two persons to meet and collaborate privately without using a large meeting room, great for those one-to-one conversations.
The 4 Person Meeting Pod - An acoustic collaborative meeting space for up to four persons. Much of the data (both pre- and post-covid) has shown us that the average collaborative group size is 3-4 people.
The Flexible Pod & Meeting Room – Not all pods are what you need for your specific requirements, that’s why having a modular flexible system you can create a pod in the size you need, with all the features of a soundproof pod, from 1 person pods to 10-person meeting rooms.
In conclusion, what is a soundproof pod?
A soundproof pod is a private enclosed working space that removes noise distractions, allowing focused work such as phone and video calls. They are popular because they stop persons using large meeting rooms for private work and provide flexibility as they don’t require structural works to estates due to their modular construction.
Check out our range of different soundproof pods here.
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