Acoustics & Audio Technology

I retired a perfectly functioning refrigerator because it was too loud and the one I bought I chose because it listed quiet as one of its features. Noise is invasive. You can't just turn your head. Many things are too noisy just because it didn't occur to the designer to consider that in his design.

It is people, who work with this machine. When their mind turns to mush, what do you get out of it. Did you ever considered asking them?

When I use a jackhammer, grinder, drill etc.. I expect to make a racket. This is acceptable, even manly.

What is not acceptable to me or millions of others is the infernal racket of a vacuum cleaner....that diabolical noise, purpose designed to rob one of peace in the home.

We travel in space, but we can't make a silent vacuum cleaner ?

That's the truth, vacuum cleaners are the worst!

"True", vacuum cleaners offend the MOST... but (in my case) a couple OTHER things offend most OFTEN.

Living in sout' Lousyanna, humidity is horrible, so I keep a ('rolling/portable') dehumidifier in my bathroom. Without fail, every time I adjust the tv volume (just around the corner, in the living room) so that I can hear the morning news while I am in the bathroom, the dehumidifier kicks on and : "Bbvvvfffrrrrmrrrrrrrmrrrrrm!!" Forget about hearing a word of the news!

Then, too ... any time that the dehumidifier takes a break, the central-air/furnace does the same thing! I am NOT anxious to lay-out the funds to replace something that otherwise continues to function properly. But, I (virtually) cannot WAIT to be forced to replace that thing. And, a "Quiet" model will be the first and foremost requirement.

Yes, noise has ALWAYS been one of those banes of existence with the conveniences of electrical gadgets. And, it is astonishing to think that this question is only NOW being posed.

One of the books my father passed-along to me (30 years ago) is titled: "The Effects of Noise on Man" ... (read during his ascent to 'Fellow' of the Acoustical Society of America).

Though many of the historical 'experiments' focused on problems from air traffic (near airports), many dealt with sounds in seemingly benign scenarios, such as printing shops, and small factories (one in London as I recall).

Sure , noise will ALWAYS be with us. But, the minimization of same should ALWAYS be a priority near the top of everyone's list!

1. "...this question is only NOW being posed."
2. "One of the books my father passed along to me (30 years ago) is titled 'The Effects of Noise on Man'."

Does now equal 30 years ago?

Ya caught me (being ambiguous, of sorts)...

What I meant was: THIS particular query asks "How Important are Quieter Machines to You? & Do you prefer quieter, or does noise make no difference?"...

... and, based upon the studies performed decades ago, I would have thought expected 'hoped'(_?) that the subject would have long since become a "Standard" topic-of-concern, at all levels. It's good to see that the subject isn't dead, and all of us either totally deaf, or totally insane from unwanted racket.

I read some years ago that vacuum cleaner manufacturs tried to market a near silent machine - it just didn't sell because users tended to associate the sound level with its effectiveness.

Go figure.

Yes, we do. I once had a Westinghouse two stage one on skids. Quiet enough to conduct conversation by. So it can be done. Now, a central vacuum comes close.By the way, do you know, how the screaming ones came into being? Market research, if it can be dignified that way. It was found in your mother's time, that a screaming machine was perceived more powerful, than a quiet one.

Now, I do not know, who was the bigger fool: the questioneer or the questioned. But the "answer" survives till today, unquestioned.

I'm not advertising here, but... We bought an Electrolux UltraOne, (vacumn cleaner), and the sound you hear is the soft hiss of air being pulled into the nozzle. Amazingly quiet, oh, and it rolls nicely as well.

The older I get, the more important it is becoming.