Challenge

Overheard Conversations at a Busy Law Office

Although employees at Hogen Adams, a Minnesota law office specializing in Native American law, have a private office, conversations could often be heard through the office walls. This problem was particularly acute in the company conference room at the end of the hallway. As a result, some meetings had to be held offsite, which caused coordination nightmares and travel expenses. Vanya Hogen, a partner and co-founder at the firm, began looking for a solution. “We had this nice conference room that we couldn’t even use due to the confidentiality issues – one day I just decided that enough was enough,” Hogen says.

First insulation was added to the walls of the conference room, but speech sound continued to escape through the door and be overheard. Hogen began to search online for a technological solution to the problem. Searches for office white noise machines led her to sound masking solutions from Cambridge Sound Management.

More sophisticated than white noise, Cambridge Sound Management’s sound masking solutions emit a gentle, airflow-like sound into an environment through speakers installed in the ceiling. The noise is barely noticeable but is specifically engineered to cover up the sound of human speech, making it less intelligible and thus more private. Cambridge Sound Management worked with Hogen to schedule an onsite demo at Hogen Adams with a certified masking partner in their area. Impressed with the demo, the firm agreed to have sound masking installed in their office space.

“Since installing sound masking, meetings in our conference room can’t be overheard elsewhere in our office space, and neither can conversations in adjacent offices. I wish I had known about sound masking earlier!”
– Vanya S. Hogen, Partner, Hogen Adams

Solution

Qt® 100 Sound Masking System

Sound masking expert and independent AV contractor Gary Sundin installed QtPro™ sound masking from Cambridge Sound Management throughout Hogen Adam’s office space. Small, barely visible emitters (loudspeakers) were placed in the ceiling tiles throughout the space. The emitters were connected by cables to an intuitive wall mounted Qt® 100 control module. “Gary made the whole process easy, from demo to installation,” says Hogen.

Result

A Pleasant, Comfortable, and Beautiful Work Environment

Employees don’t notice the masking sound, but they do notice that the law office is noticeably more acoustically comfortable, less distracting, and more private. “Since installing sound masking, meetings in our conference room can’t be overheard elsewhere in our office space, and neither can conversations in adjacent offices. I wish I had known about sound masking earlier!”

About Hogen Adams

Hogen Adams is an experienced team who handles all aspects of Indian law for tribes and their business partners, from multi-million dollar lawsuits and arbitrations to tribal financings to day-to-day tribal governance and employment issues. They have won significant cases involving the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, treaty rights, tribal sovereign immunity, and tribal tax issues. Hogen Adams has negotiated intergovernmental agreements, major casino developments, and complex settlements. Half of their lawyers are tribal members, and all Hogen Adams lawyers have devoted their careers to providing legal excellence in Indian Country.

About Biamp
Biamp® is a leading provider of innovative, networked media systems that power the world’s most sophisticated audiovisual installations. The company is recognized worldwide for delivering high-quality products and backing each one with a commitment to exceptional customer service.

Recipient of the Frost & Sullivan 2018 Global Installed Audio Conferencing Enabling Technology Leadership Award, Biamp is dedicated to creating products that drive the evolution of communication through sight and sound. The award-winning Biamp product suite includes: Tesira® media system for digital audio and video networking, Devio® collaboration tool for modern workplaces, Audia® digital audio platform, Nexia® digital signal processors, Vocia® networked public address and voice evacuation system, Cambridge® sound masking solutions, and loudspeakers for installed sound applications from Community Loudspeakers® and Apart Audio®. Each has its own specific feature set that can be customized and integrated in a wide range of applications, including corporate boardrooms, conference centers, huddle rooms, open floor environments, performing arts venues, courtrooms, hospitals, transportation hubs, campuses, retail, hospitality, military and government, and multi-building facilities.

Founded in 1976, Biamp is headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, USA, with additional offices around the globe. For more information on Biamp, please visit www.biamp.com.