§ 01
Measurement
Class 1 / IEC 61672-1 instrumentation. Continuous SPL logging, 1/3-octave spectral analysis, time-history at multiple positions. Calibration documented before and after every visit.
Class 1 / IEC 61672-1 measurement, code-compliant analysis, and mitigation engineering for hospitality, residential, performance, and architectural projects. Stamped methodology. Defensible documentation. Fast on 311 and DEP response.
If you operate a venue in New York, you know the math. One residential complaint becomes a 311 case. A 311 case becomes a DEP visit. A DEP visit becomes an SLA hearing. By the time you're on the calendar, you need defensible measurement data, a clear understanding of the transmission path, and a mitigation plan you can present to a board with a number on it.
That's the work. We measure, we identify the path, we cost the fix, and we deliver a written report you can put in a regulatory file.
Most acoustic problems are not what they seem. The complaint is rarely the diagnosis. We measure before we recommend, identify the path before we cost a fix, and document everything in a form that holds up under scrutiny.
Class 1 / IEC 61672-1 instrumentation. Continuous SPL logging, 1/3-octave spectral analysis, time-history at multiple positions. Calibration documented before and after every visit.
NYC Admin Code Title 24 (Noise Code), residential and commercial provisions. ANSI S12.9. ASTM E336. Measured levels compared against applicable thresholds with the calculation work shown.
Identification of structure-borne versus airborne paths. Spectral signature analysis. Onsite inspection of mechanical contact, flanking routes, and HVAC pathways.
Phased recommendations with cost ranges. Operational measures first (no-cost), then targeted mitigation, then structural decoupling where the program demands it. Each phase costed and prioritized.
Formal deliverable suitable for regulatory filing, board presentations, and counsel review. Methodology, results, analysis, and recommendations in a single document. Raw data retained on file.
Post-mitigation verification under the same observation conditions. Demonstrates the fix actually worked, in the same units the original complaint was measured in.
A representative Tier 2 acoustic assessment. Methodology, measurement charts, code comparison, transmission path identification, and phased mitigation costing. Names and addresses are illustrative; the structure and depth are what we deliver.
Most engagements fit one of three tiers. A short conversation tells us which is right for your situation.
Reverberation time measurement per ISO 3382. Treatment recommendations with cost ranges. Best for restaurants, hotel lobbies, retail, and venues with intelligibility complaints.
1/3-octave RTA, system EQ, time-alignment of subs and tops. Coverage measurement across audience zones. Best for tuning a new install or prepping for a recurring program.
Same-week or same-day site visit. 24-48 hour memo turnaround. Tier 1 deliverable as standard, upgradeable to Tier 2 within a week. Best for active 311 cases and imminent SLA hearings.
Active complaint response, license proceedings, pre-opening sound and vibration assessments, ongoing operational tuning. The largest share of our work, and the territory we know best.
Sound transmission analysis between units in mixed-use buildings. Mechanical isolation strategy. Treatment specification integrated with the architecture, not added after. Code review for residential and commercial projects.
Room mode mapping, RT60 measurement against target curves, treatment specification, isolation engineering for control rooms and performance spaces. Particularly experienced with renovation of existing spaces with mixed-use neighbors.
Defensible measurement methodology suitable for legal proceedings. Multi-day logging where isolated readings are likely to be challenged. Written reports drafted with counsel review in mind. Available for deposition and testimony where the engagement warrants.
Schaeffer Acoustics is the acoustic services division of Schaeffer Engineering Group, an independent engineering practice based in New York City. The parent firm specializes in audio, lighting, and acoustic systems for hospitality and nightlife venues. The acoustics division brings the same engineering methodology to compliance work, residential transmission analysis, and performance space design.
The work crosses domains intentionally. Engineers who build sound systems understand how rooms misbehave. Engineers who measure rooms understand what mitigation actually costs. The divisions cross-pollinate, and the client benefits from both.
Practitioner-led. Senior staff on every engagement. Reports written by the engineer who took the measurements, reviewed by senior practice leadership before issue.
We respond to inquiries within one business day, faster on active 311 or DEP cases. The first conversation is brief and confidential.