Salford Acoustics offers acoustics and audio engineering courses, undertakes public and industrial research in acoustics, carries out commercial testing, and undertakes activities to engage the public in acoustic science and engineering. It is based in two locations: (i) 3 km west of

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

city centre, UK, in the Newton Building on the Peel Park Campus of the

University of Salford , caption = Coat of ArmsUniversity of Salford , mottoeng = "Let us seek higher things" , established = 1850 - Pendleton Mechanics Institute 1896 – Royal Technical Institute, Salford 1967 – gained ...

, and (ii) on the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal in Manchester at MediaCityUK.

History and current structure

Measuring a diffuser in an anechoic chamber

The first acoustic laboratories were established in Salford in 1965; in the early 1970s the Department of Applied Acoustics was formed. In 1996 the University merged with University College Salford and a Department of Acoustic and Audio Engineering was formed. A couple of years later, this joined with another department to form Acoustic and Electronic Engineering. Finally, when the University greatly reduced the number of schools in the organisation, Salford Acoustics joined the School of Computing, Science and Engineering. Research work comes under the auspices of the Acoustics Research Centre.

Programmes

The Department of Applied Acoustics first taught an undergraduate degree in 1975, namely the BSc (Hons) in Electroacoustics. This was later renamed Beng (Hons) Acoustics. In 1993, Salford Acoustics set up the BEng (Hons) in Audio Technology. These two undergraduate degrees are now taught under a single banner, BEng Audio Acoustics, with two pathways to represent the different interests of the cohort. Salford acoustics has also taught masters in acoustic engineering and audio for many decades, currently offering an MSc in Audio Acoustics and an MSc in Environmental Acoustics. The Acoustics Research Centre offers masters and doctoral research degrees.

Research

Rating

The Acoustics Research Centre achieved the top research rating of 6* in RAE 2001 as part of the Research Institute for the Built and Human Environment's submission to Unit Of Assment 30, Architecture and the Built Environment. In 2008, the RAE submission including the Acoustics Research Centre finished top of Research Fortnight’s ‘Research Power’ table for Architecture & the Built Environment. 90% of the research was graded at international standard and 25% at world-leading.

Sub-disciplines

Research is carried out in the following sub-disciplines of

acoustic engineering Acoustical engineering (also known as acoustic engineering) is the branch of engineering dealing with sound and vibration. It includes the application of acoustics, the science of sound and vibration, in technology. Acoustical engineers are typical ...

and science *

Archaeoacoustics Archaeoacoustics is a sub-field of archaeology and acoustics which studies the relationship between people and sound throughout history. It is an interdisciplinary field with methodological contributions from acoustics, archaeology, and compute ...

* Architectural and building acoustics *

Audio signal processing Audio signal processing is a subfield of signal processing that is concerned with the electronic manipulation of audio signals. Audio signals are electronic representations of sound waves— longitudinal waves which travel through air, consist ...

* Auralization * Electroacoustics * Environmental noise *

Noise control Noise control or noise mitigation is a set of strategies to reduce noise pollution or to reduce the impact of that noise, whether outdoors or indoors. Overview The main areas of noise mitigation or abatement are: transportation noise control, ...

* Outdoor sound propagation *

Psychoacoustics Psychoacoustics is the branch of psychophysics involving the scientific study of sound perception and audiology—how humans perceive various sounds. More specifically, it is the branch of science studying the psychological responses associated wi ...

Remote sensing Remote sensing is the acquisition of information about an object or phenomenon without making physical contact with the object, in contrast to in situ or on-site observation. The term is applied especially to acquiring information about Eart ...

using sound *

Sound reproduction Sound recording and reproduction is the electrical, mechanical, electronic, or digital inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording ...

* Soundscapes * Surround sound systems *

Vibration Vibration is a mechanical phenomenon whereby oscillations occur about an equilibrium point. The word comes from Latin ''vibrationem'' ("shaking, brandishing"). The oscillations may be periodic, such as the motion of a pendulum—or random, su ...

and dynamics

Public engagement

Examples of public engagement work include: * The search for th
Worst Sound in the World
(

EPSRC The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is a British Research Council that provides government funding for grants to undertake research and postgraduate degrees in engineering and the physical sciences, mainly to univers ...

GrantRef:EP/D000068/1) * Development of extensiv
curriculum materials on physics and acoustics for schools
(

GrantRefs:GR/S23919/01, EP/D507030/1, P/D054729/1, EP/E033806/1, EP/G020116/1)
Aeolus sculpture and outreach
(

GrantRefs:EP/G062781/1)
The search for the Sonic Wonders of the World

Laboratories

Most of Salford's Acoustics and Audio Laboratories are based on the Peel Park campus, but some are at MediaCityUK: * Audio production suites * Radio studios * Recording studios * Anechoic chamber * 2x Semi-anechoic chambers * Reverberation chamber * Transmission suite * Listening room

Commercial work

Salford Acoustics is a calibration and test house for construction, government, military, audio R&D and the motor industry.

Current staff

Awards

Notable staff

* Trevor Cox, (Professor of Acoustic Engineering and Broadcaster) * Professor Yiu Wai Lam, ex-Editor in Chief of Applied Acoustics * Olga Umnova

Alumni and Former Staff

The following past members of Salford Acoustics have been President of the Institute of Acoustics: * Teli Chinelis, Acoustician and Expert Witness with Finch Consulting Ltd, *

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* Dr Guy Nicholson, Applications Manager at Apple *

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, stand-up comedian * Nick Zacharov, co-author of Perceptual Audio Evaluation * Velma Allen, Director, Technical Publications at Citrix Systems * Mark Bailey, Director of Sales, EMEA, at QSC Audio Products, LLC * Asa Beattie, Senior Engineer at

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* Tony Churnside, Creative Technologist at

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