Episode 32: SHOPPING FOR SOUND - Vicki Mantle - Muffle Artwork

The Quiet Mark Podcast

Welcome to The Quiet Mark Podcast. Hosted by Simon Gosling CMO at Quiet Mark, the global award programme associated with the UK Noise Abatement Society, this series uniquely explores the vital role acoustics will play in the future of global living, building and product design sharing conversations with thought-leading designers, architects, and sound experts. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognises environmental noise as the 2nd largest environmental health risk in Western Europe after air quality. Noise contributes to a range of physical and mental health problems, disturbed sleep, affects people’s hearing, communication and learning. And, in our smart-phone era, noise isn’t only about the big sounds of planes, traffic and construction sites, smaller sounds like someone FaceTiming on the bus or playing music loudly through their tinny headphones can cause stress, annoyance and impacts our mental health. During this time of Lockdown our world is much quieter than usual, every sound is more noticeable, quietness has never seemed more important or front of mind, where could this take us and how will we live, build, and work after this profound period of change? To help navigate the world-changes around us, these exclusive insights into pioneering projects and visions, explore the future on the other side of the crisis.

All Episodes

The Quiet Mark Podcast

Episode 32: SHOPPING FOR SOUND - Vicki Mantle - Muffle

November 22, 2021 • Quiet Mark

In Episode 32 of The Quiet Mark Podcast, we discuss Shopping for Sound - The Art of Acoustic Acquisition, with Vicki Mantle, Head of Sales at Muffle.

Our host, Simon Gosling, recorded this conversation in early November ‘21, soon after bumping into Vicki at The Workspace Design Show in London’s Business Design Centre. Both were amazed at just how much emphasis there was on acoustic design in the furniture, lighting, screens, panels, pods and booths being exhibited at the event.

Clearly, the pandemic, work from home, hybrid-working, and the growing trend for well-being focused design in workspace, has caused designers to think, not just visually, but also acoustically, blending attractive designs with products that improve the soundscape of the workplace; be that in our homes or our offices.

Vicki mentions a Google Popularity Score search that she did for the term, 'Noisy Neighbours’, which scored 20 pre-pandemic, rising to 100 in April and May last year, when lockdowns began. With people spending more time working, teaching and resting at home, came the realisation of just how loud our homes actually were.

But, as Vicki explains, before Muffle was formed 3 years ago, if you were a residential or small business customer, wanting to buy a couple of panels, screens or other decorative acoustic products, most manufacturers run B2B rather than B2C operations and there really wasn’t anywhere that you could go to buy them.

Muffle changed that, making it easy for everyone to buy acoustic products, online via their website, which now offers hundreds of products by over 20 brands, several of whom, such as BuzziSpace, Ecophon and Echo Barrier, are Quiet Mark certified and listed in our Acoustics Academy platform of verified building products for every building application area.

https://www.quietmark.com/podcast

People on this episode

Simon Gosling

Host