Please save our eardrums by lowering volume on sound effects at Champs
 

Champs is awesome. Best teams, best robots with best volunteers.

But it's really really difficult to withstand the powerful speakers doling out FMS sound effects (start of game, end of autonomous, end of game) all day.

If you know the organizers who are responsible for tuning AVs at Champs, would you mind passing this message?

Thank you!!

Re: Please save our eardrums by lowering volume on sound effects at Champs
 

I can sympathize with you about how the sound level can be annoying. One of the issues is that the people who can influence the volume level are rarely in the stands to realize there is a problem. I know in previous years it has been recommended to bring it to the attention of pit admin, but that is not practical at the championship. I would suggest you try to get the attention of a volunteer or staff member and inform them.

Re: Please save our eardrums by lowering volume on sound effects at Champs
 

I recall that sound intensity in the stands during CMP varies based on where you're sitting, but I don't remember where the loudest spots are.

Are smartphone apps good enough to indicate when loudness is dangerously high?

Re: Please save our eardrums by lowering volume on sound effects at Champs
 

Over the last 4 champs event I went to, it's loudest in the middle section (where the majority of the audience is.)

Even for the back section, the sound effects are still uncomfortably loud.

Hope this message gets to someone who can help.

Yes, smartphones readings are good enough to indicate dangerous level.

Re: Please save our eardrums by lowering volume on sound effects at Champs
 

I've resorted to wearing ear plugs. The decibel volume has been far too loud for too many years. I've given up trying to get them to lower it. So ear plugs it is.

Re: Please save our eardrums by lowering volume on sound effects at Champs
 

Amen! Sound levels both in pits and stands at all events we've attended this year have exceeded 100 decibels.

Re: Please save our eardrums by lowering volume on sound effects at Champs
 

yes they are

Re: Please save our eardrums by lowering volume on sound effects at Champs
 

This subject has made an appearance in CD before.

The safety angle seemed to be the trump card in those previous conversations. Purposefully too loud music or other sounds is a decision to injure the entire audience (including infants, etc.).

FIRST doesn't want to injure anyone, but they might sometimes get distracted, and leave the DJs unsupervised for longer than they should.

Blake

Re: Please save our eardrums by lowering volume on sound effects at Champs
 

Ok. I can collect some data points during practice rounds and share them here.

If you come across AV guys who can help, pls share and suggest changes. It will make the spectator experience much better.

thanks,

Re: Please save our eardrums by lowering volume on sound effects at Champs
 

Happy to report that it's been good during practice matches. Fingers crossed, it will stay at a comfortable level today.

Re: Please save our eardrums by lowering volume on sound effects at Champs
 

How loud are your measurements? OSHA says 90db should be the limit for 8 hours of exposure. NIOSH recommends 85db. These measurements should be at a reasonable distance (25'+) away from the loudspeakers.

If it is significantly outside of that range you may want to bring it up to a Safety Advisor.

Re: Please save our eardrums by lowering volume on sound effects at Champs
 

The announcer on. Carson physically hurts you ears it is so loud.

Re: Please save our eardrums by lowering volume on sound effects at Champs
 

Earplugs for me! I measured as high as 104 on my phone. Not sure what the daily average was, but I would guess 85-95!

Re: Please save our eardrums by lowering volume on sound effects at Champs
 

I spent most of my day near Carson & Galileo.

I actually found it improved, compared to the last few years. Announcers' volume is still high; but the really loud FMS sound effects have been toned down a lot, so is the music. The AV guy sits near the first row. Should be easy to ask for his help to tune the announcers' volume too.

Re: Please save our eardrums by lowering volume on sound effects at Champs
 

Only audio annoyance I have so far is that Carver is turned up more than Curie so that Curie gets drowned out.

Re: Please save our eardrums by lowering volume on sound effects at Champs
 

On the field, the sound effects are at a good level. The announcements however, aren't. Having those sounds loud and clear is a godsend for driveteams, so don't complain. Use earplugs or don't watch matches, or just deal with it. I would hate to have the volumes turned down. It's a billion times easier to listen than duck to see the timer.

Re: Please save our eardrums by lowering volume on sound effects at Champs
 

Agreed. Based on expierence from being on the floor we need it to be as loud as it is. You have the sounds from the crowd all around you, robots, other teams on the floor as well as 7 other fields playing the exact same noises. Even at the volumes the fields are currently at it can still sometimes be hard to hear.

Re: Please save our eardrums by lowering volume on sound effects at Champs
 

"So don't complain" is the wrong approach, this is a recurring problem.

"So ask for speakers facing the driver station in the team survey" would be an actionable item that would resolve the issue.

Re: Please save our eardrums by lowering volume on sound effects at Champs
 

As one of the announcers on galileo and Carson I sincerely apologize to those in that audience that thought the sound was a little high. On the ground level it was perfect for teams and us to hear ourselves but we're relying on the sound techs in the audience to make necessary tweaks for your enjoyment.

One of the major problems at this event compared to regional and districts is the noise bleed from the 7 adjacent fields. Too compensate, the sound team was assigned to each field to make everything better than last year.

With everything, I know organizers read CD so voice your opinions and things will change in the future.

All the best,

Re: Please save our eardrums by lowering volume on sound effects at Champs
 

I hope that wasn't me but it probably was ! :( I'm sorry and On behalf of the sound crew we apologize. We have to try to find a good balance not only for the field but so the teams and ourselves can hear the sound triggers and our own voice.

I was the division reliever between the two fields on that side. I will work on my volume for next year as we continue to improve ourselves and the event.

Re: Please save our eardrums by lowering volume on sound effects at Champs
 

Dean was wearing earplugs when he visited the floor with Will.I.Am

Re: Please save our eardrums by lowering volume on sound effects at Champs
 

The field sounds weren't that bad IMO. The announcers were a bit too loud sometimes, especially anyone speaking during Einstein. But the worst was the deafening screech at the start of "FRC Goes Disco". That whole video was way too loud, but acceptable for the few minutes it lasted.

Re: Please save our eardrums by lowering volume on sound effects at Champs
 

I have collected some data points for future improvements and I am very glad to see Nate's and Duncan's post.

Still recovering from the lack of sleep throughout champs. Will share later this week.

Re: Please save our eardrums by lowering volume on sound effects at Champs
 

We were up in section 137 Saturday. There were some bright lights aimed directly at us from the far side of the stage that were blinding us. One of the kids Instagram'd a picture of the situation to FIRST. The lights went out.

I'm starting to believe in Social Media.

Tim

Re: Please save our eardrums by lowering volume on sound effects at Champs
 

Re: Please save our eardrums by lowering volume on sound effects at Champs
 

During the Opening Ceremonies and Dean's List Awards I was measuring an average of 85 dB for the music they were performing on stage, no peaks over 89 dB were seen from the South-West lower stands walkway.

Data points collected at champs
 

Multiple samples were taken from Friday afternoon:

Locations: Last row on the 100 level on each side of the stadium (midpoint between two adjacent fields)
Duration: Start of one match to the start of the following match
Tools: iPhone 6s with Decibel App

Sustained average audio level = 86 decibels
Peak Audio Level = 100 decibels (from match start 1 to match start 2)

Data collected from all four sides were consistent (i.e. each field's audio level are about the same.)

My observations:

- It's not good to send 100 decibels noise 60 times a day for multiple days.
- Duncan's suggestion of adding speakers to help drive teams is a good one. It enables the audio crew to customize sound level that are comfortable for both the audience and people on the field.

We can do better and this would make regional experience better too. Not just for champs.

Re: Please save our eardrums by lowering volume on sound effects at Champs
 

Come on down to our pits, we distribute ear plugs to anyone who needs them. We would be happy to help out.

Re: Please save our eardrums by lowering volume on sound effects at Champs
 

I was sitting in the volunteer section during the closing ceremonies and Einstein (section 332) and my phone app measured the music as average 90 decibels, with peaks up to 115. This is not acceptable.

Re: Please save our eardrums by lowering volume on sound effects at Champs
 

I'd like to weigh in here. Our team was at Curie and, while loud, the levels were tolerable. What got me very, very upset was when our team was high up in the stands for Einstein, they started playing bass heavy music before the final awards. Even though I was wearing earplugs, the bass was quite painful. The levels were so high that my ears were distorting the bass and generating harmonics. We decided that this was a dangerous situation and we removed our students before the final awards. This was my first year as mentor and I left thinking that I never want to come back, it was that bad. I honestly couldn't believe that FIRST would expose our students to an obviously unsafe condition.