Sound damping in a cubicle

[Ned Bedinger]

Gene Kim-Eng wrote:
> Not likely, because sound changes with angle of attack.

Whoa. A wave shape is cancelled by the same shape 180 degrees out of 
phase. The electronic noise canceller, as I understand it, has to either 
synthesize the cancelling wave, or capture and re-emit the original 
sound at the cancelling phase. Theoretically, any audible wave shape, 
even if you vary attack, can be cancelled, assuming the canceller has 
the ability to reproduce it. But with a device like that, who'd put it 
in the office? Better to put it in the garage and play electric guitars 
through it :-)

> The best way to deal with noise is to move it elsewhere.
> You could completely enclose the source, but then you'd
> need to duct cooling air into and warm air out of the
> enclosure to some point not within earshot.

Yep. between Radioshock and the local building supply, a low-cost 
solution ought to be in reach. Maybe add some server-colored paint and a 
few LEDs to camouflage the lash-up to look like the servers when the 
fire marshall inspects the workplace for safety.