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🎙️ RT60 Reverberation Time Calculator
Estimate room reverberation time across six frequency bands using room dimensions, surface materials, and acoustic treatment.
1. Room Dimensions
Enter the inside dimensions of a rectangular room. The calculator assumes a diffuse sound field and uses approximate material absorption coefficients.
2. Room Surface Materials
These are illustrative octave-band absorption coefficients. Real products vary by thickness, mounting, air gaps, construction, and test conditions.
3. Additional Acoustic Treatment
Treatment replaces an equal area of the selected existing surface, rather than being added on top of the entire room area. Enter zero to calculate an untreated room.
4. Reverberation Time Results
Estimated RT60 at 500 Hz — Estimated time for a 60 dB sound decay—Room Volume—Total Surface Area—Absorption Area at Selected Band—Average Absorption Coefficient—Sabine RT60—Eyring RT605. Frequency-Dependent RT60 Chart
6. Octave-Band Results
Frequency Absorption (m² sabins) Average α Sabine RT60 Eyring RT60 7. RT60 Formulas
Sabine: RT60 = 0.161 × V / AEyring: RT60 = 0.161 × V / [−S × ln(1 − αavg)]V = room volume in m³, A = equivalent absorption area in m² sabins, S = total surface area in m², and αavg = average absorption coefficient.
8. Tips for Recording Studios and Vocal Booths
Vocal Recording: Excessive room reflections can make vocals sound distant, boxy, or difficult to mix.
Acoustic Treatment: Absorption panels can reduce reverberation, but their effectiveness depends on frequency, thickness, placement, and mounting.
Bass Frequencies: Small rooms often have strong resonances that a simple RT60 equation cannot accurately predict.
Rehearsal Spaces: The ideal amount of reverberation depends on room size, musical style, and intended use.
Measurement: For reliable room analysis, measure decay times using an impulse response or appropriate acoustic measurement software.
Important: This calculator estimates diffuse-field reverberation. It does not simulate flutter echo, standing waves, early reflections, or sound isolation. -
An RT60 Calculator helps singers, producers, musicians, and audio engineers estimate the reverberation time of a room.
RT60 refers to the time it takes for sound to decrease by 60 decibels after the sound source stops.
This measurement is useful when evaluating recording studios, vocal booths, rehearsal rooms, podcast studios, and performance spaces.
Why Does RT60 Matter for Vocal Recording?
A room with excessive reverberation can make recorded vocals sound distant, muddy, or difficult to mix.
A shorter reverberation time often helps produce clearer, more controlled vocal recordings, although extremely dry rooms are not always desirable.
RT60 and Acoustic Treatment
Acoustic panels, carpeting, curtains, and ceiling materials absorb different amounts of sound at different frequencies.
This calculator lets you compare room materials and estimate how additional acoustic treatment may affect reverberation time.
What Is a Good RT60 for a Recording Studio?
The appropriate reverberation time depends on the room's size and intended purpose.
Small vocal recording spaces often aim for relatively short, controlled decay times, while larger rehearsal and performance rooms may benefit from more reverberation.
There is no single ideal RT60 for every room.
Sabine vs. Eyring RT60
The Sabine equation is a traditional method for estimating reverberation time from room volume and total sound absorption.
The Eyring equation adjusts the calculation for rooms with higher average absorption.
Both are simplified models and may be inaccurate in small rooms where reflections and resonances are not evenly distributed.
When Is an RT60 Calculator Useful?
Use this tool when planning a home recording studio, treating a vocal booth, comparing acoustic materials, or evaluating a rehearsal space.
Tip: Check the RT60 estimates across multiple frequencies rather than focusing only on 500 Hz. A room can have a relatively short midrange decay while still experiencing troublesome low-frequency resonances that require separate acoustic treatment.
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