Get Started
This list of videos goes through all the steps required to get acoustical results from scratch, following the appropriate setup order. Then, you can watch our other video tutorials for alternative ways to make calculations and other more specialised functions.
We also have a quicker 20-minute video showing the full workflow on a single model, going through the steps in simpler detail.
This sequence of videos is also available as a YouTube playlist.
To learn how to enable YouTube subtitles in English, Spanish, and other languages, click here.
For a more simplified written guide to producing results from scratch, you can refer to our Quick Start Guides.
Guidelines for making 3D room models
3D room geometries are not made within ODEON, but rather, the user typically imports models created in an external CAD software.
However, 3D models for acoustic simulations in ODEON need to be made with different considerations than 3D models for architectural visualisation.
This video explains the most important guidelines to follow when creating your own rooms to import into ODEON.
Note: ODEON 18 now also supports IFC files from Revit and Archicad!
0:00 Intro
0:44 Recommended room sizes
1:59 Highly-detailed models
2:53 Simplification of surfaces
4:13 Curved surfaces
4:32 Modelling windows
4:50 Layers and tags
5:01 Multi-room models
5:18 Water-tight rooms
5:31 CAD formats and software
5:57 Outro
3D View and 3D Render
The 3DView is the go-to window for examining the geometry in ODEON. But it contains more than the obvious options, as is shown in this video.
0:00 Intro
0:17 Rotate, drag, zoom
1:22 Context-sensitive menu
2:00 Perspective, rulers, units
2:46 Measuring distance between points
3:41 Default views
4:56 Model previews
5:21 Opening the 3D View
5:45 Exporting pictures
6:15 3D Render
6:42 Navigating the 3D Render
7:26 Default views in the 3D Render
7:48 Outer view
8:42 Cross-section view
9:25 Outro
Point, line, & multi-surface sources
Just like a real measurement, to simulate an impulse response it is necessary to have at least 1 source and 1 receiver at specific positions.
Point sources can be assigned a directivity balloon and sound power by octave bands. Sources and receivers can be tabulated into an array.
Line sources and multi-surface sources are available in editions Industrial and Combined. Line sources are useful to model long sources like pipes with running water and conveyor belts, while multi-surfaces are useful to model large industrial machinery.
0:00 Intro
0:25 Source-receiver list
1:22 Creating a point source
1:46 Defining source position
4:25 Defining source orientation
5:52 Assigning directivity patterns
8:13 Directivity editor
11:50 Adding power gain
12:42 Creating a receiver point
13:23 Tabulation tool
15:42 Edit, delete, and copy sources
17:12 Line sources
18:20 Multi-surface sources
20:48 Source/receiver script
21:56 Outro
Setting absorption and scattering
In order to calculate reflections, acoustic properties such as absorption and scattering must have been assigned to surfaces.
Absorption coefficients, or “materials”, can be easily assigned to groups of surfaces, making the process easy even for complicated models. ODEON comes with a library of materials ready for use, which can also be customized. The video also shows how to use scattering and transparency coefficients.
0:00 Intro
0:29 Surface list and layer mode
1:02 Layers in the surface list
1:29 Set Layers
2:10 Material library
3:07 Material colors
4:57 Changing material colors
5:56 Material number ranges
6:11 Assigning materials to surfaces
7:01 Finding surface numbers
7:37 Replace material and assign to layer
8:20 Assigning in layer mode
9:29 Modifying absorption of surfaces
10:23 Creating new materials
10:51 Importing materials from spreadsheet
12:55 Global and local room libraries
13:56 Quick Estimate
15:18 Material list archive
16:54 Scattering coefficient
18:06 Finding the user manual
18:35 Entering scattering coefficients
20:07 Scattering due to diffraction
21:01 Transparency coefficient
22:47 Transparent and 100% absorbent materials
23:29 Exterior vs. Interior surfaces
24:06 Edge diffraction & Fractional wall type
25:47 Outro
Calculation parameters
This video covers the impulse response length and number of late rays. These are the most important calculation parameters, which should always be manually defined for every room model. Other miscellaneous parameters are also described, such as background noise for STI and air conditions for air absorption.
0:00 Intro
0:38 Impulse response length
1:35 Quick Estimate
2:48 ODEON’s calculation methods
3:36 Number of late rays
5:44 Global Estimate
6:29 Ray loss
7:10 Outdoor simulations
8:11 Background noise
Multi & Single point responses
Finally, time to run a simulation and calculate some results!
The multi-point response is the impulse response calculation from your active sources to all your receivers. You’ll get all the numerical values you need to comply for ISO 3382-3, as well as bar graphs and statistics. You can even overlay measured and simulated data for comparison.
The single-point response is available in editions Auditorium and Combined, and focuses on a single receiver to obtain more detailed data, such as the decay curve, reflectogram, and binaural impulse response.
0:00 Intro
1:10 Setting up Multi point responses
3:42 Active receivers and receiver groups
5:00 Acoustic parameter values
8:10 Parameter bars
9:13 Tab availability conditions
9:49 Statistics, spatial decay, STI
10:59 Noise control
11:27 Measured vs simulated
13:40 Setting up Single point response
15:08 Decay curves and intensity hedgehog
16:49 Decay roses, Reflection density
17:07 Reflectogram
18:22 Binaural room impulse response
18:53 Dynamic diffusivity, Dietsch echo
19:11 Frequency response curve
20:55 Outro
