What Is ISO 23351-1? How to Read Office Pod Acoustic Ratings

ISO 23351-1 is the first international standard written specifically for partially enclosed furniture such as office pods and phone booths. Instead of the wall-centric Rw rating used in construction, it measures speech level reduction — how much quieter a speaker's voice becomes for a listener outside the pod. A pod rated 30±3 dB under ISO 23351-1 turns a normal conversation inside into a faint murmur outside.

When you compare suppliers, always ask three questions. First: is the number measured per ISO 23351-1, or estimated from materials? Second: was the test run on the full assembled pod, including door seals and ventilation — the two weakest acoustic points? Third: can you receive the test report with the quotation?

BG Acoustics pods in the Comine Booth 2026 series are certified 30±3 dB under ISO 23351-1 with the doors, fans and glass installed, and the report is shared with every quotation. The steel 2024 series reaches 32±3 dB thanks to laminated 4+4 mm glass and refrigerator-grade magnetic door seals.

A final note on the dB illusion: 3 dB more is not a small step. Each additional 3 dB is clearly audible. That is why the difference between a 25 dB pod and a 30 dB pod feels like the difference between a screen and a room.