To the Editor:
Someone commented recently on excessive sound volume in movie theaters. I wholeheartedly agree. But, I would add another location to this prevalent problem: Restaurants!
It is difficult to find a restaurant where one can enjoy a meal in relative peace and quiet. Owners seem not to be aware of the function of acoustics. Bare cement floors, no tile ceiling, little in the way of draperies or other sound absorbing materials create huge echo chambers where the noise level is often intolerable. Couple this with a band on stage, blasting through huge amplifiers as if everyone present were deaf.
Then there are the so-called “singing waiters” who, though talented in their own right, sing at ear-splitting volume levels, making it virtually impossible to converse with the person next to you, or across the table. Maybe some folks enjoy it. But, I wish restaurant owners were more aware of the extreme discomfort and displeasure experienced by their guests who cannot tolerate the noise levels.
Bill Bolash
Village of Winifred