When specifying operable partitions, the conversation has historically centered on one number: STC. Sound Transmission Class is the standard measure of how well a partition blocks sound from passing between spaces, and for decades, it’s been the primary acoustic metric in partition selection.
But blocking sound between rooms is only half the acoustic equation. The other half—how sound behaves within the room once it’s divided—has largely been addressed by other systems: ceiling treatments, wall panels, and flooring materials. Operable partitions, in that model, were the divider. Everything else handled the acoustics.
Modernfold’s Acousti-Seal Encore Micro-Perf® changes that model.
STC and NRC: Two Different Problems
To understand why this matters, it helps to be precise about what each metric measures.
STC (Sound Transmission Class) rates how much a partition reduces sound passing from one side to the other. A higher STC means better isolation—less sound bleeds through the partition into the adjacent space.
NRC (Noise Reduction Coefficient) rates how much sound a surface absorbs rather than reflects. A higher NRC means less reverberation within the room—sound that hits the surface is absorbed rather than bouncing back into the space.
These are genuinely different performance characteristics addressing genuinely different problems. A room divided by a high-STC partition can still be acoustically uncomfortable if the room itself is reflective—speech becomes harder to understand, background noise accumulates, and occupants experience fatigue. Strong isolation without absorption solves one problem and leaves the other unaddressed.
What Micro-Perf® Does Differently
The Acousti-Seal Encore Micro-Perf® is built on Modernfold’s proven Encore® platform and introduces absorption performance directly into the operable partition panel—without sacrificing isolation.
Tested performance:
- NRC .90 (uncovered panels)
- NRC .95 (with acoustical coverings such as Momentum Nufelt or Shaw carpet-based finishes)
- STC 49–51 depending on configuration
An NRC of .90–.95 is exceptional by any standard—comparable to dedicated acoustic wall panels. Paired with STC performance in the 49–51 range, this system delivers what has previously required two separate product categories: a partition and an acoustic treatment.
The micro-perforated panel face allows sound energy to pass into the panel’s absorptive core rather than reflecting back into the room. The result is a space that is not only separated from adjacent areas but quieter within itself—with meaningfully improved speech intelligibility.
Where This Performance Profile Matters Most
The combined STC + NRC approach is most impactful in flexible, multi-use environments where spaces are expected to perform differently at different times:
Education: A classroom that is divided into smaller learning areas needs to protect each group from the adjacent group’s noise. But each divided space also needs to support clear speech and focused attention—reflective hard surfaces work against both. Micro-Perf® addresses both demands with a single system.
Conference and meeting facilities: Multi-session conference spaces often run simultaneous programming separated only by an operable wall. The ability to absorb within the space—not just block between spaces—makes a measurable difference in how each session feels to participants.
Hospitality and event venues: Restaurants and event spaces reconfigure throughout the day. A partition that contributes to acoustic comfort in each configuration reduces the need for supplemental acoustic treatments and simplifies the overall design.
In all of these environments, acoustic performance is increasingly part of the design conversation from the beginning—not a problem to solve after the fact.
A Conversation Worth Having Early
Across Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, and West Texas, our team is seeing acoustic performance move earlier into the design process on flexible, multi-use projects. The questions are arriving at schematic design rather than construction documents—which is exactly the right time to evaluate systems like Micro-Perf®.
Powers Products’ Director of Space Flexibility, Brian Mackey, works with design and construction teams to evaluate where combined STC + NRC performance makes sense for a given project—balancing adaptability, acoustics, and occupant experience from the start.
If you’re designing a space that divides, the acoustic performance of that partition deserves the same scrutiny as its STC rating. Reach out to the Powers Products team for more information.