Acoustic pods for the office: when you need one and what size to choose
An acoustic pod is a small room with a door and a ceiling that stands inside an open-plan office, usually with its own ventilation and lighting: you can step inside to make a phone call, join a video call or get on with work in peace. It makes sense in an office where several people are on the phone at the same time and there is no separate room for it. Below you will find the actual dimensions and prices of pods in the OCCO catalogue and our advice on choosing the right size for your office.
When does an acoustic pod pay off?
Whether you need a pod depends less on the size of the office than on how much talking goes on there. These signs show that a pod would help:
- people go out to the stairwell, the corridor or their car to take a call;
- a meeting room gets booked just so that one person can join a video call;
- a sales or support team is on the phone all day and everyone else has to listen in;
- someone needs an hour of quiet, for example to work on a contract or a budget, but there is nowhere to go.
If two or three of these apply to your office, a pod solves a real problem.
You do not need a pod if most people work quietly and there are only a few calls a day. If the real nuisance is echo and a general hum, acoustic panels on the walls and ceiling will help. We compare four options in the article Pod, acoustic booth or purpose-built room: what suits a small office.
What is the difference between a quiet pod, a phone pod and a meeting pod?
The market uses these names interchangeably. The same product is sometimes called a quiet pod, sometimes a phone booth or a soundproof pod. It is clearer to tell pods apart by how many people they hold:
- 1 person. A phone pod or quiet pod: calls, video calls on your own and work that needs concentration.
- 2 to 4 people. A small meeting, or a video call with several people in front of the screen.
- 6 to 8 people. A meeting pod: in effect a meeting room inside the office that you do not have to build.
All of these have a door and a ceiling. An open acoustic booth is a different thing: it has no ceiling and its walls are 1.3 to 1.6 metres high, so speech carries over the top.
What size of pod should you choose?
The table shows a selection of acoustic pods from the OCCO catalogue by number of people. The dimensions are external, the floor area is calculated from them, and the prices are catalogue prices on 23 September 2026, excluding VAT. Most of the models are from Silen, an Estonia-based manufacturer of quiet pods.
| Model | People | External size W x D, mm | Floor area, m² | Catalogue price, 23 September 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silen Chatbox Single | 1 | 1000 x 1000 | 1.0 | €6,320 + VAT |
| Silen Space 1 | 1 | 1100 x 1100 | 1.2 | €9,190 + VAT |
| MDD Hana | 1 (by size) | 1184 x 1132 | 1.3 | €5,590 + VAT |
| Narbutas Silent Room S | 1 (by size) | 1170 x 1202 | 1.4 | €5,589 + VAT (sale price, regular price €7,637) |
| Silen Chatbox Duo | up to 2 | 2130 x 980 | 2.1 | €11,100 + VAT |
| Silen Chatbox Duo Plus | up to 4 | 2130 x 1230 | 2.6 | €13,990 + VAT |
| Silen Space 2 | up to 4 | 2400 x 1220 | 2.9 | €18,590 + VAT |
| MDD Hako Meeting | up to 4 | 2225 x 1400 | 3.1 | €11,190 + VAT |
| Silen Chatbox Quattro | up to 6 | 2130 x 1940 | 4.1 | €19,990 + VAT |
| Silen Space 4 | up to 8 | 2400 x 2420 | 5.8 | €27,690 + VAT |
| Silen Space Max | up to 8 | 2800 x 2420 | 6.8 | €28,990 + VAT |
For MDD Hana and Narbutas Silent Room S, the catalogue does not state the number of people. By size, they are in the same class as the single-person Silen pods.
The table does not include Silen’s new Space Gen 2 series: Space Call and Space Work are for one person, Space Meet 2 for one or two (four for shorter meetings). They are listed in the catalogue without a price; we give the price in a quote.
Three questions help you choose the size:
- How many people are usually on a phone or video call at the same time?
- How often do two to four people get together for a video call or a short meeting?
- Does the office have a meeting room, and is it free when you need it?
Our advice: in an office of six to ten people, start with a single-person pod if the main disturbance is individual calls. If there are a lot of video meetings, the next step is a pod for two to four people.
If two people often take separate calls at the same time, two single-person pods are more practical than one two-person pod, because a two-person pod can only host one conversation at a time. For comparison: two Silen Chatbox Single pods cost €12,640 + VAT in total in the catalogue and take up 2.0 m² of floor space, while one Silen Chatbox Duo costs €11,100 + VAT and takes up 2.1 m².
How much space does a pod take up?
According to the table, a single-person acoustic pod takes up 1.0 to 1.4 m² of floor space, a four-person pod 2.6 to 3.1 m² and an eight-person pod 5.8 to 6.8 m². You also need space in front of the door, so that it opens freely and nobody has to squeeze past someone’s desk to reach the pod.
The pods in the table are 2195 to 2341 mm high (about 2.2 to 2.35 m). If the office has a suspended ceiling, a low beam or a pendant light, measure the height exactly where the pod would go.
For Silen pods, Narbutas Silent Room, and MDD Hako and Hako Meeting, the catalogue lets you choose whether the door opens to the left or to the right. For other models, ask the same question before you order, because it decides whether the pod will fit against a wall or in a corner.
A pod is also heavy: according to the catalogue, the Silen Chatbox Single weighs 300 kg and the Silen Space Max 1500 kg. For floor load capacity, power, and door and lift dimensions, see the checklist before ordering an acoustic pod.
How much does an acoustic pod cost?
These are the catalogue prices for enclosed pods on 23 September 2026, excluding VAT:
- for one person, €6,320 to €11,590 + VAT (Silen single-person pods; the top of the range is the Space 1.5, which measures 1450 x 1100 mm); by size, MDD Hana at €5,590 + VAT and Narbutas Silent Room S at €5,589 + VAT (sale price, regular price €7,637) are also single-person pods;
- for two to four people, €11,100 to €18,590 + VAT;
- for six to eight people, €19,990 to €28,990 + VAT (Silen).
For some pods the catalogue does not state the number of people, so they are not included in the ranges above, for example Narbutas Silent Room M and L and MDD Hako Meeting XL. By size, they are for several people; we confirm the exact number of seats in the quote.
Prices for single-person pods differ by a factor of about two. When you compare two pods of a similar size, check what the price includes:
- whether the pod is on castors and can be moved around the office (Silen Space);
- whether furniture is included or comes separately (Narbutas Silent Room M can be ordered with a table and sofas);
- whether a floor is included or the pod can stand directly on carpet (Narbutas Silent Room S and MDD Hako can be ordered with or without a floor);
- lighting, power sockets and ventilation;
- whether the manufacturer has measured how much the pod reduces speech (more on this below).
The exact delivery and installation terms are set out in the quote.
Is a pod really soundproof?
No pod is completely soundproof: voices are quieter outside, but they do not disappear. That is why it pays to compare a number rather than words like “soundproof” and “quiet”.
The measure you can compare is speech level reduction according to ISO 23351-1:2020: how many decibels the pod takes off the level of speech heard outside. Based on the result, pods are rated in classes A+ to D.
Example: according to the manufacturer, the Silen Space 1 has a speech level reduction of 30.1 dB, class A, and reduces external noise by 40 dB. For comparison, Silen’s blog points out that normal conversation is 60 to 70 dB and an open-plan office 55 to 65 dB. The sound classes of all Silen models are set out in a table in the article Silen quiet pod with installation.
Ask for the same figure, to the same standard, for every pod you compare. If the manufacturer has not measured to ISO 23351-1, ask what method was used.
What to look at in the catalogue
- All acoustic pods and booths with dimensions and prices, 25 products on 23 September 2026.
- Acoustic panels, if reducing echo is enough and you do not need a pod.
- Silen Space 1: single-person pod on castors, 1100 x 1100 mm.
- Silen Chatbox Duo Plus: up to four people, 2130 x 1230 mm.
Frequently asked questions
Can we take the pod with us when we move?
Yes, a pod is not built into the building. Silen Space pods are on castors, and Silen says on its website that its pods are easy to take apart and put back together. For moving other models, ask when you request a quote.
Does a pod need separate ventilation or an electrician?
According to the catalogue, Silen pods and the MDD Hana have their own ventilation and power sockets. The MDD Hana has two 230 V sockets, a USB and a USB-C port, and 90 m³/h ventilation. Before ordering, check whether there is a free socket near where the pod will go, and ask in your quote request how that particular model is connected to the mains.
How quickly can we get a pod?
According to the manufacturer, the average delivery time for Silen pods is six weeks, or one week with OCCO express delivery. Express delivery applies to all Silen pods sold by OCCO, and OCCO arranges the installation. For pods from other manufacturers, we state the delivery time in the quote.
Two pods matched to your office
- Choose one or two suitable models from the table or from pods and booths in the catalogue and add them to the enquiry basket with the “Add to enquiry” button on the product page.
- Open the enquiry basket, send the enquiry and add three things: how many people work in the office, how many calls and video meetings there are a day, and the size of the space.
If you have not chosen a model yet or prefer email, send the same details to occo@occo.ee; you are welcome to add a floor plan or a couple of photos. We will reply with two suitable pods, with dimensions and prices.