Disposable surgical masks best for being heard clearly when speaking, study finds

The kind of mask that you choose to wear affects how well others can hear you, a new study found.

The research published in The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America evaluated the acoustic effects of face masks on speech. The findings show that disposable surgical masks are best for producing clear sound.

The team of researchers did a test comparing disposable surgical masks; masks with clear plastic windows around the mouth; and homemade and store-bought cloth masks, made from different fabric types, and with different numbers of layers.