Ask HN: How are the acoustics in your open office?

I am an acoustical consultant who works with architects to design offices, among other spaces. The trend for some time has been to throw out things like the acoustical ceiling tile and embrace the industrial look: concrete, wood, metal, etc. Now that its been a few years down, how is it working for you?

What are the sounds around you? People on phones, collaborating between work areas, or generally working alone with earbuds in? Are you aware of other people's conversations? How far away? Is it distracting?

Do you have partitions between your work areas? Taller than your seated height or just desk height?

Do you have HVAC suspended in your space? Would you call it noisy enough to drown out distant conversations or too noisy in your specific workspace?

I'll use your responses to flavor my conversations with architects in the future.