A sound masking system for providing sound masking to a user in a physical space, said sound masking system comprising: a communication network spanning at least a portion of the physical space; a plurality of sound masking devices, each of said sound masking devices being adapted to emit a sound masking signal in a space associated with the user; and a central controller, said central controller including a component configured to affect at least one output characteristic of said sound masking signal and said central controller having a network interface configured to transmit an output control information to control said at least one output characteristic over said communication network; and a local interface operative by a user to adjust one or more of the at least one output characteristic associated with said sound masking signal; and wherein each of said sound masking devices includes a sound masking device controller configured to control one or more of the at least one output characteristic of said sound masking signal responsive to an input from the user provided using the local interface; said sound masking device controller further including: a communication interface configured to receive output control information from the central controller via said communication network; and a component configured to be responsive to said output control information to adjust said associated output characteristic; wherein: the central controller is configured to provide administration functions that allow an administrator to set a value of the at least one output characteristic of said sound masking signal for each of said sound masking devices and override a corresponding value provided by the user using the local interface in order to maintain overall control of the sound masking system. a communication network spanning at least a portion of the physical space; a plurality of sound masking devices, each of said sound masking devices being adapted to emit a sound masking signal in a space associated with the user; and a central controller, said central controller including a component configured to affect at least one output characteristic of said sound masking signal and said central controller having a network interface configured to transmit an output control information to control said at least one output characteristic over said communication network; and a local interface operative by a user to adjust one or more of the at least one output characteristic associated with said sound masking signal; and wherein each of said sound masking devices includes a sound masking device controller configured to control one or more of the at least one output characteristic of said sound masking signal responsive to an input from the user provided using the local interface; said sound masking device controller further including: a communication interface configured to receive output control information from the central controller via said communication network; and a component configured to be responsive to said output control information to adjust said associated output characteristic; wherein: the central controller is configured to provide administration functions that allow an administrator to set a value of the at least one output characteristic of said sound masking signal for each of said sound masking devices and override a corresponding value provided by the user using the local interface in order to maintain overall control of the sound masking system. a communication interface configured to receive output control information from the central controller via said communication network; and a component configured to be responsive to said output control information to adjust said associated output characteristic; wherein: the central controller is configured to provide administration functions that allow an administrator to set a value of the at least one output characteristic of said sound masking signal for each of said sound masking devices and override a corresponding value provided by the user using the local interface in order to maintain overall control of the sound masking system.