Abstract: An improved design for the central power and suction unit of built-in vacuum cleaning systems, which improved design provides significant acoustic damping to substantially reduce the noise level generated from the central power and suction unit. The design further permits the canister of the central power and suction unit to rest on the floor. The motors of the central power unit are enclosed within an interior chamber which includes at its lower end a baffle supporting an acoustic damper such as acoustic foam and the interior chamber is vented through exhaust ports the tips of the armatures are separated from the remainder of the armatures and motors by the baffle and the tips of the armatures extend into another chamber which further includes a second acoustic damper within the chamber and further includes openings for permitting cooling air to enter the chamber. Through this design, the noise level generated from the motors is very substantially reduced while the motors are sufficiently cooled.