Sound Level Meters
Here you will find industrial standard sound level meters. Sound level meters are used by a wide variety of people. There are many public institution that order our sound level meters. Also companies purchase sound level meters for many reasons. The third sort of customers who buy sound level meters are private people who simply want to learn something about sound, sound levels and sound level meters. There are often problems occurring when a person lives next to a club or pub. With one of our sound level meters you will be able to measure the intensity of the sound with one of the sound level meters. With these portable sound level meters you can carry out measurements quickly to gain control of a situation or to set the devices to take timed measurements. Sound level meters are important for all industries, especially by using it as mobile sound level meters which are able to assess office stress levels or street noise levels. Often problems arise from noisy neighbors or if bars and restaurants are in residential areas and produce noise levels after 10pm in excess of what local laws permit. Sound Level meters can also be used to find either the time average sound level or to find the maximum value of sound created over a period of time. With the sound level meters one can measure sound levels be that an average or peak values to check for potentially dangerous levels of sound or for a sound level meter with a logging function it could be used to search for the time at which a burst of sound or a sudden withdrawal of sound happened. We, of course, can assess which sound level meters you require in relation to the issue you have and the relating laws. We also have microphone extension cords, tripods, calibrators and calibration certificates for all models of sound level meters. Calibrated sound level meters for judges, specialists, technical experts are also available. Stationary sound level meters for companies to warn the employee when too loud. Necessary for musicians in studios,… Sound level meters measure the sound pressure level and are commonly used in noise pollution studies for the quantification of almost any noise be that average or peak, but especially for industrial, environmental and aircraft noise within the cabin and outside. However, the reading given by a sound level meter does not correlate well to human-perceived loudness as it gives a reading given in decibels which is not a linear scale, for this a loudness meter is needed. The current International standard for sound level meter performance is IEC 61672:2003 and this mandates the inclusion of an A-frequency-weighting filter and also describes other frequency weightings of C and Z (zero) frequency weightings. The older B and D frequency-weightings are now obsolete and are no longer described in the new standard for sound level meters. Many of these sound level meters are able to save collected data on their internal storage facility. This is often just a plain SD - card which makes it very easy to read out the data on your computer. This way it is very simple to transfer the data from our sound level meters to your PC. Most of our products also include software to analyze the data and save it for future measurements. If you don't find the sound level meters you are looking for, please contact us and we will help you find the best solution to suit your needs by calling our offices on: UK customers +44(0) 23 809 870 30 / US customers (561) 320-9162 and our technical staff will advise you regarding sound level meters or our measuring instruments, scales and balances and products from the field control systems.

Here you can see sound level meters from these companies:

At the following links you will find technical specifications for all our sound level meters:

- PCE-999 Sound level meters  
  (Standard industrial sound level meters, accurate to ±1.5dB)

- PCE-318 Sound level meters
  (These sound level meters measure from 26dB, accurate to ±1.5dB, with an analogue output)

- PCE-322A Sound level meters
  (Sound level meters similar to the PCE-999 but with internal memory, extension as an option)

- SU 130 LEQ- Sound Level Meters
  (Sound Level Meters for noise measurement in industry, small trade, service provider and private household)

- CEL-244 Sound level meters 
  (Sound level meters with many functions (LAF, Leq, etc.), USB cable and software, last digital technology, robust)  

- CEL-620 series Sound level meters 
  (Sound level meters with internal data memory, hi-res colour screen, automatic calibration)

- CEL-350 series Sound level meters
  (Sound level meters with internal memory / interface cable and multiple functions complete software package)

- SLT Sound level meters
  (Sound level meters with interface cable and multiple functions complete software package)

- Sound level meters for ststionary use
  (Sound level meters for monitoring equipment and standard signlas production)

General information for Sound level meters

We have compiled an informative list of the important points in taking measurements with Sound level meters:

 Terms / Directives                    Operation / Use                 Noise in the workplace

A-weighting
The sensitivity of human hearing depends on the frequency. Low and high tones are perceived with less precision than the tones in between. In the measurement of noise or sound this is taken into account and the frequencies contained within the sound are valued differently with respect to the A-weighting curve.
Sound readings are taken in decibels (dB) (A). The A-weighting curve is used primarily in the environmental and industrial sectors; the B and C curves are used for louder sounds and are less frequently used. The sound level meters most commonly used for these measurements are the PCE-999 sound level meters and the PCE-322A sound level meters.


Decibel (measured with sound level meters)
The decibel consists of one tenth of a bel (B). A bel is defined as a logarithm of the bahaviour of two readings of the same type. It is used for the measurement of sound levels with sound level meters although the actual sound output is determined in relation to a specified reference intensity
Abbreviation: dB.
Calculation: LP = 10 * log (P / P0) in dB
where
P = sound output
P₀ = specified reference intensity (typically, 10 - 12 Watt)
All of our sound level meters can measure the dB-value.


Equivalent continuous noise level (Leq)
The equivalent continuous noise level is an energy mean of the noise level averaged over the measurement period (T) and often regarded as an average level.
Its also part of a sound level over a duration of time (X) that describes a noise with duration D has the same value as a noise that has half the duration (D / 2), but for this it has a sound level of 3dB ( = 10 * log 2) higher (to take this measurement you require the CEL-244 Sound level meters).
The Leq is calculated in this way:

Leq = q/log2 * log(1/T(10(log2/q)* Li * ti))

Li = unique event level
T = period of measurement (for example: 16 hours),
ti = duration of the unique event, the maximum level can't be increased by more than 10dB,
q = equivalence parameter or division by two. Provides the change of level, that is equivalent to a constant level to duplicate or divide by two the effective time. Normally at international level  q=3, corresponding to the energy equivalence.

Regular measurment of chance occurances with constant intervals (example, 1/10 or 1/100 s) the value can be occur analogically to the number of the chance value
Leq = q/log2 * log(1/N ( 10 (log 2/q)* Li)
where the symbols are exactly the same as in the previous equation.


Infrasound
Frequencies below 16 Hz (Hz = 1/s) can be measured with sound level meters as well.


Level day-evening-night (Lden) on our sound level meters
According to the proposed directives of the EU relating to "measurement and treatment of environmental noise" for the index of produced noise: day/evening/night level. The evening hours are 19:00 to 23:00 o'clock, with a supplement of 5dB and at night from 23:00 to 7:00 o'clock, with a supplement of 10dB (for example the sound level meters).


Level day-night (Ldn) on our sound level meters
Day-night average sound level is the average noise level over a 24 hour period. With it, different measurements can be taken with our sound level meters at different times of the day.


Maximum level (measured with our sound level meters)
Maximum value is a sound event also denoted as a peak sound. In sound bursts, it's easier to determine various peak points and establish a maximum average or extract the L1 percentile level. That can be measured with our sound level meters.

Measurement level of our sound level meters
The measured sound level calculated over a period of time in a measurement of noise which has certain noise level specifications be means of noise level corrections.  For these measurements it is advised to use sound level meters with the Frequency analysis function.
Abbreviatons: RL (rating level), during daytime (LT); during nightime (LN) (in dB).
In American English  it is also referred to as Ldn frequency.  

Peak level at the sound level meters
Maximum sound level reached in a sound burst, also called maximum level. Because of possible loud oscillations, it provides a better description of the average maximum level or the L1 percentile level. This value can be measured with our sound level meters as well.

Solid bodies
Sound that spreads and impacts with solid bodies such as ceilings and walls of buildings. This has high importance in the noise produced by the construction sector. This value can also be measured by our sound level meters.

Sound pressure level of the sound level meters
The magnitude of sound pressure of a source (px) relative to a level reference sound pressure (p0). L = 20 log (px/p0). It is expressed in decibels (dB) which can be measured with our sound level meters. Almost always compared with frequency value, for example, dB (A).

Sound energy
The physical energy of a source of radiated sound.

Sound event level (SEL)
(also LAE). Parameter largely related to the LAeq. With it isolated events can be determined (for example, air transit or passing traffic). The sound energy is normalized to a temporary duration of 1 second.

Sound TA
Technical indication for the protection against noise
General prescription administered by the Federal emissions law 26.8.98. In ruido TA value directives are determined that should be followed precisely to protect the public from the harmful effects of noise. Ruido TA has advanced in force to be used for installations with authorisation and for those that don't require authorisation.

Temporary value
To be able to follow oscillating sound levels in display instruments that were previously constant, different temporary constants are introduced: Fast, Slow, Impulse. Normally the temporary value that you should employ is prescribed.
Sound bursts are considered to have a more imbalanced frequency than sounds events of longer durations. For this reason, it has to be taken into account in the reading, the duration of the bursts by way of a temporary value. (source: UBA).

If you wish to view or print the selection of sound level meters from our catalogue, click the PDF symbol.