BS EN 61672-1:2013

What is BS EN 61672-1 - Sound level meters about?

A sound level meter is a self-contained hand-held instrument with an attached microphone and a built-in display device.

BS EN 61672-1 is an International Standard that provides specifications for sound level meters.

BS EN 61672-1 gives electro acoustical performance specifications for three kinds of sound measuring instruments:

• A time-weighting sound level meter that measures exponential-time-weighted, frequency weighted sound levels
• An integrating-averaging sound level meter that measures time-averaged, frequency weighted sound levels
• An integrating sound level meter that measures frequency-weighted sound exposure levels

Sound level meters conforming to the requirements of BS EN 61672-1 have a specified frequency response for the sound incident on the microphone from one principal direction in an acoustic free field or successively from random directions.

Sound level meters specified in BS EN 61672-1 are intended to measure sounds in the range of human hearing.

Specifications in BS EN 61672-1 for the response to sound waves apply without an operator present in the sound field.

Who is BS EN 61672-1 - Sound level meters for?

BS EN 61672-1 on sound level meters is relevant to:

• Acousticians
• Manufacturers and suppliers of sound level meters
• Electrical engineers / sound engineers
• Product designers / innovation teams
• Quality control and testing authorities
• Regulatory authorities

Why should you use BS EN 61672-1 - Sound level meters?

A sound level meter is a combination of a microphone, a preamplifier, a signal processor, and a display device. Performance specifications of BS EN 61672-1 apply to any design for microphone and preamplifier that is appropriate for a sound level meter.

BS EN 61672-1 is applicable to a range of designs for sound level meters. Signal processing is necessary to conform to the specifications of BS EN 61672-1 and is an integral part of a sound level meter.

For specifying the maximum-permitted emission of, and immunity to the effects of exposure to, radio-frequency fields, sound level meters are classified into three groups:

• Self-contained instruments that specify internal battery power for the normal mode of operation, requiring no external connections to other apparatus to measure sound levels
• Self-contained instruments that specify a connection to a public supply of electric power for the normal mode of operation, requiring no external connections to other apparatus to measure sound levels
• Instruments that require two or more items of equipment, which are essential constituent parts of the sound level meter, to be connected by some means for the normal mode of operation

BS EN 61672-1 is a step towards monitoring and reducing sound pollution, which improves the quality of life for those around noise pollution sources.