General Sound level meters PC-based Analyzers Monitoring Software
In the acoustics field the requirements differ much between different applications, some users needing sound monitors for volume control of loudspeakers and some users needing advanced multichannel systems with frequency analys and coupling to solid-mechanics simulation file formats.
Therefore, most instruments are modular as stand-alone instruments, and they can further be connected to pc with further ability to use the desired modules. Thereby, most instruments are upgradeable. This gives the advantage that to try a more advanced instrument and see if it really gives needed functionality, it can simply be tested by putting more software in it.
Also, the instruments get smaller and smaller, similar to portable PC's. Therefore, a full multichannel system can be carried in a suitcase and be used wherever needed. Data can be posprocessed on site and it can be checked that all data is stored on the hard disk before going home from a measurement site.
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Sound level meters nowadays are nowadays, although reasonable prices, advanced instruments with possibility to stora many parameters in paralell, interfaces to use directly in the USB port of the PC for data download or controlling the instrument or monitoring the signal remotely. If the instrument is placed in a weather-proof casing on a factory roof or elsewhere, it can still be connected to an office PC via GSM modems. A good example of such instrument is 01dB SOLO, an easy-to-use but still powerful. It comes in different versions for different applications.
However, 01dB also has a very easy sound level meter, still with simultaneous Lp and Leq reading. This instrument IdB, as in Indicative dB meter, is intended for concert organizers and others who needs to know sound levels for tuning loudspeakers etc.
For environmental monitoring, the dosemeter SIE95 is a handy alternative, it is put in a pocket and a microphone clipped in the colllar. After a days work, the noise dose is presented in the instrument.
Read more at 01dB.com
View SOLO models-performance chart
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We offer mainly three multichannel PC-based systems which all are integrated into the ... Symphonie is a 2-channel frontend which is connected to the PCMCIA slot of a portable computer. It is powered from the PC, so for a 2-channel field measurement a laptop, a symphonie and transducers are needed. Data is recorded directly on the PC harddisk by one of the softwares mentioned below. This is a very handy instrument for 2-channel measurements, like wall reduction measurements in building acoustics where 2 microphones are often used , or in sound intensity measurements to find acoustic emission maps or determining sound power.
Harmonie is a similar instrument with 4 channels. Very handy when for example xyz acceleration and sound pressure shall be measured simultaneously.
Orchestra is a modular multichannel frontend, where up to 196 channels can be connected. It communicates via firewire to the PC, and there are modules for preamplified 200V, ICP transducers, charge amplifiers, and strain gages.
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To collect and analyze data there are three main softwares packages that are compatible with above mentioned PC-based instruments as well as for the sound level meters with PC interface. The packages are
dBENV - environmental noise
dBBATI - building acoustics
dBFA - frequency analysis
dBENV is often used for analyzing sound or vibration levels during night or day in neighborhood of industry, but has also many options to do detailed analysis. Frequency filters to 1/48 octaves gives good frequency information, and low-frequency option 1 Hz gives the possibility for many comfort measurements for human-body vibration.
dBBATI has many functions for determining reduction numbers, i.e. wall reduction, instertion loss, transmission loss etc. Also good features for measurements of room absorbtion/reverberation by the function T60.
dBFA is the FFT-based narrow-band software, with a large number of possibilities for spectrum plots, for modal analysis, for waterfall plot, for temporal effects and so on. And sound intensity measurements giving either emission maps of sound power.
Screen shots of dBENV, dBBATI and dBFA softwares
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