Selecting the right sound level meter requires a systematic assessment of your measurement application, the applicable standards you must comply with, the accuracy class required, and the specific measurement capabilities you need both now and in the future. Making the right choice at the outset avoids the costly mistake of purchasing an instrument that requires expensive module upgrades to handle new project types — a common and frustrating experience with modular-pricing competitors that Bedrock Elite's all-inclusive approach eliminates entirely.
This guide walks through the key decision points for acoustic measurement instrument selection, from accuracy class through to specific capabilities, helping you identify which Bedrock Elite instrument best matches your professional requirements.
Choose Class 1 if your measurements will be: submitted to regulatory authorities for planning applications or environmental permits, used as evidence in legal proceedings, conducted under ISO 16283 for building handover documentation, conducted under ISO 9612 for regulatory occupational noise risk assessment, or conducted for environmental noise mapping per ISO 1996 and the EU Environmental Noise Directive. IEC 61672-1 Class 1 tolerances (±1.1 dB) are required by these standards and accepted by all regulatory bodies worldwide.
Choose Class 2 if your measurements are general-purpose noise surveys, preliminary screening to determine whether a more detailed Class 1 assessment is needed, in-house quality checks, educational or training applications, or non-regulatory occupational safety monitoring. IEC 61672-1 Class 2 tolerances (±1.4 dB) are acceptable for these applications.
If you commission, test, inspect, or maintain voice alarm systems, emergency PA systems, PA/GA systems, or any installation subject to EN 54-16, BS 5839-8, ISO 7240-19, IEC 60849, or IEC 60268-16, you need STIPA capability. If your project specifications require Full STI (the more accurate 98-frequency measurement), or if you work with voice alarm systems where distortion or system faults may affect intelligibility, consider the i10 with its unique under-60-second Full STI capability.
1/3 octave band analysis is required for: building acoustics measurements per ISO 16283 and ISO 3382 (single-number calculations require 1/3 octave data), product noise testing per ISO 3744, detailed noise control engineering, and room equalization. 1/1 octave analysis is sufficient for: environmental noise frequency characterization, occupational noise exposure analysis by frequency, and general acoustic surveys. If you are unsure, choose an instrument with 1/3 octave capability — you may need it for a future project.
Data logging is required for: long-term environmental noise assessments where the measurement period exceeds the time you can attend the site, unattended monitoring of construction site noise, 24-hour noise profiles for Lden/Lnight calculations, and ISO 9612 full-shift occupational noise measurements. All Bedrock Elite i-Series instruments (i10, i9) and the SM90 include data logging as standard.
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