Acoustic Calibration Technique

and basics of Sound Measurement

Erling Frederiksen
ef-consult
[email protected]

Filename, 1
Who am I?

Brüel & Kjaer 1958 – 2010

Microphone Development Engineer and Production Manager 1958 – 1969

Development Manager for microphones and calibration products 1969 – 1995
Development and Product Managing of Microphone Calibration Systems
1995 – 2010

Manager of DPLA Microphone Calibration Department – B&K branch

DPLA: Danish Primary Laboratory of Acoustics 1990 – 2010

Member of IEC/TC29
WGs for microphones, calibration, calibrators, sound intensity, ..

Technical Specialist of CCAUV (BIPM)

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Who are you?

I guess that some of you

- work with acoustic calibration or measurements

- are responsible for acoustic activities
- intend to start up acoustic activities
- make products to be tested acoustically
- deal with related topics – vibration?

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Contents

- Measurement Microphones
- Principles of operation
- Interaction with the sound fields

- Acoustic Calibration
- Primary Calibration (NMIs and High-tech Units)
- Secondary Calibration (Test and Service Centers)
- Field Calibration (Users)
- Additional Calibration Techniques

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Places where sound is measured

Construction Site Car Testing Lane

Electro-acoustic
Testing Lab

Machine Building Hall

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Places of Extreme Conditions

Rocket Launch Ramp Very High Levels and Infrasound

Wind Mill
Site
Car Cabin Crash Test

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Units and Levels

Sound Pressure Unit: Pa or N/m2

p
Sound Pressure Level: L p 20 log dB
pref
6
where: pref 20 10 Pa
(threshold of hearing at 1000 Hz)

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Condenser Microphones are dominating

Some reasons:
• Well-suited for calibration (reciprocity, actuator)
• Well-suited for theoretical analysis
• Highly stable
• Essentially flat frequency response
• Interaction with sound fields can be measured
and calculated
• Low vibration sensitivity

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Transduction Principle of Condenser Microphone

uout
U C Q
C U C U 0 C0 Q0
C
R S d U U0 0
C
S d0 d
U U0
d0 S
do
d
U0 U Uo 1
d0
d
uout U0
d0

R C 1sec

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Pre-polarised Measurement Microphones
Polarisation
Principle

½” and ¼”

• More complex
• More expensive
Electret
• Very reliable

Today this principle is used in a large fraction of measurement microphones

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Damping of Microphone Diaphragm

Pressure Field Microphone

Q=1

Q=10

Q=1

Q=0.316

Diaphragm Damping
depends on
distance to back-plate
and number of holes

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Typical Line of Microphone Types

Ø Ø 6.35 mm
3.175 mm Ø 12.7 mm Ø 23.77 mm

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Effects of Scaling Microphone Diameter

Responses of ’Pressure Microphones’

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Principal Types of Sound Field
• Free-field
open space Lawn Mover
with no reflecting surfaces

• Diffuse-field
rooms with hard surfaces Workshop
with two
rooms with many sources noise sources

• Pressure-field
small enclosures Hearing Aid and
with uniform pressure Test Coupler

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Microphone Body in Propagating Sound Wave
Undesturbed Sound Field

Direction of Sound
Propagation

Measurement Point
Desturbed Sound Field

Microphone Body
Direction of Sound
Propagation

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Microphone Size and Influence on Pressure Level

ø 24 mm ø 12 mm ø 6 mm

Free-field

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Influence of Microphone Protection Grid

Typical Influence
0o Incidence
ø 12 mm

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Combined Influence of Microphone Body and Grid

15
dB Free-field conditions and body with protection3grid
10

0
0.1 1 10 100
frequency [kHz]

Direction of Sound Incidence (0o)

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 Response of Microphone optimized for Free-field

5
dB Resulting Microphone Response
0
1
-5 Increase of pressure
Frequency response of diaphragm system 3 diaphragm
on the
2
-10

-15

-20
0.1 1 10 frequency [kHz] 100

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Principal Types of Sound Field
• Free-field
open space Lawn Mover
with no reflecting surfaces

• Diffuse-field
rooms with hard surfaces Workshop
with two
rooms with many sources noise sources

• Pressure-field
small enclosures Hearing Aid and
with uniform pressure Test Coupler

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Microphone Size and Influence on Pressure Level

ø24 mm ø12 mm ø6 mm

Diffuse-field

0.1 k 1k 10 k Frequency 100 k

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Microphones are Optimized for Types of Sound Field

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Other Microphones and Parts to be Calibrated (2)

Surface Microphones

Microphones on
aircraft wing

For Noise and Turbulence Measurements

in Wind Tunnels and during driving or flying

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Other Microphones and Parts to be Calibrated (3)

Microphones with nearly identical Phase Responses are required

- especially for Sound Intensity Measurements

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Examples of Microphone Preamplifiers

12.7 mm 6.35 mm

Input Impedance: up to15 G in parallel with 0.3 pF

Output Resistance: down to 50
Gain: 0 dB

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Contents

- Measurement Microphones
- Principles of operation
- Influence on sound fields

- Acoustic Calibration
- Primary Calibration (NMIs and High-tech Units)
- Secondary Calibration (Test and Service Centers)
- Field Calibration (Users)
- Additional Calibration Techniques

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 Calibration Hierarchy

National Metrology Institute National Metrology Institute National Metrology Institute

Country A Country B Country C

Calibration Service Calibration Service Calibration Service

Center A Center B Center C

User A User A User A

User B User B User B
User C User C User C
User X User X User X

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Methods for Primary Calibration Laboratories

IEC 61094 – 1 Laboratory Standard Microphones

IEC 61094 – 2 Primary Method for Pressure Calibration
IEC 61094 – 3 Primary Method for Free-field Calibration
IEC 61094 – 7 Free-field Corrections, LS1/LS2 Microphones

Low-frequency Microphone Calibration

High-level Microphone Calibration
IEC 61043 Sound Intensity Instruments
Measurement of Inherent Microphone Noise
IEC 61094-8 Free-field Comparison Calibration (draft)
Diffuse-field Calibration
Note: The standard titles are not fully correct – they are shortened

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Laboratory Standard Microphones – IEC 61094-1
ø 13.2 mm
ø 18.6 mm
ø 9.3 mm

LS1 LS2a

ø 23.77 mm
ø 12.7 mm

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 Pressure Reciprocity Calibration

IEC 60194-2

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Reciprocal Transducers

Reciprocity calibration requires reciprocal transducers

Sound Receiver Sound Transmitter

uoc q poc i

uoc poc
q i
The condenser microphone is a reciprocal transducer

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Principle of Pressure Reciprocity Calibration (1)

Coupled Pair of Microphone Sensitivity Product (IEC61094-2)

Ze
uout Mp(A) x Mp(B) =
Za
where
mic(B) uout
Ze = (measured)
air-filled coupler iin

mic(A) Za = acoustical transfer impedance

of the air-filled coupler terminated
iin by the microphones (A and B)
(acoustic transmission line)

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 Principle of Pressure Reciprocity Calibration (2)

uR uR uR

Receiver B C A
coupler coupler coupler

Source A B C
uC uC uC
iT iT iT
Cs Cs Cs

The 3 unknown microphone sensitivities are found by solving

the 3 equations, which are related to the above 3 pairs of microphone

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Impedance of 'Plane Wave Coupler'

'Plane Wave Coupler' Model of Acoustic Transfer Impedance

Za,o
mic.x mic.y d
Za,x Za,y
lx
y
Za,x is determined by the transmission line theory
y
1 1 Z a ,o Z a ,o Z a ,o Z a , o
cosh l xy 1 sinh l xy (IEC 1094-2)
Z a , xy Z a ,o Z a,x Z a, y Z a,x Z a, y

Dimension requirements: lxy < 0.4 d = ddiaphragm

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Automated Reciprocity Calibration System
B&K Type 9699 Pressure Reciprocity Calibration System
based on PULSE Multi-Analyzer Type 3560 C
Measurement Chamber
for pressurization and
noise suppression

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Magnitude and Phase Pressure Responses

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 1.5

Repeatability History Type 4180 No. 1124043

25 kHz

20 kHz

DPLA Standard Microphone 16 kHz

Type 4180 No.1124043 12.5 kHz

divisionn n
8 kHz

perdivision
4 kHz

2 kHz

per
dBdB
half-inch 1 kHz

0.10.1
500 Hz
250 Hz

125 Hz

63 Hz
Pressure Reciprocity Calibration
31.5 Hz
Results normalised with Average
Sensitivity of last 5 years Period: 1991 – 2002 20 Hz
years
0
1-1-91

1-1-92

1-1-93

1-1-94

1-1-95

1-1-96

1-1-97

1-1-98

1-1-99

1-1-00

1-1-01

1-1-02

1-1-03
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Uncertainty Calculation Type 4180 – LS2 - DPLA

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Resulting Uncertainty Type 4180 – LS2 - DPLA
0.16

0.14
DPLA Client Calibrations
dB Uncertainty (k=2) for Type 4180
0.12
specified
0.10

0.08

0.06
calculated
0.04

0.02

0.00
10 100 1000 10000 Hz 100000

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DPLA Calibration Uncertainty, Type 4160 and 4180

0.20

dB
0.16 Specified DPLA Uncertainties (k=2)
October 2000
0.12
4180

0.08 4160

0.04

0.00
10 100 1000 10000 Hz 100000

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 Free-field Reciprocity Calibration

IEC 60194-3

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 Free-field Reciprocity Calibration Set-up, Half-inch

Typical Distance
200 mm

Receiver Microphone Transmitter Microphone

Anechoic Room with cubical glass-wool absorbers

Filename, 45
Expression for Free-field Sensitivity Calculation
2d12 U 2 v d12
M f ,1 M f , 2 j e
f i1
Symbol Parameter
Mf,1, Mf,2 Sensitivities of microphones ‘1’ and ‘2’
d12 Distance between acoustic centers of microphones ‘1’ and ‘2’
Density of air
f Frequency
v Complex sound propagation coefficient
U2 Output voltage of receiver microphone
i1 Input current of source microphone

U2 U2 Current is determined by measuring

( j 2 f C) voltage across a series capacitor
i1 U1
Symbol Parameter
Symbol
Z12 Parameter
Transfer impedance of microphones ‘1’ and ‘2’ valid for the parameters of equation (4)
U1 Voltage across the series capacitor of source microphone ‘1’
C Capacitance of series capacitor of the source microphones

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Typical Measured Free-field Transfer Function

80
70
60
50
dB re. 1 V

40
30
20
10
0
1 10 kHz 100

Filename, 47
System Instrumentation

Microphones
Reciprocity
Generator
Preamplifier Transmitter Unit Calibration
Type 2673-W-001 ZE0796 with Apparatus
(20 dB gain) built-in series Type 5998
Analyzer
capacitor
Ch.1 Ch.2
Conditioning Receiver
Amplifier
Type 2690- Insert Voltage Transmitter
W-008 Switch Box
WB3551 PULSE
Type
3560C
(100 kHz)
IEEE AUX
Free-field Reciprocity PC
Calibration System LAN
DFM-B&K

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Removal of Sound Reflections
1) 2)

3) 4)

Filename, 49
Calculated Impulse Responses for one Distance
The distance between the fronts of microphones (LS1) is 320 mm

Responses valid for the three pairs of microphone (AB, AC and BC)
are displayed for evaluation of the operator prior to the calculation
of the microphone sensitivities

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Resulting Sensitivity (magnitude)
Type 4160
19-aug-09 No. 1453799
Lin1453799 4160.1453799

-15

ø23.77 mm
dB

-25

Average

-35
Average of results obtained
with 4 measurement distances

-45
100 1000 10000 Hz 100000

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Resulting Sensitivity (phase)

Type 4160
19-aug-09 No. 1453799
Lin1453799 4160.1453799

210
deg dB
180
ø23.77 mm
150

120

90

60 Average

30
Average of results obtained
0
with 4 measurement distances
-30

-60

-90
100 1000 10000 Hz 100000

Filename, 52
Comparison of Sensitivity Results (magnitude)
Type 4180
19-aug-09 No. 1503933
Lin1503933 4180.1503933

0.12

dB
ø12.7 mm
0.08

0.04

d 170
d 200
0.00
d 240
d 300

-0.04

The results for the 4 measurement distances

-0.08 are shown relative to their common mean value

-0.12
100 1000 10000 Hz 100000

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DFM chamber and general criteria
DFM chamber
- volume: 6.0 m3
- free volume: 1.7 m3
- mineral wool: 90 kg/m3
(not especially critical)
General requirements:
- Good sound isolation
- Large enough for
delaying reflexions
Small-room features:
- short cables (lower cross-talk)
- precise and stable
microphone mounting
- convenient operation Knud Rasmussen in front of the DFM room

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 System Properties

The system operates with a repeatability better than +- 0.03 dB

and an accuracy better than +- 0.1 dB up to 20 kHz (k=2)

Three one-inch and half-inch microphones may be thoroughly

calibrated (4 distances) in about 4 and 8 hours respectively

The method is time-selective. Therefore, only a small an-echoic

room is required

PhD Thesis by Salvador Barrera Figueroa

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 Free-field Calibration Uncertainty (k=2)
LS1 LS2
0.14 0.14
dB dB
0.12 0.12
k=2 k=2
0.10 0.10

0.08 0.08

0.06 0.06

0.04 0.04
1 10 kHz 100 1 10 kHz 100

WS microphones may also be calibrated, but in general the uncertainty becomes

Larger for less known types and for microphones of complex shapes

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BIPM – CCAUV Key Comparisons

Regional Organizations
- AFRIMETS
- APMP
- COOMET
- EURAMET
- SIM

Filename, 57
 Free-field Response Determination
of
LS Microphones
by
Pressure Reciprocity (IEC 60194-2)
and
Free-field Corrections (IEC 61094-7)

Filename, 58
An Alternative to Free-field Reciprocity Calibration
10
dB
Type 4160 Type 4180 IEC 61094-7
8
states
6
Free-field Corrections Free-field
Difference between
Free-field and Pressure Responses Corrections
4 0o Incidence for
LS1 and LS2
2
Microphones
0
0.1 1 10 kHz 100

Perform a Pressure Reciprocity Calibration and add corrections

calculated by the polynomial of IEC 61094-7

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Uncertainty of Free-field Calibrations – LS2a

DPLA Calibration by Free-field

LS2a
ø12.7 mm Reciprocity IEC 61094-3

k=2

DPLA Calibration by Pressure

LS2a Reciprocity IEC 61094-3
ø12.7mm
and
Standardized Free-field corrections
k=2
IEC 61094-7

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 Infra-sound and Low-frequency Calibration

Various non-standardized principles

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Low-frequency Comparison Calibration
Coupler designed for :
1) exposure of diaphragm and vent
2) diaphragm only

WB3570

Filename, 65
 High-level Microphone Calibration

Filename, 67
Pistonphone Principle for High Pressure Calibration

Filename, 68
High-pressure Calibration System Type 9719
B&K PULSE
Multi-Analyzer System
Type 3560
with
High-pressure Unit
Type 4298
and
Linearity-measurement
Software
WT9643
Operation frequency: 500 Hz

Filename, 69
System of Coupled Tubes
Physical Model

Microphones
M1 and M2

T3 T2 T1 Loudspeaker

Equivalent Circuit Model

T2 T1

M1 M2 T3

Loudspeaker

~
C R L
Loudspeaker

Filename, 70
Generation of High Pressure with Low Distortion

• Operation at lowest system resonance (500 Hz)

• Relatively high input power (25 W)
• Transfer function minimizes distortion from source

10 Operation Frequency
-40
0
-50 Lp for constant Input Voltage
-10
-60
-20
-70
-80
-30
-90
-40
-100
-50
-110
-60
-120
-70
0 1000 2000 3000 4000

Filename, 71
Dynamic Linearity Reference Microphones

ENDEVCO Ceramic
Microphone Type 2510 (ø 19 mm)
Heat-protector

B&K Condenser Microphone Type 4941 (ø 6.3 mm)

Filename, 72
Operation Range of High-pressure System
Sound Pressure Level re. 20 Pa 180 10000 Pascal (174 dB)
dB

SPL Peak (+)

SPL Peak (-)

160

Total Harmonic
2nd Harmonic

3rd Harmonic
140 SPL (RMS)

120

100 1 Pascal (94 dB)

80

Filename, 73
Capability of High-pressure Calibration System

Range: 94 dB (RMS) and 174 dB (Peak):

• RMS-linearity +- 0.02 dB
• Peak-linearity (+ and -) +- 0.04 dB
• Harmonic Distortion
- Sound Pressure < 0.3 %
- Reference Microphones < 0.5%
• Vibration Excitation < 2.5.10-4 m/s2 per Pa

Filename, 74
 Phase Response Comparison Calibration
for
Microphone Arrays and Sound Intensity Probes

Filename, 75
Arrays for Sound Mapping, Beamforming and STSF

36 – 64 mics

36 – 108 mics

64 – 114 mics
36 – 50 mics

60 – 200 mics
(12 cameras)

Filename, 76
Intensity Probes and Dedicated Microphones

Method is described in IEC 61043

Filename, 77
 Intensity Microphones – B&K Type 4197
Tolerances are from IEC 61043
10

deg

Probe (Mics + PAs)

Mics
0,1
Tolerances

0,01 Required Measurement Capability

Intensity Microphones - B&K Type 4197

0,001
10 100 1000 Hz 10000

Filename, 78
New Wide-band Phase Comparison Couplers

WA0817
Broard-band
Sound Source
for the couplers

WA1544
Half-inch
Phase Response
WA1545 Comparison Coupler
Quarter-inch
Phase Response
Comparison Coupler

Filename, 79
 Phase Comparison Result - Type 4197 (Intensity Pair)

Measured with the

Calibration System
Type 9721

Blue and Red

indicate
negative and
positive
deviations
respectively

Filename, 80
Array Microphone Type 4958 (batch A)

12
1234567
1234568
Phase Response Spread within batch (A) 2581554
deg (microphones for selection to arrays)
2581830
2592624
2592625
2592626
6 2592628
2592629
2592631
2592632
2592633
2592634
2592635
2592636
0 2592637
2611371
2611372
2611373
2611374
2611375
The responses are displayed relative to their average 2611376
2611377
2611378
-6 2611379
2611380
2611381
2611382
2611383
2611384
2611385
2611386
-12
10 100 1000 10000 Hz 100000

Filename, 81
Test Tube for Intensity Probes
S.W.R.:
Length: 6.2 m
24 dB from
Inner Diameter: 288 mm
40 to 500 Hz

Sledge for Intensity Probe

Filename, 82
 Measurement of Inherent Microphone Noise

Filename, 83
Noise Spectra of Type 4160/44 and Preamp

Filename, 85
Noise Spectra of ½” Microphone and Preamplifier

dB SPL

Filename, 86
 50

dB (A) Noise Levels of Microphones

and of Microphones combined
40 with Preamplifiers

Equivalent A-weighted
Sound Pressure Level
30

20

10
1.6 mV/Pa

4 mV/Pa

50 mV/Pa

100 mV/Pa
50 mV/Pa
0
12.5 mV/Pa
50 mV/Pa

1/4"
1/2"
1/1"
-10

Filename, 87
Chamber for Measurement of Inherent Microphone Noise

Volume: about 1.5 liter

Weight: about 5 kg

Covered with vibration

damping material

Damping material inside

Filename, 88
 Free-field Comparison Calibration
of
LS and WS Microphones

IEC 60194 - 8
(draft)

Filename, 89
Free-field Comparison Calibration – IEC 61094-8 (Draft)
Many an-echoic rooms are good enough for testing purposes,
but few are good enough for calibration !
Calibration requires:

1) a very good and

Non-critical Reflection
large an-echoic room
or
Sound
Microphone 2) a time-selective or
Source
post processing
Direct
Critical Reflection
measurement technique
Sound
to eliminate influence
of reflections

Reflections and measurement distance are main topics of the IEC draft

Filename, 90
 Diffuse-field Comparison Calibration
of
LS and WS Microphones

IEC 60194 - 8
(draft)

Filename, 91
Diffuse-field Comparison Calibration
Room with hard Sound Reflecting Walls

Reference
Microphone

Unknown
Microphone

Filename, 92
Obtaining Diffuse-field response by FF-measurements
12

0o
8
Microphone Body
0o – 180o in 5o steps
Diffuse
v 4
Sound
Field
0

v = 0o is perpendicular
incidence on the diaphragm -4

-8
Microphone (12.7 mm)
Curve for Diffuse Field is without Protection Grid
calculated in accordance - 12
with IEC 61183
-16 1 kHz 10 kHz 100 kHz

Filename, 93
Methods for Service Centers and Test Laboratories

IEC 61094 – 4 Working Standard Microphones

IEC 61094 – 5 Pressure-field Comparison Calibration
IEC 61094 – 6 Electrostatic Actuator Calibration
IEC 61672 – 1 SLM Specifications (Class 1 and 2)
IEC 61672 – 2 SLM Pattern Evaluation Tests
IEC 61672 – 3 SLM Periodic Tests
IEC 61183 Diffuse-field Calibration of SLM

IEC 60942 Sound Level Calibrators

IEC 62585 Calibration Corrections for SLM (draft)

Note: The standard titles are not fully correct – they are shortened

Filename, 94
 Secondary Microphone Calibration
by
Comparison Couplers (IEC61094-5)
and
Electrostatic Actuators (IEC61094-6)

Filename, 95
System for calibration of various brands of microphone

Type 9721
Diameter
1/8” to 1/1”

Reference
Standard
Type 4180

Filename, 96
 Type 9721 Microphone Calibration

5
dB
0
1
-5
3
2
-10

-15

-20
0.1 1 10 frequency [kHz] 100

1. Sensitivity at 250 Hz
2. Electrostatic Actuator Response
3. Sound-field Correction

Filename, 97
 Comparison Calibration Method – IEC61094-5

Interfaces to
Microphone
Microphones
Interfaces

0.5
8.0 1.8

WA0817
Source 9.3 Cylindrical
Source Source
Cavity 16 Diaphragm
Cavity Diaphragm
18 of
Comparison Coupler Source
with built-in Sound Source
20 Hz – 16 kHz

Filename, 98
Microphone Fixture and Active Coupler WA0817
Monitor
Microphone
Type 4192 For ½” microphones

Active Comparison Coupler and fixture mounted

Calibration Fixture Coupler WA0817 for calibration of half-inch
WA0852 (90 dB SPL for 1V) and smaller microphones

Filename, 99
Calibration Couplers and Fixture for microphones
Active Coupler For 1/1” and smaller microphones by adapters
WA0817

One-inch Coupler
The active coupler WA0817 supplies the
UA1609
sound for the passive one-inch coupler

Filename, 100
 Type 9721 Sensitivity Uncertainty (k=2)

0.16
Valid at Reference Conditions
dB Type 9721 Uncertainty of Sensitivity Calibration (250 Hz)

0.12
Calculated Uncertainty
Specified Uncertainty

0.08

0.04

0
4180
4192
4193
4133
4134
4149
4191
4197
4190
4145
4161
4144
4160
4176
4188
4938
4939
4189
4136
4165
4166
4135
4155
Type of Microphone

Filename, 102
Electrostatic Actuator

Glass legs Metal Plate

Electrostatic Actuator
Insulator
for half-inch and
smaller microphones

Filename, 103
Setup for Electrostatic Actuator Calibration

800 V DC + 100 V AC Actuator Voltage

Supply

Actuator

Microphone

Preamplifier

PULSE Analyser

Filename, 104
Equivalent Sound Pressure of Electrostatic Actuator
U2
F d C Electrostatic Holes
2 actuator
Sact
gas S act
2
U
F d d
2 d F Sdia
2 U
F gas U S act
S dia 2 d 2 S dia Microphone
housing

gas a 2
p U
2 d2
gas a 2
pt U 0 u p sin t
2 d2
gas a 2 2 1 cos 2 t
pt U 0 2 U 0 u p sin t u p
2 d2 2

Filename, 105
Microphone Calibration Module Type 5001

Driver unit for

Active Coupler
and Electrostatic
Actuator

Filename, 106
 Type 9721 Microphone Calibration

5
dB
0
1
-5
3
2
-10

-15

-20
0.1 1 10 frequency [kHz] 100

1. Sensitivity at 250 Hz
2. Electrostatic Actuator Response
3. Sound-field Correction

Filename, 107
Type 9721 Uncertainty of Actuator Response (2)

0.4

dB Uncertainty of Type 9721 Specified

0.2

0 Calculated

-0.2

Valid for One- and Half-inch Microphones (S > 25 mV/Pa)

-0.4
10 100 1000 10000 Hz 100000

Filename, 108
 Sound Level Meter Calibration

Pattern Evaluation Tests

Acoustic Test Laboratories

Periodical Tests
Calibration Service Centres

Field Calibration
Users

Filename, 109
Pattern Evaluation Tests Acoustic Test Laboratories

IEC 61672-2 prescribes:

Checking of mandatory facilities and general requirements ( 23 points)

Environmental, electrostatic and radio-frequency tests (17)

Electrical performance tests (16)

Acoustical performance tests (5):

- Measurement of Directional Responses
- Measurement of Frequency Response of Reference Direction
- Verification/determination of ’Free-field Correction Values’
- Verification/determination of ’Adjustment Value(s)’
- Measurement of Self-generated Noise

Filename, 110
Periodical Tests Calibration Service Centers

IEC 61672-3 prescribes:

- General Inspection
B&K SLM
- Electrical Performance Tests (7) Calibration System
Type 3630
- Acoustical Performance Tests (3):
- Check of Indication at the reference frequency (1 kHz)
- Check of Frequency Response (calibrator, actuator or sound field)
- Check of Self-generated Noise

Filename, 111
Remarks about SLM Testing

Pattern Evaluation Test

- is a very thorough, time consuming and costly test
- requires advanced equipment for environmental testing
- requires a good and large an-echoic room
- ensures proper design quality
- provides proved correction data for simple Periodic Testing

Periodic Test
- intended to be cheap and widely used
- requires no specific acoustic facilities
- checks critical parameters
- ensures proper performance - considering approval of Pattern

Filename, 112
Test Table for Self-generated Noise of SLM

Low-noise Monitor
Microphone
SLM Microphone Noise
Rear port sound isolator isolated
Soft Spring Cavity

SLM

Vibration Isolation Table

Filename, 113
 Sound Calibrators
for
Field – and Laboratory Use

IEC 60942

Filename, 114
Pistonphone Type 4228

Precision Calibrator
and
Reference Standard
Sound Source

Frequency 250 Hz
124 dB at 1013.25 hPa

SPL is proportional to ambient

pressure, but essentially
independent of temperature
and humidity.

Filename, 115
 Design Details of Pistonphone Type 4228

Retaining Spring Cam Disc

Ruby Bushing
r A B sin 4 C cos 8
Coupler Cavity
Pistons

Filename, 116
Principle of Feed-back Calibrator
- Significantly Improved Stability
- Essentially independent of Static Pressure
- Essentially independent of Loading Microphone

Type 4226
Multi-frequencyCalibrator
First feed-back Calibrator
1988

Type 4230 – 1000 Hz, 94 dB

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Hint about use of Calibrators
Calibrating an Instrument with a Calibrator is very easy

However, just connecting the calibrator and adjusting the instrument to

proper reading imply a risk of
overlooking microphone, analyzer or calibrator defects

Therefore,
- read the microphone sensitivity on its calibration chart
- set the system parameter for sensitivity accordingly
- connect and start the calibrator
- notice the deviation between display reading and calibrator level
- if > 0.4 dB look for the reason
- if < 0.4 dB adjust the reading (or leave the settings)

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An Introduction has been given to:

- Principal Types of Sound Field, Measurement Microphones

and the need for many models
- Calibration and Test Methods applied at Hierarchical Levels
- SLM Calibration and Testing
- Acoustic Calibrators
- Acoustic Standards
- Uncertainties of Methods
- Uncertainty Budgets and Accreditation

Thanks for your attention

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