IEC 61672 - Electroacoustics - Sound level meters
An IEC standard which is split into 2 parts:

IEC 61672-1:2002 - Electroacoustics - Sound level meters - Part 1: Specifications
IEC 61672-2:2003 - Electroacoustics - Sound level meters - Part 2: Pattern evaluation tests Part 1 gives electroacoustical performance specifications for three kinds of sound measuring instruments:
- a conventional sound level meter that measures exponential time-weighted sound level;
- an integrating-averaging sound level meter that measures time-average sound level; and
- an integrating sound level meter that measures sound exposure level.

A single instrument may make any, or all, of the three kinds of measurements.
Two performance categories, class 1 and class 2, are specified in this standard. In general, specifications for class 1 and class 2 sound level meters have the same design goals and differ mainly in the tolerance limits and the range of operational temperatures. Tolerance limits for class 2 specifications are greater than, or equal to, those for class 1 specifications.
Sound level meters conforming to the requirements of this standard have a specified frequency response for sound incident on the microphone from one principal direction in an acoustic free field or from random directions.

Part 2 Provides details of the tests necessary to verify conformance to all mandatory specifications given in IEC 61672-1:2002 for conventional sound level meters, integrating-averaging sound level meters and integrating sound level meters.
Pattern evaluation tests apply for each channel of a multi-channel sound level meter, as appropriate. Tests and test methods are applicable to class 1 and class 2 sound level meters. The aim is to ensure that all testing laboratories use consistent methods to perform pattern evaluation tests.
 
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