Safety is paramount
Published: PRODUCTS
Time and again, voice evacuation systems have been shown to be a critical element in saving lives. So ensuring these solutions are in good working order is a vital maintenance aspect for any public space. NTi Audio is addressing this with its TalkBox and XL2 Sound Level Meter releases which are specifically designed for this niche market.
Professional verification of an evacuation system requires that the announcement level and background noise level as well as the speech intelligibility values are measured and documented. NTi states that all of this can be achieved by combining these two releases. The TalkBox plays a standardised speech intelligibility test signal into the announcement microphone to provide a reference sound source. The handheld XL2 can then be used to measure and store the sound level and speech intelligibility values.
One of the key features of the XL2 is its background noise correction capability. This allows broadband noise levels to be directly defined within the instrument. The XL2 then compensates for this ambient noise when displaying the results. As a result, public spaces which are still under construction can be tested as if they were open to the public and any necessary system adjustments can be made before a venue opens.
The manufacturer provides a free measurement report in MS Excel format for documentation of measurement results in multiple languages. The levels and frequencies for the announcement signal and the noise, as well as the determined STIPA speech intelligibility are reported for each measurement position. The measurement system for evacuation systems reportedly covers all relevant standards for a determination of sound levels and speech intelligibility.
All XL2 Sound Level Meters can be extended with the optional speech intelligibility measurements. The new features for extended speech intelligibility measurements are offered with firmware V3.03 or higher. This firmware is available to download for free by all registered XL2 customers.