Sound and Vibration Instrument Hire and Calibration
News and Updates
Latest News First
Led by popular demand we have included the BZ 7225 Enhanced Logging module to all our Bruel & Kjaer 2250 Multifunction Sound and Vibration Analysers.
Lithium batteries have been extensively tried, tested and are now cost effective. So we have updated all our 'environmental kits'. They are also much lighter than the old lead acid cells, some customers will be pleased to know.
The NTi-sound analysers are proving popular, so we have added the STIPA (Speech Intelligibility) measurement option, the MR-Pro hand-held signal generator and the TalkBox, STIPA Reference source
After testing the NTi XL2 Sound Analyser for sometime we believe this is a well designed, state of the art meter / analyser and user-friendly instrument. So we have added several to our range, both the hand-held meter and the 'Outdoor' Monitoring Systems.
We had added a Svantek 945A Real Time Sound Analyser to the range to see if our customers like it.
We bought our first B&K 2250 some years ago and our hire charges reflected the cost at that time. Over the years we have added a large number of these multi-function analysers and each time they have cost us significantly more. The B&K service and parts exchange charges have also escalated and as a result of these factors, all beyond our control, we have been forced to increase the 2250 hire charges.
Other instruments, across our range, are under the same pressure but we hope to hold back this tide for another year or two.
After 40 years at Chelveston, in spite of extensions and space utilisation schemes we have accepted the inevitable and move into larger purpose built premises. We've only moved a few miles over the border into Bedfordshire, which means a new telephone number but otherwise customers will not notice any difference.
There is a need for a simple noise survey meter and there are a lot of cheap meters for sale, producing dubious results. However there is a low-cost meter that doesn't compromise on accuracy - the B&K 2240 which maintains the Class 1 Precision Standard that Bruel & Kjaer are famous for. They keep the cost low by limiting the simultaneous measurements to Leq, LAF, LAFmax and LCpeak, the essential measurements for environmental noise, noise at work and general survey work. In the process they have produced a meter that is simplicity itself to use and provides answers you can rely on. more details
For years we have been hiring Kestrel Anemometers at £1 a day, to measure the wind speed. Following demand we have added the Davis Weather Station for accurate, reliable weather monitoring in a self-contained, easy-to-install system. All the weather data required for environmental noise projects.
We have extended our range of microphones, adding Bruel & Kjaer 4135 1/4" microphones, useful in two main areas - very high noise levels up to 165 dB and high frequency applications up to 100 kHz. We include an adapter so they can be used directly with most 1/2" microphone systems.
Given the success of the Standards move, we have also moved our Acoustic Glossary to it's own site.
We have moved our Acoustic Standards to a different site. The standards section was getting so busy it deserved a site of it's own.
We have reduced the costs of the B&K 2236 and 2238 to reflect the significant impact of the B&K 2250. The main role of the 2236 and 2238 meters has shifted to the precision survey and monitoring end of the market.
Our Short Term Hire service has proved very popular, so we have decided to merge the short term and minimum 7-day service into one standard hire service as follows.
Standard Hire - 4 day minimum hire
The hire period (and therefore the charges) begins the day you receive the equipment and continues up to and including the day the equipment is received back in our offices in good working condition. We then deduct 1 day - so you do not pay any hire charges for the collection time taken by our courier - more details
We also offer a Long Term Hire service.
We have added some more CEL Noise Dose Badges but this time we have gone for the 352 version which also includes measurement of C-weighted minus A-weighted levels, which some customers find useful when selecting ear protectors.
The Building Acoustics Sound Insulation Software is now available for our B&K 2250 Multi-function analysers
We have added a B&K 4128 Head and Torso Simulator with built-in ear and mouth simulators for the measurement of mobile and cordless headsets, audio conference devices, microphones, headphones, hearing aids and hearing protectors.
Many customers are using the 2250 for both noise and vibration measurements, so to make the ordering simpler we have introduced the 2250 SV option.
Re-launch of our Instrument Calibration Services, after a 9 year pause.
Enhanced Logging option for our B&K 2250 analysers. The new version 3 platform with advanced multi-level and time based triggering makes this option a very worthwhile enhancement - available for hire now.
New version 3 software for the B&K 2250 multi-function sound analyser has been released. We are upgrading all, currently 17 of our 2250 systems so customers can benefit form the new features and other enhancements. New features include Loudness (ISO532B), Noise Rating (NR), Noise Criteria (NC & NCB) and Room Criteria (RC) measurements. SD cards now up to 32 GB are implemented, ideal for lengthy sound recordings - more details
The CEL 350 dose badges we introduced earlier this year have proved so popular that we have had to order some more.
After 20 years of faithful service we have removed the DI 2200 FFT analysers from our hire lists. Fortunately we have an established, excellent alternative - the B&K 2250 FFT analyser.
The word of acoustics is 'awash' with different terms, parameters and acronyms so we have added an Acoustic Glossary to our site and included several hundred terms. This Noise and Vibration Glossary is directly linked from our home page or alternatively type the word, acronym or phrase into our search engine, on all our main pages.
B&K 7830 Building Acoustics Qualifier - complimentary software for the B&K 2260D Building Regulations Test Equipment.
The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 (the Noise Regulations) came into force for all industry sectors in Great Britain on 6 April 2006 (except for the music and entertainment sectors where they came into force on 6 April 2008). As a direct result we have bought some CEL 350 Noise Badges to go with the long established CEL 460s, to satisfy the increased demand.
Two stage audible alarms now available for the Vibrock Vibration Monitors - on request
Improvements to web site include Sound Level Meter Comparison Table and enhanced Glossary/parameters list.
Tone Assessment to ISO 1996-2 (2007) is now available as an option with the B&K 2250 FFT analyser - more information
The Reverberation Time option for the B&K 2250 is now available so we have added it to our lists - click here for more information
The Norsonic 140 analysers we ordered some time ago have now been delivered and are available for hire. These state-of-the-art meters include octave, 1/3-octave filtering + statistics and level vs time logging - details
B&K have released the FFT option for the 2250 meter, which we have evaluated and are very impressed. So we have ordered the new software and it should be with us soon. To read all about it, click here.
We are pleased to announce that G&A has extended its hire range to include the new B&K 4447 Hand Held Human Vibration analyser. See here for further information.
We have just finished upgrading our stock of B&K 2250 Hand-held analysers to include the Sound Recording option (BZ 7226). This feature is now available to anyone who hires a B&K 2250 and we have decided not to increase the hire charges - giving you better value for money.
We are pleased to announce that we have extended our service offering to include two new types of hire. In addition to our Standard Hire you can now opt for a Short Term Hire or a Long Term Hire. For further information, and pricing, please contact us directly. For some additional information on these new services please look at our notes page.
Gun-shot and other high noise level measurements are popular again. The B&K 2250 with a 1/4" microphone will measure levels up to 165 dB.
We have added more building acoustics instruments including another B&K 2260D analyser, a Nor 250 speaker and Nor 280 power amplifier/noise generator system.
Recently we have been getting requests for Tapping Machines with UKAS certificates. There are no Organisations able to issue UKAS certificates for tapping machines. However the relevant standard calls for 5 hammers each weighing 500 g and dropping from a height of 40 mm every two seconds and we have an in-house test which checks these parameters, before and after each hire.
To round off 2005 we have doubled our stock of B&K 2250 meters, some with the new Sound Recording Option. It really is a remarkable and popular instrument. To compliment the 2250 range we have also bought the new Matron 3 enclosures plus more tapping machines, sound power sources and human vibration meters in preparation for a busy year in 2006.
We've had a good financial year again, the best ever and the future looks bright, so we've been shopping and bought more instruments to meet the increasing demand. B&K recently introduced the sound recording option for the 2250 and we will be adding some of these in the near future. We are also looking at the new Enhanced Logging option, due out next month.
Hand Arm and Whole Body vibration measurements are on the increase and while our B&K 2537 hand arm analysers meet single channel requirements there is a growing demand for simultaneous 3-channel measurements with the resultant vector sum. We have therefore added the Larson Davis HVM100 Human Vibration analysers to our range, which also includes the whole body networks and vehicle ride option using a seat transducer.
Building Acoustics kits with an adequate supply of microphone extension and under-door tape cables etc., may appear expensive until you get to site and find you really needed those extra cables. We appreciate the dilemma, but offering 'economy' kits or compromising our quality control with short-term hires are not practical options. Our solution is to continue supplying full kits, but include the main analyser at a discount. We will review this 'trial' in due course to see if it has been helpful. To see our building acoustics range click here
We have upgrade our Nor 121 analysers with the v4.0 upgrade providing some general and building acoustics improvements.
Bruel & Kjaer have released the BZ 7224 Logging Software for the B&K 2250 meters, so we have added this option and converted all our 2250 analysers.
We have also bought some more B&K 3207 tapping machines and Vibrock V901 Digital Seismographs.
The Bruel & Kjaer B&K 2250 meters are proving very popular and we will soon need some more. The Vibrock v901 seismographs are also 'flying off the shelves'. Apart from that we have very little to relate as 2004 draws to a close except to let you know that we have had a record year and thank you for your custom
We now have 2 versions of the Nor 118, a low cost version with real time filters and statistics and the PLUS version with a noise generator, reverberation time, multi-spectra and sound power measurements built in
We have added the B&K Matron 'annoyance' recorder based on the B&K 2238 Sound Level analyser
Cables and other accessories are not included unless specifically mentioned - so you only pay for what you need. Please add any additional items you want from our wide range of accessories
Good news for customers who use 'overnight' carrier services for delivery and collection of equipment - we have listened to your opinions carefully and as a result a new charging system has been introduced.
Hire charges start the day equipment leaves our premises and continue up to and including the day the equipment is received back in our offices undamaged. We deduct 2 days, from the total to allow for delivery/collection by 'overnight' carrier.*
We hope this reduction in charges will benefit many of our existing and future customers in whose interests the changes have been made. To minimize the number of days in transit, ask for equipment to be dispatched mid-week.
* If the equipment is sent over a week-end or to locations where 'overnight' services are not available then the additional days are charged at the normal rental.
We have added both the new B&K 2250 hand-held meters and Nor 118 multifunction analysers to our Hire Lists.
Because of the recent upsurge in Building Acoustics we have also increased our stock of power amplifiers and sound sources. We have also added some B&K 3207 tapping machines.
We understand our British Standards 'look-up' list is helpful - our web hosting company tell us that it is being used by hundreds of people every month. So we have added an International Standards Page so you can quickly cross-check an ISO or IEC number. It was possible before, using our search tool but hopefully this extra service will make life easier.
