Our new support website is now available at http://support.cirrusresearch.co.uk

Visitors to the site can search through answers to questions that have been asked by existing users, as well as look through current technical documentation uploaded by Cirrus. If you can’t find the answer to your question, then you can simply ask your question on the website and it will be picked up by someone on the support team at Cirrus Research.

The support website will assist visitors with finding solutions to everything from user manuals for the Optimus sound level meters to where to download the latest version of the NoiseTools software, as well as being able to download the latest versions of the Cirrus software.

Commenting on the launch of the new support website, James Tingay, Group Marketing Manager said: “We want to ensure that all of our customers are getting the most from their Cirrus Research noise measuring equipment, so we have introduced the support website where visitors will be able to find a cure to their noise measurement issues with the help of the Noise Doctor.”

James continued: “We often get customers asking questions around which sound level meters will meet regulations and why sound level meters need to be calibrated. We encourage our customers and visitors to our website to interact and start a conversation with us on-line, so that we can respond to their queries.”

The Noise Doctor branding brings together the advice, products and support services Cirrus Research has to offer. More details of the Noise Doctor can be found on the website at www.the-noise-doctor.co.uk.

During the upcoming Safety & Health Expo, the Noise Doctor will be tweeting questions and answers to @TheNoiseDoc

To look at the new support website or to find an answer to any noise measurement issues you may have, please visit: http://support.cirrusresearch.co.uk/

676xnoisetoolsA new version of the NoiseTools software is now available for download.

This new version brings a number of new features and updates along with additional language options.

NoiseTools is compatible with the following:

  • Optimus Sound Level Meters
  • doseBadge Noise Dosimeter
  • Trojan Noise Nuisance Recorder
  • CR:260A Sound Level Meters
  • CR:800C Sound Level Meters

NoiseTools is also fully compatible with Windows 7 and Windows 8 and can be updated free of charge from the Cirrus website or through the auto-update features within NoiseTools itself.

The new version of NoiseTools is v1.4.5.

optimus green sound level meter

With the recent snow that has hit the UK, Cirrus Research customers have raised a few questions about how wet weather and low temperatures could affect their noise measurements.

There are two situations surrounding the effects adverse weather has on noise measurements that can be looked at in more detail.  The first is based on if you are using a handheld sound level meter in low temperatures and the second is if you are using an outdoor measurement kit,  leaving your equipment outside in adverse weather conditions. Continue reading »

Throughout 2012 we’ve posted  information and answers to various questions from our customers, distributors and sales team on our NoiseNews blog.

The Top 10 blog posts have now been collated from the most popular read by our customers and website visitors and we’ve made this into a book for  you to download.

Over the past year, the blog has seen an impressive number of visitors, with a staggering 18,875 people reading the numerous postings!

These blog posts explains the different types of equipment from Cirrus Research, including information on frequency weightings, class and maintenance etc.

Other examples from the Top 10 list includes an introduction to noise induced hearing loss and ways to avoid this.

The top blog post posed the question “What are Octave and Third Octave on a sound level meter?” with an impressive 3,161 readers eagerly looking for the answer.

James Tingay, Group Marketing Manager at Cirrus Research comments: “The NoiseNews blogs are a great platform for our customers to communicate with professionals about noise measurement equipment.” He continued to say, “We are also delighted to see such a large number of people visiting and reading the Cirrus Research blogs.”

To view the Top 10 blog posts in full go to: http://cdn.crplc.com/documents/Top-10-Blog-Posts-Issue-2.pdf

One of the commonly asked questions that we have is “I’ve got a new PC. Will the Cirrus software program X work?”.

There are many different versions of Windows in use and we still see customers using Windows 2000 or even 98SE. Our current software programs, NoiseTools, Deaf Defier3, dBLink, Noise-Hub and the SoundSign software will work with most recent Windows operating systems as long as you have the correct drivers and have installed the latest version. Continue reading »

Cirrus is now able to offer a UKAS calibration service for your sound level meter and acoustic calibrator, even if it is not a Cirrus instrument!

UKAS Calibration of Sound Level Meters

We can now offer this service, not only on our own sound level meters such as the optimus and the CR:800 instruments, but also on products from other manufacturers such as B&K, CEL Casella, Rion, Norsonic, Larson Davis, 01dB, Quest, Svantek and TES.

We can offer UKAS or Traceable Calibration to BS 7580 on wide range of sound level meters as well as UKAS Calibration on a smaller number of instruments to BS EN 61672 Part 3. Continue reading »

Noise from Fireworks

Noise from Fireworks

This year, Bonfire Night (5th November for anyone who doesn’t know) fell on a Saturday this year and despite the forecast of rain, myself and my colleagues Gill Cussons, Justin Barker and Nigel Palmer braved the weather with the aim of measuring the noise levels at our local fireworks displays.

We didn’t set out any rules as to where these measurements should be made other than that they should be from within the spectators and should be representative of the noise exposure that people would get. Continue reading »

There are over an estimated 9 million hard of hearing individuals in the UK (source: ‘Action On Hearing Loss (RNID), 2005 survey). The overwhelming reasons for hearing loss are listed as being age-related and noise-related, very much in-line with other Western world countries. The big difference is that while age-related hearing loss is a natural process that we can do little about, the same cannot be said for noise-induced hearing loss.

Why Does Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Happen

The ear

The ear

A critical part of the inner ear is the cochlea which houses thousands of tiny ‘hair cells,’ responsible for sending signals via the nerve fibres for the brain to interpret as sound. Prolonged exposure to high-volume noise can cause these hair cells to die, resulting in hearing loss. Once the hair cells are damaged, any resultant hearing loss will be permanent as these hair cells are unable to regenerate.  When talking about noise-induced hearing loss, two main factors contribute to the level of hearing loss:

  • The level of noise measured in decibels
  • How long the exposure to the noise lasted

It is never too late to try to prevent hearing loss due to noise exposure. At the work place, areas that have sounds exceeding 85dB (decibels) will need to be the target of noise reduction controls.

Preventing Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

Reducing and preventing hearing loss caused by exposure to noise at the workplace was introduced as a government target in 1989 under the ‘Work Regulations act of 1989’. New legislation introduced in 2005 and enforced from 2006 placed yet more emphasis on preventing hearing loss in the UK’s industry. It clearly states that employers have a duty to prevent or reduce risks to employees from exposure to high levels of noise at work. Continue reading »

When more detailed information about a complex sound is needed, the frequency range of 20Hz to 20kHz can be split into sections or bands. This is done electronically within a sound level meter.

These bands usually have a bandwidth of one octave or one third octave. More advanced instruments may be able to give a narrow band analysis of the noise data. This may be an FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) or information in 1/12 octaves. Continue reading »

Our new eBook “Q&A – The top 10 posts on our blog” is now available for download.

Throughout 2011 we’ve been posting information and answers to questions from our customers, distributors and sales team on our blog at cirrusresearch.co.uk/blog.

This book contains the top 10 posts that you, our customers, have been reading and commenting on. Some of the posts have been expanded with some additional information and links where appropriate. Some of the posts on the blog cover similar topics and so we’ve also combined some of these posts into one to cover a subject more widely.

Click on the image below or click here to download the new FREE eBook.

Top 10 Blog Posts - November 2011

Top 10 Blog Posts - November 2011

 

 

 

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