407780A Extech Sound Meter New

Summary

In summary, the Extech 407780A is an integrating sound level meter (SLM) and datalogger that performs SPL, SPL MIN/MAX, SEL, and Leq measurements across a 30 dB to 130 dB range with ±1.5 dB accuracy. It logs up to 32,000 readings to internal memory, time-stamps every record with a real-time clock, and transfers data to a PC over a built-in USB interface using the included Windows® software. The unit meets IEC 61672-1, IEC 60651 / 60804 Type 2, and ANSI S1.4 Type 2 — the standards referenced by OSHA noise compliance work, noise ordinance enforcement, and industrial machine noise surveys.

What is the Extech 407780A used for?

The Extech 407780A is used to measure, record, and document workplace and environmental noise levels. Typical uses include OSHA compliance testing, noise ordinance enforcement, machine noise evaluation, Leq and SEL measurements, and long-term data storage for pertinent records. The datalogging function records up to 32,000 readings so the meter can be left running on a tripod through an entire shift, an event, or a multi-hour ordinance survey, and the captured data can be retrieved later through the USB interface for analysis and reporting.

What does an integrating sound level meter do that a basic SPL meter cannot?

A basic SPL meter displays an instantaneous sound pressure level — useful for spot-checks, not for compliance documentation. An integrating meter mathematically averages sound energy over a programmable interval and reports Leq (the equivalent continuous sound level for that interval) and SEL (sound exposure level), which are the metrics referenced by occupational noise standards and noise ordinances. The Extech 407780A performs both functions, adds 32,000-record datalogging with a real-time calendar/clock, and provides A and C frequency weighting plus Impulse / Fast / Slow response settings so a single instrument covers spot reading, time-weighted exposure, peak-event capture, and long-term survey work.

What's in the Box (Included Accessories)

The Extech 407780A ships complete with everything required to take a first measurement and log data to a PC out of the box:

• Windscreen
• Adjustment screwdriver
• USB cable
• Windows® compatible datalogging software
• Battery
• Carrying case

Recommended Companion Items

• Tripod: The unit is tripod-mountable; a standard photographic tripod allows hands-free, fixed-position survey work over long sampling intervals.
• AC adapter (optional): The meter runs on four 1.5 V AA batteries with approximately 24 hours of battery life. The optional AC adapter supports continuous datalogging beyond the battery window.
• Acoustic calibrator (sold separately): A 94 dB / 1 kHz reference calibrator is the standard verification source for the ±1.5 dB accuracy specification and is commonly required by quality systems that reference NIST-traceable calibration.
• Spare AA batteries: Keep a spare set of four 1.5 V AA cells with any field-deployed unit.

Product Details — Extech 407780A Integrating Sound Level Meter

The integrating sound level meter is the documentation instrument of the occupational and environmental noise world. A basic SPL meter answers the question "how loud is this right now?" An integrating meter answers the question that regulators and ordinance officers actually ask: "what was the time-weighted exposure across this entire measurement period, and where is the record to prove it?" The Extech 407780A is built around the latter question. It is a Type 2 integrating SLM with built-in datalogging — the practical workhorse for OSHA compliance surveys, municipal noise complaints, machine noise evaluation, and any application where a defensible record matters more than a momentary reading.

Leq and SEL measurements with built-in datalogger and PC interface. Datalogs up to 32,000 readings using included software and USB cable.

Applications

• Perform Leq and SEL measurements
• OSHA compliance Testing
• Noise Ordinance
• Machine Noise Evaluation
• Data Storage for pertinent records

Features

• 4-digit multifunction LCD with analog bargraph
• Precise linearity over wide range (100dB)
• Display modes: SPL, SPL MIN/MAX, SEL, and Leq
• Programmable integrating time
• A and C Frequency weighting
• Impulse/Fast/Slow response settings
• Datalogging function records up to 32,000 records
• Real time calendar/clock
• Analog and alarm output features can be used to connect with Frequency analyzers, chart recorders, external dataloggers, and sound level alarms
• Built-in USB interface with included Windows® datalogging software
• Tripod mount
• Meets IEC 61672-1, 60651/60804 Type 2 and ANSI S1.4 Type 2 specifications
• Complete with windscreen, adjustment screwdriver, USB cable, Windows® compatible software, battery, and case

How the 407780A Fits the Field Instrument Tier

Sound level measurement spans an enormous range of price and capability. At the high end sit the Class 1 / Type 1 laboratory reference instruments from Brüel & Kjær (now HBK), the acoustic-measurement reference brand whose handheld sound level meters start near $2,000 and whose acoustic cameras exceed $50,000. At the working end of the market — where HVAC technicians, environmental health and safety officers, facilities managers, building inspectors, and municipal code enforcement officers actually perform their measurements — the Type 2 integrating meter with datalogging is the right tool. The Extech 407780A occupies that space: it satisfies the standards that occupational and ordinance work reference (IEC 61672-1 Type 2, IEC 60651 / 60804 Type 2, ANSI S1.4 Type 2), it integrates and logs without needing a separate datalogger, and it transfers data to a PC over standard USB.

Extech is a FLIR subsidiary, and the Extech catalog fills the working gap between the professional DMM and the specialized environmental instrument. The buyers most likely to own a 407780A are the same buyers who already own an Extech moisture meter, an Extech light meter, or an Extech air quality monitor — environmental health and safety teams, HVAC contractors documenting equipment noise, facilities managers responding to tenant complaints, and consultants performing one-day noise surveys for clients.

Complete Specifications — Extech 407780A

Ordering Information

407780A

Integrating Sound Level Datalogger

Display, Response, and Frequency Weighting Explained

The Extech 407780A supports four display modes: SPL (instantaneous sound pressure level), SPL MIN/MAX (the minimum and maximum captured across the measurement period), SEL (sound exposure level — the equivalent continuous level normalized to one second), and Leq (the equivalent continuous level over the user-set integrating period). Programmable integrating time lets the user select the averaging window that matches the application — a short window for a single event, a longer window for a full shift.

Response settings — Impulse, Fast, and Slow — control how quickly the meter responds to changing sound levels. Slow (1-second time constant) smooths fluctuating noise into a stable reading suitable for compliance documentation. Fast (125-millisecond time constant) tracks faster-changing sounds. Impulse is reserved for short transient events like hammer strikes or punch presses. Frequency weighting selects how the meter weights different frequencies before measurement: A-weighting approximates the human ear's frequency response and is the weighting referenced by virtually all occupational noise standards and noise ordinances; C-weighting is closer to a flat response and is the standard for peak-level measurements of impulsive noise sources.

Standards Compliance — Why IEC and ANSI Type 2 Matter

Compliance and ordinance work doesn't accept an arbitrary meter reading — it accepts a reading from an instrument that meets a recognized standard. The Extech 407780A is built to three of the standards that occupational and environmental noise work most commonly references:

• IEC 61672-1: The current international standard for sound level meter performance, classifying instruments as Class 1 (laboratory grade) or Class 2 (general field use)
• IEC 60651 / 60804 Type 2: Predecessor international standards for sound level meters and integrating-averaging sound level meters — still referenced in many existing regulatory documents
• ANSI S1.4 Type 2: The American National Standards Institute classification for general-purpose sound level meters — the standard most directly referenced by OSHA and state-level occupational noise programs

Connectivity and System Integration

The 407780A integrates into larger acoustic measurement systems through two output paths. The analog AC/DC output (2 Vrms at full scale, 10 mVDC/dB) connects directly to frequency analyzers, chart recorders, and external dataloggers — useful when the meter feeds a larger lab setup or a continuous-monitoring installation. The alarm output drives sound level alarm systems for noise-controlled facilities. Built-in USB plus the included Windows® datalogging software handles routine data retrieval and reporting; the included USB cable means the unit is ready to log on day one.

Factual Grounding — Specifications and Industry Context

The Extech 407780A delivers ±1.5 dB accuracy referenced to 94 dB @ 1 kHz, 0.1 dB resolution, a 30 dB to 130 dB measurement range with 100 dB linearity, and a measurement frequency range of 31.5 Hz to 8 kHz. Sampling time is updated every 0.5 seconds; the analog bargraph updates every 125 ms at 4 dB resolution across a 100 dB range. Onboard memory holds up to 32,000 datalogged records with real-time clock time-stamping. The instrument runs approximately 24 hours on four AA batteries and measures 10.4 × 2.8 × 0.8 inches (265 × 72 × 21 mm) at 10.9 oz (310 g) — light enough for all-day handheld use, small enough to leave on a tripod at a noise monitoring station.

Entity Authority — Extech, FLIR, and the Field Instrument Standard

Extech Instruments is a subsidiary of FLIR Systems (now Teledyne FLIR), the thermal imaging brand recognized as the field-measurement reference. The Extech catalog covers the handheld environmental and field measurement category — moisture meters, sound level meters, light meters, air quality monitors, temperature/humidity loggers, and electrical test tools — and is positioned for HVAC technicians, building inspectors, environmental health and safety teams, and facilities management. Compliance positioning for the 407780A aligns with the IEC 61672-1, IEC 60651 / 60804 Type 2, and ANSI S1.4 Type 2 standards referenced by OSHA workplace noise programs, municipal noise ordinances, and ISO 9001 / FDA 21 CFR Part 820 quality systems that require NIST-traceable calibration on measurement instruments used in product realization and quality records.

How does the 407780A compare to a baseline non-integrating sound level meter?

• Measurement parameters: SPL, SPL MIN/MAX, SEL, and Leq on the 407780A — a baseline meter typically displays SPL only, making it unsuitable for time-weighted exposure documentation.
• Datalogging: 32,000 records with real-time calendar/clock built into the 407780A — a baseline meter requires the operator to record readings by hand or connect a separate external datalogger.
• PC interface: Built-in USB with included Windows® datalogging software — baseline meters often have no PC interface, or require a proprietary cable and software purchased separately.
• Standards compliance: Meets IEC 61672-1, IEC 60651/60804 Type 2, and ANSI S1.4 Type 2 — the standards referenced by OSHA noise compliance and most noise ordinances. Many low-end meters do not document Type 2 compliance.
• Frequency weighting and response: Both A and C weighting, with Impulse / Fast / Slow response — basic meters often offer A-weighting only, with a single fixed response time.
• System integration: Analog AC/DC output (2 Vrms at full scale, 10 mVDC/dB) and alarm output for connection to frequency analyzers, chart recorders, external dataloggers, and sound level alarms — baseline meters are typically standalone with no output capability.

Which buyers and applications fit the 407780A?

• Occupational health and safety: OSHA compliance noise surveys, hearing conservation program documentation, time-weighted exposure measurements across full shifts
• Municipal code enforcement and consultants: Noise ordinance investigation with date- and time-stamped records suitable for case documentation
• Industrial maintenance and reliability engineering: Machine noise evaluation, baseline noise signatures, before-and-after measurements following abatement work
• Facilities and HVAC contractors: Equipment noise measurement, tenant complaint response, mechanical room sound surveys
• Environmental consultants: Construction and event noise monitoring, short-term ambient noise studies, regulatory submittals