ISO 16283 Quick-Start Guide
ISO 16283 is the current international standard for in-situ building acoustics measurements, addressing low-frequency effects down to 50 Hz and replacing ISO 140. This guide covers the required equipment, step-by-step procedure, and calculation of DnT,w and L'nT,w single-number ratings.
What ISO 16283 Covers
The series has three parts: ISO 16283-1 covers airborne sound insulation (single-number DnT,w), ISO 16283-2 covers impact sound insulation (L'nT,w — lower is better), and ISO 16283-3 covers facade insulation. Measurements span 1/3-octave bands from 50 Hz to 5 kHz. Unlike its predecessor ISO 140, the standard includes correction for low-frequency room modes — critical in modern lightweight construction.
Remember: ISO 16283 is for in-situ field measurements. Laboratory testing of individual building elements uses ISO 10140.
Four Steps to a Valid Measurement
Define test scope
Determine whether you need airborne (ISO 16283-1), impact (ISO 16283-2), or facade (ISO 16283-3) insulation measurements — or a combination. This determines which sources and metrics you need.
Set up the source room
Position the dodecahedron loudspeaker (Nor276 or Nor278) in at least 2 locations per source-room-to-receiver combination, ≥ 0.5 m from any surface. Connect to the Nor280 amplifier.
Measure sound pressure levels
Record SPL at ≥ 5 microphone positions per room and measure reverberation time (T20 or T30). Verify signal-to-noise ratio ≥ 6 dB in every 1/3-octave band, especially at 50 and 63 Hz.
Calculate DnT,w or L'nT,w
Feed data into the Nor850 Building Acoustics software module. It calculates DnT,w (airborne) or L'nT,w (impact) weighted single-number ratings, applies the ISO 717-1/-2 reference curve, and generates a ready-to-submit report.
Equipment You Need
All products available through Norsonic Asia with regional technical support.
Nor145
Class 1 single-channel analyser
Ideal for sequential 1-ch method
Nor150
Class 1 dual-channel analyser
Simultaneous 2-room measurement
Nor277
ISO 10140 tapping machine
Required for ISO 16283-2 impact tests
Nor280
Power amplifier for dodecahedron
Drives Nor276/Nor278 sources
Nor850 BA1
Building Acoustics software (ISO 16283)
Auto-calculates all ratings + report
Frequently Asked Questions
What is ISO 16283 and how does it differ from ISO 140?
ISO 16283 is the current international standard series for in-situ measurement of sound insulation in buildings, published between 2014 and 2017. It replaces ISO 140-4 and ISO 140-7 for field measurements. The key difference is that ISO 16283 corrects for low-frequency effects, requires measurement down to the 50 Hz one-third octave band, and uses the term DnT,w (standardised level difference) rather than the older R'w.
What equipment do I need for ISO 16283-1 airborne sound insulation testing?
You need: a Class 1 sound level meter or analyser (such as the Nor145 or Nor150) capable of measuring 1/3-octave spectra from 50 Hz to 5 kHz; an omnidirectional dodecahedron loudspeaker (e.g. Nor276 or Nor278) with a power amplifier (Nor280); an IEC 60942 Class 1 sound calibrator; and analysis software such as Nor850 Building Acoustics module that calculates DnT,w automatically.
How many measurement positions are required by ISO 16283-1?
ISO 16283-1 requires at least 5 microphone positions in the source room and 5 in the receiving room when using a moving microphone method (or fixed positions). For the loudspeaker, at least 2 source positions are required to ensure diffuse-field conditions. The standard also mandates that positions are separated by at least 0.7 m from each other, from walls, and 1.5 m from the test element.
How is DnT,w calculated?
DnT,w is calculated from the standardised level difference DnT = L1 − L2 + 10 log(T/T0), where L1 is the average SPL in the source room, L2 is the average SPL in the receiving room, T is the measured reverberation time, and T0 = 0.5 s (reference). The frequency-weighted single-number rating DnT,w is then determined by comparing the 1/3-octave spectrum to the ISO 717-1 reference curve. Nor850 software handles all this automatically.
Can I use a single-channel analyser for ISO 16283 testing?
Yes. A single-channel analyser like the Nor145 is fully compliant with ISO 16283 when you measure the source and receiving rooms sequentially. This is called the 1-channel method. A dual-channel analyser like the Nor150 allows simultaneous measurement in both rooms, which speeds up site work considerably and is required for sound intensity measurements. Both approaches give valid DnT,w results.