Welcome to Sounds of ASA Standards — the official blog of the Acoustical Society of America’s Standards Department.
Here, we post updates from ASA Standards, including ballot and public review announcements, new or reaffirmed standards, leadership appointments, and membership opportunities.
You’ll find:
- Announcements — ballots, public reviews, and standards updates
- News — leadership changes, committee updates, and organizational notices
- Opportunities — information on membership and participation in ASA Standards activities
Check back for updates and learn how your organization or expertise can help shape the standards that advance the science and practice of acoustics.
A Call for Participation in the Future of Acoustical Standards
What Do Standards Have to Do With It? A Call for Participation in the Future of Acoustical Standards When most people hear the word standard, they probably don’t think about airplanes, classrooms, hearing tests, environmental noise, or emerging acoustic technologies. They may think of a technical document sitting on a shelf but standards aren’t really about documents. They’re about confidence. Confidence that when we measure something, we know what we’re measuring. Confidence that two laboratories can perform the same test and produce comparable results. Confidence that manufacturers, regulators, researchers, engineers, practitioners, and users are working from a common understanding. And perhaps most importantly, confidence that the standard itself reflects current
Last Call for Experts: FAA Aircraft Noise Advisory Committee Nominations Due August 10
FAA Aircraft Noise Advisory Committee (Deadline Coming) The FAA is currently accepting nominations for its Aircraft Noise Advisory Committee (ANAC), with a nomination deadline of August 10, 2026. The committee will examine topics such as alternative aircraft noise metrics, the 65 dB threshold, community impacts, and future noise policy. For more information, please see the FEDERAL REGISTER. This intersects with our work on ASA Standards—specifically, S1.4 – Sound Level Meters, S1.11 – Octave-Band Filters, S12.9 – Environmental Noise Measurement and S12.62 – Outdoor Sound Propagation. As aviation noise policy evolves, so must the measurement standards that support it. Experts with experience in environmental acoustics, instrumentation, airport operations, and community noise
New Aircraft Noise Rules Highlight the Importance of ASA/ANSI S1.4 Sound Measurement Standards
New Global Aircraft Noise Rules Reinforce the Importance of Accurate Sound Measurement This year, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) adopted more stringent aircraft noise certification limits for new aircraft designs. The updated requirements, which take effect for future aircraft certifications beginning in 2029, are expected to reduce community exposure to aircraft noise by requiring quieter aircraft designs and encouraging continued advances in aerospace engineering. While much of the attention has focused on the new aircraft noise limits themselves, an equally important aspect is how those noise levels are measured. Accurate, repeatable measurements are fundamental to aircraft certification, environmental compliance, and community noise monitoring. This is where ASA standards play
Public Review Opportunity 7/17 – 8/31
Public Review Opportunity The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Acoustical Society of America (ASA) have announced two public review opportunities: ASA/BSR S12.54-20XX / ISO 3744:2025 for Identical National Adoption ASA/BSR S3.21-20XX for Revision These announcements can be found in ANSI Standards Action, and include a Call for Members notice inviting directly and materially affected parties to participate in the ANSI-accredited consensus body responsible for these standards. Public review comments are due by August 31, 2026. Standards Available for Review Designation Title Abstract Single-copy Price ASA/BSR S3.21-20XX Methods for Manual Pure-Tone Threshold Audiometry This Standard provides a procedure for pure-tone audiometry that will serve the needs of persons conducting
Public Review Opportunity 6/19 – 8/3
Reaffirmation of ASA/BSR S12.55 and Amendment 1 The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Acoustical Society of America (ASA) have announced a public review opportunity for the reaffirmation of ASA/BSR S12.55-2012 / ISO 3745:2012 (R20XX) and ASA/BSR S12.55-2012/Amd 1-2021 / ISO 3745:2012/Amd 1:2017 (R20XX) The announcement can be found in ANSI Standards Action, and includes a Call for Members notice inviting directly and materially affected parties to participate in the ANSI-accredited consensus body responsible for these standards. Public review comments are due by August 3, 2026. Standards Available for Review Designation Title Abstract Single-copy Price ASA/BSR S12.55-2012 / ISO 3745:2012 (R20XX) Acoustics — Determination of sound power levels of
A Legacy of Innovation, Leadership, and Service: Remembering Eric E. Ungar
The Acoustical Society community mourns the passing of Eric E. Ungar, who died on June 14, 2026, at the age of 99. Dr. Ungar was one of the foremost figures in structural acoustics and vibration engineering and a longtime leader within the Acoustical Society of America. A past ASA President (1991–1992), he made pioneering contributions to the understanding of vibration isolation, structural damping, mechanical mobility, and structure-borne sound. In recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field, he was awarded the Trent-Crede Medal in 1983. His research and professional service helped shape the technical foundations on which much of the modern practice of vibration and shock engineering rests. Dr. Ungar’s