SKC NoiseCHEK vs. TSI Edge 5: Personal Noise Dosimeter Comparison

Quick Comparison: SKC NoiseCHEK vs. TSI Quest Edge 5

Similarities Between the NoiseCHEK and Edge 5

Although these two dosimeters take different approaches to data collection and reporting, they share several core capabilities:

• Both deliver 40+ hours of run time on a single charge 00:23
• Both are intrinsically safe for use in classified hazardous locations 01:46
• Both meet ANSI S1.25 and IEC 61252 personal noise dosimeter standards
• Both run multiple virtual dosimeters simultaneously against OSHA, MSHA, and ACGIH criteria
• Both are cable-free, shoulder-mounted units calibrated at 114 dB / 1 kHz before and after each sampling run
• Both require annual factory calibration and download to a PC through a charging dock

For most hearing conservation programs, either instrument will produce the dose and TWA data OSHA requires. The deciding factors come down to how much frequency detail you need, how you prefer to review data, and how your team is already set up for software.

Software Platform

SKC NoiseCHEK: DataTrac dB

The NoiseCHEK communicates with a PC through its charging dock and SKC DataTrac dB software, where you download run data, program virtual dosimeter presets, schedule sample runs, and generate summary and compliance reports. 00:35

DataTrac dB is purpose-built for the NoiseCHEK line, so the setup screen maps directly to what appears on the dosimeter display. Everything OSHA requires is contained in the summary report, with a more detailed compliance and time-history report available from the PC.

TSI Quest Edge 5: Detection Management Software (DMS)

The Edge 5 requires Detection Management Software to configure its virtual dosimeters and download study data. 00:45

DMS is a shared platform across the TSI Quest instrument family, so the same installation also manages SoundPro sound level meters, the Sound Examiner, and QUESTemp heat stress monitors. 00:49 Data lookup within DMS is straightforward, and the Data Finder page lets you browse a wide range of stored files across instrument families in one place. 01:40

Virtual Dosimeters and Octave Band Analysis

This is where the two instruments separate most clearly. 01:00

SKC NoiseCHEK

The NoiseCHEK runs up to four virtual dosimeters at once, each programmed to a different standard — OSHA HC, OSHA PEL, MSHA HC, MSHA PEL, ACGIH, or a custom profile that exceeds regulatory minimums. 01:02

It also includes 1/1 and 1/3 octave band filters, which the Edge 5 does not offer. Octave band data is what makes engineering noise control possible: it tells you which frequencies are driving the exposure, so you can specify the right hearing protection or target the right machine.

TSI Quest Edge 5

The Edge 5 runs three virtual dosimeters simultaneously, which covers the common OSHA HC, OSHA PEL, and ACGIH combination without needing to repeat a study. 01:23

It does not offer octave band analysis. 01:29 What it does add is simultaneous A- and C-weighted measurement with an automatic C-minus-A calculation, which is used to evaluate whether a given hearing protector's NRR is adequate for the environment.

On-Device Review and Mobile Access

SKC NoiseCHEK

The NoiseCHEK is designed so you can review a completed run without touching a computer. Its front-lit display shows up to nine lines of user-selectable data per virtual dosimeter, and the History list lets you scroll back through previous sample runs directly on the device. Bluetooth-enabled models also connect to the SKC SmartWave dB mobile app, letting you check a running study from your phone. 01:09

The NoiseCHEK also supports voice notes and threshold-triggered event audio recording, so the technician can capture what was happening at the moment of a high reading. Runs can be paused and resumed rather than restarted, which helps when a worker steps away mid-shift. 01:20

TSI Quest Edge 5

The Edge 5 display shows live measurement values that you scroll through with the up and down arrows, with the parameters and their order configured in DMS. Detailed run analysis happens in DMS after docking rather than on the device itself. There is no mobile app and no voice note capability.

Battery Life and Data Logging

Both units are built for full-shift and multi-shift sampling. 00:17

SKC NoiseCHEK

Run time is 40+ hours per charge, with a full charge taking six to eight hours in the dock. Data logging is selectable at either 1-second or 60-second intervals, and storage ranges from 40 to 4,000+ hours depending on configuration. Note that enabling all four virtual dosimeters with octave band logging at 1-second intervals makes downloads significantly slower, so select that combination only when you intend to use the data.

TSI Quest Edge 5

Run time is also 40+ hours per charge, with roughly three to three and a half hours to charge a fully discharged battery. The Edge 5 logs at fixed one-minute intervals and holds approximately 120 hours of memory. For standard full-shift compliance sampling, one-minute time history is more than sufficient.

Field Considerations

SKC NoiseCHEK

The NoiseCHEK is worn on the apex of the shoulder facing the dominant noise source, with the microphone as high as possible and clear of the neck. Keep clothing off the windscreen during sampling to avoid contaminating results, and avoid applying stickers to the back of the unit, which interferes with the charging dock contacts.

Because Bluetooth-enabled models use wireless connectivity, radios and other wireless devices in the immediate work area are worth accounting for when planning a survey. 02:29

TSI Quest Edge 5

The Edge 5 clips to the shirt with the microphone positioned high on the shoulder and away from the neck, and offers an optional hard hat attachment kit for environments where shoulder mounting is impractical. At 2.5 ounces it is the lighter of the two units. The Edge platform has been in the field for many years, and its workflow is well established among industrial hygienists. 02:39

Which Noise Dosimeter Should You Choose?

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