IEC 60268-21:2018 specifies an acoustical measurement method that applies to electro-acoustical transducers and passive and active sound systems, such as loudspeakers, TV-sets, multi-media devices, personal portable audio devices, automotive sound systems and professional equipment. The device under test (DUT) can be comprised of electrical components performing analogue and digital signal processing prior to the passive actuators performing a transduction of the electrical input into an acoustical output signal. This document describes only physical measurements that assess the transfer behaviour of the DUT between an arbitrary analogue or digital input signal and the acoustical output at any point in the near and far field of the system. This includes operating the DUT in both the small and large signal domains. The influence of the acoustical boundary conditions of the target application (e.g. car interior) can also be considered in the physical evaluation of the sound system. This document does not assess the perception and cognitive evaluation of the reproduced sound and the impact of perceived sound quality.