Abstract: A method of measuring a filling level in a container or the height of loose material over a storage surface, comprises transmitting and recording a sound pulse having a duration at least as long as a pulse which travels to the lowermost level of the material, recording the echo of the sound pulse from the actual material filling level, and measuring, as a measure of the filling level, the time interval between the end of the transmitted pulse and the end of the echo pulse. A device for measuring the height of the filling material on a surface, comprises an electroacoustic transmitting transducer excited by an electric pulse generator and having a receiving transducer whose output is connected to an electrical time measuring device.