Topic: Sound pressure meter recommendations

[M]

I'm in the market for a sound pressure meter.  I would like it to be fairly accurate (lets say within 2 or 3dB) but also <$100.

Do anybody have any favourites? I noticed one on The Source's website for $50 but a review stated that it wasn't "very accurate."

Thanks,

Michael

[deadheaded]

cb taper has one on his iphone that is surprisingly accurate.

[Giant_Rick]

Forgive me for the dumb question.. but with a Sound Pressure Meter you measure ''how loud'' is the concert and set the levels on the recorder according to it?

[JD]

I grabbed one of these a few years ago to calibrate my nearfield monitors.
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103668

Works pretty good.

They also have a digital model for an additional $5, but a sound meter is an application where analog might be more useful than digital.

[su6oxone]

cb taper has one on his iphone that is surprisingly accurate.

I searched what this app could be and found a description of it:

SPL by Studio Six Digital
As a musician, you should be concerned about your exposure to high sound pressure levels; remember, time + exposure = loss, and once your hearing is gone, it's gone. Whether you're a weekend warrior, a professional touring musician, or a sound engineer in the studio or live, you owe it to yourself, and your career, to keep your ears as healthy as possible.

SPL is a wonderful app that allows you to plainly see how loud you're getting on stage or in the studio. It's also one of the first SPL-metering apps to be accurate. In testing my copy, I found that it was only a few decibels off of my calibrated Smaart rig! Even so, SPL allows you to match the calibration of another device, so I know that when my iPhone is reading 100db, my Smaart rig at FOH is aso reading the same.

Pro-grade features include your choice of weighting (A or C), a maximum SPL readout (resettable), as well as a reference field to capture variances in the room.

SPL is an absolute steal at $5.99; compared to a handheld solution (many of which retail for $50 to much more), SPL is fully-featured without the pro-quality pricetag.

Looks pretty cool, think I'll pick it up now. 

[fozzy]

I have the cheaper SPL meter on my iphone from Studio Six Digital.  It has a calibration(trim) option as well.  I think it cost ~$2 but has less features than the $6 version. 

[notlance]

If you don't have an iphone, here are a couple of options.

This meter is cheap but it has only A weighting:
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=390-722

A little more expensive, but has A and C weightings:
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=245-262

[su6oxone]

Upon reading some of the iphone SPL app reviews, it looks like the major limitation is that they cannot detect greater than 108dB SPLs, so that may limit their usefulness for the average loud rock show.

[anodyne33]

Upon reading some of the iphone SPL app reviews, it looks like the major limitation is that they cannot detect greater than 108dB SPLs, so that may limit their usefulness for the average loud rock show.

More than 108dB is pretty damn loud.

[nic]

Upon reading some of the iphone SPL app reviews, it looks like the major limitation is that they cannot detect greater than 108dB SPLs, so that may limit their usefulness for the average loud rock show.

More than 108dB is pretty damn loud.

while true I remember a MMW show @ JMU about 9 years ago where the meter at FOH was reading 135 and the soundguy couldn't figure out why everyone was running around with their hands over the years and asking him to turn it down...

that was way more discomfort than any MBV or Dino Jr show I've ever been to!

[live2496]

Here is the radio shack digital meter.
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103667

Mostly I use it to calibrate the listening level of my monitors. It works well for my purpose. A good value.

[live2496]

On the top end of the scale the highest button is 120 decibels and each button is in 10db increments, so I suppose it would measure up to 130.

If you are in Canada you can get the RS meter here:
http://www.sonicboomaudio.com/cables-accessories-sound-calibration-c-6_18.html?zenid=143c8985586d8fc8e854a3fbc7de1074
This one appears to be the analog meter, but in the US Radio Shack no longer stocks it.

[M]

I think that sonic boom fits what I need so I'll give that one a try.

I've been having a hard time finding one around where I live that measures the range that i need to measure.

I basically want to have it so I can show the security in my building that I am well below any bylaw restrictions.  I just moved into a new place and received a bogus sound complaint the first day in.  It was really weird tho because the apartment is supposed to be soundproof (and it is more than my last place) and I wasn't even playing my music nearly as loud as I usually do which is still respectful of the neibours.

I think he was just spying on the new tennants but if he comes back I want to be able to tell him to bugger off and why.

Thanks,

Michael