Hi,
looking at buying an SPL meter.. how much do they cost? is there such a thing as a good or bad one? I've heard you can get PC software todo this (I bet its loads of dosh though).. want to use it to check SPL levels from PA's..

what about something like the on ebay?

thanks
chris

How accurate do you want it to be? If you're just after a rough idea of level then you can get cheap ones (£30 - £50 iirc) from Maplins that will surfice.

If you want something more accurate then your looking at paying considerably more. Quick browse of the Canford catalogue gives figures of £500+

For software based measurement, I and most others will use Smaart

There are many meters with different features, curve, averaging time, data logging. to name a few. look in the RS book or Canford book or the Maplin book til you find your favoured balance of cost vs features. If you are working to a noise spec then check that the meter will test OK to that spec.

For a cheapo one, I think Castle do some I think these can be sought from http://www.rswww.com or .co.uk (can't remember off hand. Cheaper than that is the bog standard one, which, like the others have said, will come from maplin for about £50. But aren't very accurate.

At work we use type I and type II meters which are rather more accurate. (the type I meters are accurate within 0.5dB) but they're rather more money. (try a few thousand).

for decent ones, try the following manufacturers:

Bruel & Kaer (aka B&K)
Norsonic
Rion
CEL

to name a few. These much more expensive models will give you features such as full real time analyis, switchable mode between (level meter, 1/1 octave band, 1/3 octave band and some will give you FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) aswell. They'll also measure with different filters (Leq, L10, L90, Lp etc), different time weightings (Fast, Slow, Impulse), different frequency weightings (Flat, A, C, Zero etc)

but, my thoughts are that I doubt you'll be needing to do serious acoustic measurements. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Hope this helps.

The Maplin one people have referred to is £54.99 and can be seen at http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?Module...rldID=&doy=11m4

As stated, for that money you don't get great accuracy, but for most general sound purposes it's enough. Certainly, to increase the accuracy will mean a substantial increase in cost.

Bob

The one I see most on the road is actually the radio shack type at about £30.. It seems to have evolved as the industry standard amongst engineers! not sure where you can get it these days!

I would second that, I got mine on Ebay for £27 inc p&p. Certainly good enough for on the road, and I would also use SMAART for serious analysis. You can download a fully operational 30 day demo from the SIASOFT website.

Brian

Do bear in mind that to use Smaart as a sound pressure level meter, you need a high quality measurement microphone and access to a calibrator (e.g. pistonphone).

Even when the Smaart rig is calibrated, the fact the the preamp gain may change next time it is used means it will need recalibrating on a regular basis.

If someone can come up with a USB preamp with a fixed gain position, then this problem could be more easily resolved.

Simon

hi guys,
thanks for that.. I just want something that will give me an idea of SPL.. not massively accurate.. just so I can get an idea of how "loud" different SPL levels are and to make sure I know if somebody complains or something..

I might download that trial version of smaart.. I guess it does real time analysis and stuff 2? might be useful for re-setting up my ultracurve after it reset itself.. (I know its got a built in RTA, but running something on that laptop will look sooo cool ;-) )..

thanks
chris

Chris,

Smaart does much more than an RTA can! RTAs are essentially time blind, so setting up your Ultarcurve with an RTA is unlikely to be too good. Smaart is a source independant two channel FFT analyser, and is one of the industry standard measurement tools.

Have a look at the application notes on the siasoft.com site!

Simon

hi simon,
thanks for that.. its something I've never really played around with.. I see you are a lecturer at derby uni.. one of the guys that used todo some work for me is currently doing live sound and lighting course there (not sure of the exact course title)..

rgds
chris

I've just bought a new Phonic PAA3. It's a small handheld device and measures SPL's. It also works as a spectrum analyser, tone generator, phase checker and quite a bit more. Apparently accuracy is almost as good as Neutrik's handheld test models which cost loads more. I certainly never go on site without it now.

If one were to be looking for a noise level meter for H&S work, would I be right in assuming that the £40-£60 models ±1.5 or 2dB wouldn't be acceptable? I'm wondering whether buying one of these and if the noise is within 2dB of the action level we get someone proper in would be a way forward without forking out lots of cash.

Or do I tell the powers that be that we need to spend circa £800 and buy a "real" meter? If the latter, do users have a preference / recommendation? The environment is a school with theatres, workshops, ground staff, kitchens, IT suites & server rooms etc. (If you want to know which school, watch the press, we are 2nd most expensive, but that doesn't mean its easy to get cash!! )

And additionally, can someone recommend a short course to get up to speed on requirements and testing? I accept that this will by necessity be somewhat below the exalted heights that some of you have reached!

This is an acceptable method, and in fact buying an £800 meter doesn't make you competent ;-)
If you do bring in a consultant, you may well spend more than the cost of the meter, but if you factor in the cost of time and training etc. it can be more cost effective.



I posted details of the IOA short course on your other thread. We (and many other Universities) run this course.

HTH,

Simon

Just to reenforce what Simon said, you cannot do any SPL measurements with SMAART without calibrating the system each time you use it. There is a display of SPL, but it is meaningless until you have calibrated the system. The computer has no absolute reference to SPL until you put the calibration piston on the mic and reset the calibration of the system. If any level control in the system gets changed you have to recalibrate. You may have to pay as much for a pistonphone as for SMAART itself.

There are rumors of a version of SMAART that will include a calibrated mic/preamp combo with fixed gain so that the SPL calibration will be maintained job to job. I don't think anyone has actually seen it yet though.

Mac

Have a look at this press release for the Smaart I-O. Given it has the functionality of an Edirol or USB-Pre, has an RTA only version of Smaart built in and will talk to the full Smaart package, it's not likely to be too cheap.

However, when Smaart is calibrated it becomes a very useful Lp, Leq, Lmin and Lmax recorder with an alarm facility when a preset level is exceeded.

Simon

AFAIK that version of SMAART IO was pulled from production. I don't know why, they have nothing about it on their website. Hopefully they will come up with an alternative.

Mac

Of course, you could just buy the new EAW digital desk (from Mackie) with Smaart built in ;-)

I use the same meter, and have found it excellent... check this link out:

http://www.digital-recordings.com/audiocd/radio.html

For 30 squidz you can't go wrong!!

Tandy used to sell them in days of yore! I do remember them being hard to track down recently but they are still available.

"RADIO SHACK SOUND LEVEL METER, CAT. NO 33-2055" (manuf. in Texas for Tandy Corp)

anyone used a IVIE IE-33 before?

www.ivie.com

Hi

Having read peoples comments am looking at this anyone have any comments of this over the analogue version (or anything else in this price bracket) and does anyone know of alternative suppliers?

Thanks

Evan

Wow! It's been a while since I've seen one of those! The church where I learnt sound had one of those as a general reference guide.
They're pretty simple to use. Don't know about their accuracy though!

I keep one in my tool box. Very easy to use.
Sitting it side by side with a properly calibrated CEL 231 it looks as if the readings are remarkably accurate.

Not on the web site yet, but Canford are selling keyfob indicators. 3 LEDs giving a range of "indicated levels". Again not calibrated, but only £8 or so.

The Radio Shack SPL meter has been around for a long while and has a good reputation as a meter for a "quick check". As has been said, although not calibrated for a legal "evidential" reading, it's remarkably accurate.

Sad to note the UK price is around double the American one though!

Bob

Well, unfortunately that seems to be the way between the two countries. Those mean people.

Also available here;

http://www.sensorcom.com/main.htm

along with a selection of ear plugs!