Uses of an SPL meter

[Charles Jenkinson]

After finding out about the need for a sound meter, or more specifically, a Type 2 sound pressure level meter, for testing phase on my piezos, I feel I'm in the process of having an epiphany on them, and their uses. I have to confess i never really grasped the usefulness of them when my previous exposure to them was the subject of industrial noise measurement. But the idea of frequency response adds a whole and intriguing new meaning to their use. Are there any tips or nifty uses anyone else has for them?

[Radian]

Are there any tips or nifty uses anyone else has for them?

Certainly!

Start carrying it around with you. When you hear something that interests you or something you'd be inclined to put through a stereo system, measure it with the meter.

Start associating those SPL numbers with what you hear and feel, then go back to your system using the same meter, and see if you can pull those numbers out of it in your particular listening environment.

Once you determine how loud is "loud enough", you'll save a crap load of money never chasing after the wrong equipment.

Also use it to measure:
Cab to cab balance
Driver to driver balance
Power compression
Troubleshooting parts when used in combination with a multimeter

[doncolga]

determine how loud is "loud enough", you'll save a crap load of money never chasing after the wrong equipment.

That's what I use it for...if I want to quantify what I'm hearing. I tend to like things not so loud actually.

[Charles Jenkinson]

Has anyone used them for frequency response testing, with sine waves at specific frequencies, i.e. centre octave band frequencies? I appreciate it's old hat compared with using pink noise and the REW/FFT type pieces of software, but sometimes there's a satisfaction in the type of result obtained from doing things an empirically simple way, compared to pressing a button and it all happens.

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

Has anyone used them for frequency response testing, with sine waves at specific frequencies, i.e. centre octave band frequencies?.

I did, until about eight years ago, when I started using pink noise and the REW/FFT type pieces of software. The issue is time and accuracy. In ten seconds software gives an accurate charted result measuring some 500 frequencies. Doing that manually takes about an hour. SPL meters have their uses, but frequency response testing isn't one of them.