MAN am I GLAD...

[zip]

I went and purchased a SPL meter!!!...

I was mixing / listening for fairly long periods at 95+ dB (C weighted meter)...

...did you say something???

Everyone...do yourself and your ears a favor...

Go out and buy a meter!

zip >>

[Gidge]

What?....you cant bend surfaces a its peeled a liter?....

what the hell is that supposed to mean?....

[zip]

Yeah...

I can mend surface fences until wheels are cleaner...


...whatta you say man? Got this rangin' thang going on...LOL

[zip]

Can Massenburg monitor at 35dB a lot of the time???

I can't even imagine...

Hell...my meter only goes down to 45dB!

[drstawl]

I love my meter. It tells me I've got the right levels for the job which removes an important variable from my list of concerns.

[Shazukura]

I got my meter within days of buying real monitors, if not the very following day. I appreciate that Radio Shack included the FSA recommendations. I was suprised that I mix at about the same SPL as I'm under driving to work -- thank god my Mackies are less fatiguing than all that blasted white noise....

-Shaz

[Shazukura]

oh, and my meter's lowest readings are just under 60 dBu.

-Shaz

[Beathoven]

OK, I'm dumb...

Now that it is said: What's a 'SPL Meter'?

Beathoven

[caretaker9]

Sound Pressure Level Meter...

[Beathoven]

And what does it do?

[caretaker9]

What's the price range on a decent SPL meter? How about brands? Thanks for the info....

[Beathoven]

By the way, welcome abord Caretaker9!!!

Peace,
Beathoven

[caretaker9]

I'm not terribly familiar with them, so I'll let an experienced user post a REAL explanation - but I know the meter tells you how much air you're moving, basically... How loud the sound coming from your monitors (or anything else) is rated in decibels. Therefore, providing a warning threshhold by which ear damage can result over a prolonged period of time... That's the main reason I'd buy one - for hearing safety and fatiguing concerns... Hope that helps a little bit.

[caretaker9]

Thanks, Beat!

[zip]

They have a analog type for $40 and one with a digital readout for about $60. I'm sure you can buy much better meters but all you really need is a ballpark to make sure you are not destroying your hearing.

[Concertone]

GET THAT $40 RADIO SHACK METER and use it to know what you're being exposed to. Your ears are priceless and you don't want them to end up like mine: scooped-out midrange, early distortion onset and mild tinnitus from too much exposure to loud live Rock & Roll. Makes it real "interesting" to try and judge a mix.

I'm guessing a lot of people on this board play in bands or record live music. With my cheap little meter I have seen levels above 125db in band rehearsals and live events. Anybody doing that without protection will end up with ears like mine. So the other essential thing is good earplugs that you'll actually WEAR. You can get custom molded "musician's earplugs" made for about $100 to $150, which I say is dirt-cheap if it'll avoid that "eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee" in your head day and night for the rest of your life. I got my plugs made at the local university's audiology clinic. A little late, but it'll prevent things from getting even worse.

I'm a newbie here, saw this topic and had to weigh in. I love music, play in a couple bands, do home recording, and sure wish I had better ears to do it with. I hope you keep yours in good shape.

Rob W.
"Concertone"

[Shazukura]

What Concertone said, and then some. Protect those ears!

In many communities you can even get a free hearing screening. Ask you doctor, or just look around for an "Audiologist". You'll be glad you invested in the SPL meter and the time once you've done it!

-Shaz

[zip]

Right on Rob...

I suffered through a spell of tinnitus from shooting a shotgun with no plugs...it eventually went away but it does suck! Especially when you go to the Doc and ask "how long until this constant ringing goes away?" ...and the answer is "it may NEVER go away". I was fortunate. The thing is - you get ringing - there is damage. PERIOD. Glad you chimed in for the sake of others out there!

As far as plugs go Norton makes a pair called Sonics. They have internal baffles to let the good music in and filter out the bad culprits...the really high and low stuff. Not bad for $15 and you can pick em up at most music stores.

zip >>

[drstawl]

Plugs are essential at loud gigs but a better solution in the mixing room is to keep the volume reasonable in the first place.

[zip]

I never use plugs to mix...

Great point!