EVERYONE, Get yourself an SPL meter !!!

S

sushi-mon

New member
Just purchased the Radio Shack digital sound level meter for $50. Best purchase I have made to follow-up my recent nearfiled monitor purchase two weeks ago.

I used it to fine tune my monitor gain levels, so each side was equal in volume. Then I looked behind and the gain level knobs were about two ticks apart. So, visually using them is not accurate. Using my ears, was not as accurate either.

After tweaking my monitors with the SPL meter, all of the sudden they opened up and the stereo imaging was much much improved. I actually could monitor at lower levels with better clarity as well.

I used combinations of pure sine wave generation, white noise and pink noise. Very close to the speaker components, an inch to two inches away. If an inch away from the woofer read a consistent 88db max, then two inches away read 86db, then three inches away read 82db; I tried to duplicate that "db fall off" with the other monitor.

I also have used it to find out what listening level I am at. I like 75-80db or so from my listening position. Now I can know exactly, what levels I am monitoring at. Putting the DB meter at my left ear pointing to the left monitor and reading 78db, then getting exactly the same result on the right side. Yes !

Also, running low frequency sine wave tones, I could find all the bass frequency build up areas in my room and what frequencies they are at. So I know where the best spots are to treat.

GO GET ONE NOW !!!
 
You mean I am not the first to make this great discovery !!! :p

Studio dudes should have miniature ones they have to wear around their necks on a chain at all times. Kinda like people who give x-rays have to wear radiation exposure meters.
 
mixsit said:
But.. then I'd have two. :eek:
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I'd have like six - If I could find them all. :eek:

I definitely dig the newer ones with the digital readout... I know "newer" = "several years" now, but I still remember the old analog version very well...

Especially when the indicator needle would peg repeatedly...
 
sushi-mon,

how long did it take you to find all of your buildup areas and notes?

I got one to see if I was monitoring at the right level (basically was but recommended level was too loud for me) and basically put the thing back in the box and haven't touched it since. Amazing discovery on your monitors not being the same volume though; what kind are they? I am going to have to try this.
 
FALKEN said:
sushi-mon,

how long did it take you to find all of your buildup areas and notes?

I got one to see if I was monitoring at the right level (basically was but recommended level was too loud for me) and basically put the thing back in the box and haven't touched it since. Amazing discovery on your monitors not being the same volume though; what kind are they? I am going to have to try this.
Click to expand...

I did a quick sampling of the buildup areas. I knew (heard) bass build up in the back right corner of my room. I ran a 75 Hz tone, and sure enough behind my right speaker and up the crease of the wall the dbs picked up significantly from 60 db just to the right of the speak, up to 70-72 or so behind and up to the ceiling.

Running different tones 50, 75, 100, 125, 150 you should be able to find where peaks are in the room. I have not done a major analysis yet, but I pretty much know I need a bass trap in the front right corner of my room. Then I can check to see how much it actually helped with the meter.

I think what I really found out about my monitors, was that the speaker input sensitivity levels are not the same for both speakers (physically speaking). For example, when I set them up, I put them both at say 12 o'clock (middle of the dials range). Now after metering, I have one speaker gain dial pointing directly upwards (12 o'clock) and the other at about (1 o'clock.)

I have Event TR8s. I think it is just a visual issue and they probabaly don't calibrate the dial "visually" (I suppose). I guess the true test of this would be to turn one dial all the way down and test the SPL levels and turn it all the way up and test levels again and compare.

It may also be very possible, the room acoustics are causing one speaker to operate more efficiently than the other (?). I kinda doubt this since they are near field monitors, on Auralex pads, and I was measuring the SPL levels only an inch from each driver. Or my Mbox-2 is not sending out an equal signal to both sides.

If your powered monitors, or your power amp has separate channel gain adjusters, break out the SPL meter and tweak the dials to get both speakers the same. You might be just as surprised as I was at what happens when both speakers are running exactly the same.

I actually am finding that I prefer about 70-80 db at my listening position. They say 85 is the norm. I also listen more quietly as well. Near field monitors are not meant to be PA systems !
 
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Actually, I believe that most DAWs have signal generators as a line insert choice. Any frequency, pink noise, white noise, square wave, saw tooth, etc.
 
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