DB Meter

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rboutin2

Copper - Posts: 90

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Joined: September 18, 2003

Location: Nebraska, United States

Posted: August 04, 2006 at 5:55 PM / IP Logged

Where could i buy an spl meter that goes higher than 140, and doesn't cost me an arm and a leg? (like $60)

jeffchilcott

Platinum - Posts: 2,483

Joined: April 11, 2002

Location: United States

Posted: August 04, 2006 at 7:06 PM / IP Logged

Plain and simple, you wont.

Meters are expensive period. If you have some local shops around you call them and ask if they have a audiocontrol 190 or term lab system, both are very very accurate and are the meters used in all sanctioned competitions.

Audiocontrol units generally go for $1000 or more for a complete system

Term-lab setups rang $600-$800 and require a laptop to run the sofware required to use the meter.

I prefer the Term-lab and have had one since the begining of this competition season, really the best purchase I have made all season!

2009 0-1000 Trunk WR 154.0DB 2009 1001+ Trunk WR

2007 USACI World Champion

2007 World Record

2006 USACI Finals 2nd Place

spookiestylez

Silver - Posts: 531

Joined: September 23, 2005

Location: Virginia, United States

Posted: August 04, 2006 at 8:30 PM / IP Logged

if you have a laptop, you can DL the free version of TrueRTA, and you'll still need a nice mic and a preamp. some high end sound cards will have 24v phantom power, but I'd say get a nice belhringer shark preamp...it has a numeric display too, and a belhringer ecm8000 flat response mic....about $130 w/o tax or shipping from partsexpress.com

rtfm

luckydevil

Silver - Posts: 365

Joined: July 04, 2005

Location: United States

Posted: August 05, 2006 at 7:46 PM / IP Logged

WalMart has one made by Scosche that is only $20. Supposedly goes up to 135 decibels. Radio shack also has a couple (digital and analog) for $40 that go up to 126dB.

I wouldn't expect any of those to be very accurate by any means.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4694329

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productid=2103667&cp=&origkw=spl&kw=spl&parentPage=search

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productid=2103668&cp=&origkw=sound+meter&kw=sound+meter&parentPage=search

Like it was said above, you gotta fork over some cash for the good stuff.

DYohn

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Joined: April 22, 2003

Location: Arizona, United States

Posted: August 05, 2006 at 9:40 PM / IP Logged

TrueRTA can indicate up to +180db SPL, but the key to measuring high SPL values is the microphone (and in the case of TrueRTA, the ability of your sound card.) Most measurement mics normally used with TrueRTA cannot handle that kind of input levels. I have a Shure KSM137 and with its 25db pad activated it can withstand a 165db SPL, but only within a very limited frequency band. It's a $575 microphone. There is a reason the good quality high-SPL meters are expensive, and it's because it is just as hard to measure high SPL as it is to biuld a system that generates high SPL. The Rat Shack SPL meter is capable of around 125db and is quite accurate BTW.

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luckydevil

Silver - Posts: 365

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Location: United States

Posted: August 05, 2006 at 9:48 PM / IP Logged

nouseforaname wrote:

i think his question was for one that went OVER 140dB.

He also said that he wanted one for $60. Just giving him some options.

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DB Meter

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