Sound Pressure Level Meters

Are there some EU guidlines that tell you how loud is injurious?

If it sounds too loud then it probably is.

cheers

Nigel

Yes there are. I believe its 85 dB for 8 hours exposure (ie 0.5 watts into a SBL). The exposure time halves for each 3 dB increase in sound pressure. I'll look up the figures and then post them.

The trouble with having a good system is it plays loudly easily and cleanly so you sometimes don't know how much damage you're doing to yourself. Hence the meter before its too late.

Do you have Radio Shack stores in the UK? They sell a dirt - cheap SPL meter for US$34.95 that, while not a precision instrument, is fine for measuring broad band SPLs. It reads to 126 dB. When I was doing live sound I always carried one in my tool box to monitor the volume. It's Radio Shack's ctalog number 33-2050. You could also get it from RS's web site at: Radio Shack

I think the tandy chain was bought out by carphone warehouse. I haven't seen a 'real' Tandy store in some time. I must admit I couldn't see how a shop that was half full of little bags of 10p resistors and capacitors could survive when all their stores were in prime high street locations. I guess there place has been taken by Maplin who's stores tend to be in slightly less desirable locations and there are less of them anyway to share amongst the soldering iron anoraks which can't make up a hugh proportion of the population.

Phil
(www.maplin.co.uk)

Ah. The death or glory approach!

Thanks for advice. I'll go get one from Maplin. I guess I'll use it once, discover that either

a) I should by all reason be as deaf as Pete Townsend by now

or b) I'm playing the system like a big girl's blouse and should crank it up to John Watson shocking levels.

Ta

Trevor,

Damn right!

You read my mind. I calculated a 135s/DBL will do 111 dB at 1 meter before clip. The 250/DBL about the same.

For that volume the safe exposure time is a minute and a half!

Do you wan't to borrow the meter?

Well, I was lent a SPL meter. Turns out I listen like a big girls blouse! Averaged out at 85 dB, one short peak at 98 dB when measured at my seat. The TV came in 55 to 60 dB. My ears are safe and neighbour sane I guess.