Any tips with my SPL meter?

[timoteo]

Just picked up a digital SPL meter from radio shack. I read the little manual and get the gist of it but would like some advice from the experts with what to do.

One thing i would like to figure out is roughly how hard i am pushing my reciever to get my speakers to the volume i like. I also want to use the spl meter to fine tune my settup. My towers have a sensitivity of 90db and the rest of my other 4 channels have a sensitivity of 85db. My Denon is puttin out 100wpc. My room is about 1900 cubic ft with my setting distance of 11-12 ft from my front channels.

So should i set with the meter in hand where i normally set to read the db output? Is there kind of a basic start up formula to get volume db levels?

Im pretty new to all these terms (as u can prob tell) and just need a little or even big shuv in the right direction! I hope this post makes sense!

 

[tbergman]

Here is a nice little article from Audioholics showing you how to use your SPL meter to calibrate your system.

Basic Audio & Video Set-Up Guide

 

[fredk]

The first thing to do is to go to a camera shop an pick up a cheap tripod. I got one for around $15. Holding an spl meter by hand while trying to adjust speaker levels with your remote will get tiresome very fast.

 

[Alex2507]

Here is a nice little article from Audioholics showing you how to use your SPL meter to calibrate your system.

Basic Audio & Video Set-Up Guide

Regardless of what the article says everything else I ever read said to set the meter to slow. I'm not sure why the article says 'fast'.

The first thing to do is to go to a camera shop an pick up a cheap tripod. I got one for around $15. Holding an spl meter by hand while trying to adjust speaker levels with your remote will get tiresome very fast.

I held mine in my hand for years. It's not that bad.

I think a search of MDS and SPL might take you a long way but I set my master volume to -15 and adjust my gains to make the meter read 70 db. If it's not too late I would return the digital and get an analog meter simply because that's what is always recommended. The article has a write up about the Rives disc and that requires the analog job too.

As far as that Rives disc is concerned you should know that the RS SPL meter is considered accurate up to ~200Hz and then it's anybodies guess but for measuring SPL's with test tones you're good to go and that's with either meter.

Also the article mentions the Avia Disc but there is an Avia II now. The disc is a great tool for calibration and edumacation should you need either.

 

[Alex2507]

I did a little digging around and found this.

Now that I think of it your manual should have the procedure spelled out.

 

[fredk]

The article has a write up about the Rives disc and that requires the analog job too.

But if its an analogue hand job its just plain tedious. Get the tripod.