Members techristian Posted June 13, 2018 Members Share Posted June 13, 2018 I've always worn earplugs when I play the drums or cut the grass but as this article points out, we are exposed to more noise than we may realize.https://www.vox.com/2018/5/9/17280992/noise-hearing-loss-tinnitus Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted June 13, 2018 Members Share Posted June 13, 2018 I protect my ears, and I have sound level meters to make sure. There are places I won't go because of the volume, and I let them know. When on stage, I run the sound level meter and choose whether to put the 15db or 25db musician's ear plugs in. I don't let more than 85db hit my ear drum at work, or anywhere else if I can help it. Notes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1001gear Posted June 14, 2018 Members Share Posted June 14, 2018 Why the north rim? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted June 14, 2018 Members Share Posted June 14, 2018 Why the north rim? Probably quieter? Or windier? Couldn't say, I visited the south rim, made it halfway down, and back up again. Notes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1001gear Posted June 14, 2018 Members Share Posted June 14, 2018 30db is right around silence isn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted June 15, 2018 Members Share Posted June 15, 2018 Depends on how much rock and roll you have played Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1001gear Posted June 16, 2018 Members Share Posted June 16, 2018 why are you whispering? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members philboking Posted June 24, 2018 Members Share Posted June 24, 2018 Too bad all the apps are for Apple phones. I have an android one called SPL Meter from Keuwlsoft, but it requires calibration using a separate SPL meter, and allows three separate cal values. I'm not completely confident my S4 phone mic is really linear, so that's a nice feature. It'd be great if it would allow a cal table of multiple values 10 dB apart. Anybody else know of good android SPL meters? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author MikeRivers Posted June 24, 2018 CMS Author Share Posted June 24, 2018 Too bad all the apps are for Apple phones. I have an android one called SPL Meter from Keuwlsoft, but it requires calibration using a separate SPL meter, and allows three separate cal values. I'm not completely confident my S4 phone mic is really linear, so that's a nice feature. The Keuwlsoft SPL meter app is very good if it works correctly on your phone. I've tried about a dozen and it's the best of the lot. I have a good (dedicated) SPL meter, and when calibrated at 60, 85, and 105 dB, the Keuwlsoft app and hardware SPL meter tracked within about 2 dB over the range of quiet room to too damn loud. And then I got a new phone . . . not by choice, but because my previous new phone failed while under warranty and the manufacturer couldn't fix it, didn't have another one of the same model to replace it with, and the Keuwlsoft SPL meter didn't work properly on the replacement (a slightly newer model) phone. Same company, same version of the OS (Android 6) - go figure! The problem is that phones have an AGC and limiter in the audio input signal path that's designed to keep the level of your voice relatively constant to a caller. But the problem is that it also tries to keep the input to the SPL meter app at about the same level, and the ability to do this is a function of the operating system. As you probably know, Android is an open source OS, and every manufacturer makes his own tweaks and modifications to the core system. Apparently the phone that I have now is immune to however Keuwlsoft attempts to turn off the AGC, and no matter how it's calibrated, the app displays any SPL between about 60 and 90 dB as somewhere around 73 dB, +/- about 5 dB, rendering it useless. Other SPL meter apps that I've tried have the same problem. You might be interested in this article (which isn't very encouraging): https://www.constructionjunkie.com/blog/2017/2/24/niosh-releases-sound-level-meter-app-for-smartphone The best Android SPL meter app I found came from Audio Control, but they've discontinued it. It worked great on my Android OS 4 phone, and pretty well on the phone before my current one, but it won't run at all on my current phone. Curiously, if you follow the link to it in that NIOSH article, it sends you to the Keuwlsoft meter. If you'd like to give the Audio Control meter a try on your phone, here's a link to the APK file: https://www.dropbox.com/s/zj36cddis46z1ef/SPLMeter.apk?dl=0 Let me know if you have any luck with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted June 24, 2018 Members Share Posted June 24, 2018 You can get an SPL meter for under $50. The problem with Android and the need for calibration is that since the phones are made by different manufacturers, with different mics, there is no app that can measure accurately. Even with the Apple Phone, the accuracy is not good over 85db, and that's where you need it the most. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members philboking Posted June 26, 2018 Members Share Posted June 26, 2018 Thanks Mike! It runs at least. I will do some tests. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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