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Table of Contents
Related Manuals for Radio Shack Sound Level Meter
Summary of Contents for Radio Shack Sound Level Meter
- Page 1 Sound Level Meter...
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Page 2: Table Of Contents
Contents Introduction ......... 3 Specifications ........5 Installing a Battery ......7 Controls ..........9 Range ..........9 Output .......... 10 Response ........10 Weighting ........11 Microphone ........12 Tripod Adapter ......12 Cal (Calibration) ......13 Measurements ......13 Checking Noise Levels .... -
Page 3: Introduction
Introduction Your RadioShack Sound Level Meter is an extremely versatile device for measur- ing sound intensity in just about an acous- tic environment — loud or soft; high- pitched, low-pitched, or broad-band; inter- mittent or continuous. Your meter features a large, easy-to-read indicator for taking quick measurements. - Page 4 Built-in Battery Condition Indicator — lets you check the battery condition. Phono-type Output Jack — for connec- tion to home theater or test equipment. Threaded Insert — lets you attach the meter to a camera tripod for increased ac- curacy. Introduction...
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Page 5: Specifications
Specifications Range: Switch Setting Range of Measurement 60 dB 50–66 dB 70 dB 60–76 dB 80 dB 70–86 dB 90 dB 80–96 dB 100 dB 90–106 dB 110 dB 100–116 dB 120 dB 110–126 dB Accuracy ....... ± 2 dB @ 114 dB Standard ...... - Page 6 Battery ..........One 9V Battery Check ....Tests “good” from 7.0 to 10.5V Expected Battery Life ..110 working hours (alkaline battery) × 2 × 1 Size (HWD) ....5 Inches (130 × 68 × 36 mm) Weight ..........4.23 oz (120 g) Specifications are typical;...
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Page 7: Installing A Battery
Installing a Battery Your meter requires one 9V battery (not supplied) for power. For the best perfor- mance and longest life, we recommend a RadioShack alkaline battery. Caution: Use only a fresh battery of the required size and recommended type. Follow these steps to install the battery. - Page 8 3. Close the cover. To test the battery, set . If RANGE BATT the meter shows a reading in the red region, the battery is still BATT TEST good. Replace the batteries when the reading is in any other region or the meter stops operating.
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Page 9: Controls
Controls WEIGHTING RANGE OUTPUT Jack SLOW FAST RESPONSE Level Indicator RANGE selector lets you select one of RANGE seven sound level ranges, each spanning 16 dB. The numbers refer to the RANGE center points of the seven ranges. The needle level indicator shows the actual sound level as a displacement from the center point. -
Page 10: Output
OUTPUT The phono-type jack lets you OUTPUT connect the meter to recording or other measurement equipment. For example, you might use an audio patch cord to con- nect the meter to the AUX or high-level in- put of a recorder. Note: The meter response will not be flat, due to the A- and C-weighting networks. -
Page 11: Weighting
The effect of brief sound peaks is mini- mized in the position. SLOW WEIGHTING to weight the sound mea- WEIGHTING surement for a particular frequency range. When set to , the meter primarily mea- sures frequencies in the 500–10,000 Hz range, which is the area of greatest sensi- tivity to the human ear. -
Page 12: Microphone
MICROPHONE The meter’s built-in microphone works best when you point it directly at a sound source. TRIPOD ADAPTER You can mount the meter on a camera tri- pod (standard –20 thread) to eliminate hand noise and minimize the effects of sound reflected from your body. -
Page 13: Cal (Calibration)
CAL (CALIBRATION) Your meter has been accurately calibrat- ed and normally will not require further ad- justment. If adjustment is necessary, we recommend you take the sound meter to an audio professional for proper calibra- tion via the recess. MEASUREMENTS Important: •... - Page 14 Follow these steps to select the desired response, weighting, and range. 1. Set if the sound RESPONSE FAST source you want to measure consists of short bursts or if you want to mea- sure only peak values. Or, set if you want to RESPONSE SLOW measure average sound levels.
- Page 15 While taking measurements, minimize the effect of your body’s presence. When the sound is coming mainly from one direc- tion, the level reading might be significant- ly affected by reflections from your body. For the most accurate readings and the best polar response, point the meter’s mi- crophone toward the sound source when possible.
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Page 16: Checking Noise Levels
CHECKING NOISE LEVELS This chart, gathered from Federal, State, and local agencies, shows standards for acceptable noise levels. Sound Level (dB) Maximum (A-weighting, Duration per Day SLOW response) (hours) or less Permissible noise exposures. Extracted from U.S. Department of Labor Noise Regu- lations. -
Page 17: Checking Room Acoustics
To use your meter to check noise levels, WEIGHTING RESPONSE . Take measurements at several SLOW points in the test area, with the meter posi- tioned properly. Average dB levels of some common activities. CHECKING ROOM ACOUSTICS The size, shape, and furnishings of a room can have a tremendous effect on a home theater system’s performance. - Page 18 Depending on the speaker placement, standing waves might also develop in the room, giving your system a “peaky”, ec- centric response. To determine a room’s acoustics, analyze the acoustics with your meter and a suit- able test recording. The test recording should produce pure tones, one at a time, at intervals spanning the audio spectrum.
- Page 19 Note: When checking the frequency re- sponse, if is set to , the WEIGHTING meter’s frequency response is flat from 32 –10,000 Hz (± 3 dB). Above 10 kHz, the frequency response of the meter drops off rapidly. Be sure to consider this when you use a test recording that includes tones at the extreme high end of the audio spec- trum.
- Page 20 Limited Ninety-Day Warranty This product is warranted by RadioShack against manufacturing defects in material and workmanship under normal use for ninety (90) days from the date of purchase from RadioShack company- owned stores and authorized RadioShack franchisees and dealers. EXCEPT AS PROVIDED HEREIN, RadioShack MAKES NO EX- PRESS WARRANTIES AND ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES, IN- CLUDING THOSE OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ARE LIMITED IN DURATION TO THE...