Are dB meters on smartphones accurate?


Hi, All. first post here. I installed a dB meter app on my phone that I use the when I go to small local shows. It's just to satisfy my curiosity, really. I was wondering how a phone app compares to "real" dB meters. Do the commercial ones have to be certified and calibrated? Have any of you compared both side by side?

Just wondering.😀
ddom
You can get a calibrated mic for a smartphone  for about $22:


https://amzn.to/2LBaQKY

You need an app like AudioTools which accepts a calibration file.

Best,

E


depends on what you're trying to do.  Just a general idea of sound levels in your listening space?...then yes, they get you there within a dB or so.  Are you seeking workplace exposure compliance under OSHA?  Then no, you need a proper noise dosimeter that meets American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Standard S1.4-1971 (R1976) or S1.4-1983, "Specifications for Sound Level Meters."