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Good uses for a sound pressure meter?

I bought the $50 Radio Shack digital meter to help with Sub integration using the Stereophile/Chesky test CD. Can't say I was that impressed with the resulting setup and just adjusted by ear. One thing I did notice was this. In the test for "spurious resonance" it starts with high frequency and progresses to low. When I heard fairly dramatic volume drops in certain middle freq. ranges I assumed it was the speakers but when I set up the meter and recorded the db levels there was no drops of significance during those parts . This makes me think that I 'm the one with a crummy frequency response. Comments? Also, if you have any other good ideas for SPM use, let me know. Thanks.
bakerfoto
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Try using the meter in room corners and see what you get, you might be surprised.
fbi
92 posts
 
~~~~Standing waves will measure different than sitting waves

Jest the facts!

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goinbroke
105 posts
 
Pmotz got it right. The difference in location of your ears vs the location of the meter is the most likely reason for what you heard that the meter didn't measure. As little as one foot is sufficient to make a noticeable difference. This is because of room modes and the way sound waves propagate in air...your ears may be at the location of a peak at the same moment that the meter is at the location of a trough. This is the reason it is imperative that the meter be placed as near the listening position (ie where your head would be) as possible.
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