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Digital vs. Analog RS SPL Meter
#252049 03/17/09 01:21 AM
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cb919 Offline OP
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Hi all,
While I am on vacation in the US this week I thought I'd stop by a local Radioshack and pick up an SPL meter for tweaking calibrations when I get home. Not that I've looked hard, but I have checked my local Radioshack's (ok fellow canuck's - The Source by Circuit City now purchased by Bell) once or twice and they haven't had them available. So long story short, I see the they have a digital and analog meter available within ~$5 of each other. Anybody have experience/recommendations whether to go digital or analog? Thanks!


Dan
On-Wall M5HP LCR, QS8 & EP500 in 7.1
Re: Digital vs. Analog RS SPL Meter
cb919 #252062 03/17/09 01:51 AM
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I've always like the analog version, as I like watching the meter and it is easier to see the big picture. Never used the digital display, but I think it would not be as easy to monitor watching numbers change.


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Re: Digital vs. Analog RS SPL Meter
cb919 #252071 03/17/09 02:03 AM
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You're on vacation and you want to go to Radio Shack? I'm so sorry, man.

\:\)

Re: Digital vs. Analog RS SPL Meter
pmbuko #252073 03/17/09 02:11 AM
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cb919 Offline OP
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Good point Sirquack, never thought of it that way - just figured that digital would be more 'exact'.

Pmbuko - Maybe that's why my wife likes to call me 'techno geek'? I just don't get it

Last edited by cb919; 03/17/09 02:15 AM.

Dan
On-Wall M5HP LCR, QS8 & EP500 in 7.1
Re: Digital vs. Analog RS SPL Meter
cb919 #252081 03/17/09 02:24 AM
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You know what I don't understand? Why does the digital SPL meter have that big knob to set the range? Same as the analog one. I mean it's digital, does it really need that knob?


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Re: Digital vs. Analog RS SPL Meter
cb919 #252097 03/17/09 03:52 AM
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Dan, before I bought my SPL meter I had an opportunity to use both the analog and digital models which were owned by acquaintances. I preferred the digital by a clear margin and bought one. To me, seeing an actual number indicating the sound level was easier than interpreting the position of a needle on a scale. In addition, the digital model has additional measurement modes which are important to me, such as the maximum level reached mode.


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Re: Digital vs. Analog RS SPL Meter
JohnK #252114 03/17/09 07:40 AM
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I much prefer reading an analog needle than a digital readout..

"the needle is pointing around 75 3/4"
is easier to read than
"Find the mean of: 75.7/75.6/75.9/75.2/76.1/75.8"

Bren R.

Re: Digital vs. Analog RS SPL Meter
BrenR #252129 03/17/09 09:32 AM
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 Originally Posted By: BrenR
I much prefer reading an analog needle than a digital readout..

"the needle is pointing around 75 3/4"
is easier to read than
"Find the mean of: 75.7/75.6/75.9/75.2/76.1/75.8"

Bren R.
Ya, that digital read out is so much harder to guesstimate with the last decimal point bouncing around and all ;\)

Actually the RS meter doesn't read down into the tenths only whole numbers and it would just flicker between 75 and 76 using Bren's example.


Jason
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Re: Digital vs. Analog RS SPL Meter
jakewash #252134 03/17/09 10:57 AM
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I'm with John. I prefer using the digital over analog and yes Jay is correct, the digital meter only reads whole numbers.


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Re: Digital vs. Analog RS SPL Meter
RickF #252168 03/17/09 01:28 PM
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Mine is digital and constantly flickers by .5
I usually calibrate by setting them all so they are flickering between nn.0 and nn.5

Serves my purpose but I'd prefer analogue for the Geiger Counter look if nothing else.


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