Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Radioshack SPL meter...Cheap.

njackson, I'm back, and so is photobucket. If you still need it, see below. Today is the last day.

Do the analog spl meters work as well as the digital ones do, and if so, are they harder to read? I need to get a new one, and not really sure which one would be the better way to go.


Sutter Cane

SutterCane -

I think the analog is just as good as the digital. I think the meter on the analog is better b/c it's an actual meter, as opposed to the LED meter.

I could be off here, but I was raised and trained on these meters and I trust them more for average readings than a digital meter - though all of my work lately has involved 100% digital content.

Either way you're set. Which ever product serves your needs and meets your budget will work as well as the other to be honest.

^billy

i am bumping this thread cause i am supposed to go get my SPL meter from them today. i have a calibration question

everyone keeps saying to use the AVIA, or similar disc to calibrate with. now my 701 receiver has an option where it sends test tones(pink noise) thru all channels, separately. cant i just use that feature to calibrate the speakers?? why would i need the disc?

clue me in if this is gonna be OK?

bigjohn

John,
There are a couple of reasons for the use of a calibration disk like AVIA or the like.

1) Some of the test tones supplied by receivers have been shown to be off and inconsistent among manufacturers as well as among the individual speakers in a particular receiver.

2) Using the AVIA disk in your DVD player will allow you to verify your signal path from the source to the speakers is valid. This also eliminates the concern mentioned above.

As an added bonus, the AVIA or like calibration disks also have setup screens which will help you set your display device to a better standard by helping you to adjust your display's brightness, hue, color, sharpness and contrast. This will help you get more life out of your display as well as make it look much better.

I use AVIA the majority of the time...I also have the Sound & Vision Home Theater Tuneup disk...Good to get the picture better on older sets...Of which I have two...both at least 15 years old each...

Hope this helps...

WhatFurrer

John,

Another (after not being able to edit the above response) note: Depending on the chain, some of the DVD rental vendors rent the AVIA and like disks...

I rented either AVIA or Video Essentials from Hollywood Video...not sure about BlockBuster...

Just a suggestion as to a method to see if it would be worth your while to purchase one of the disks...I find mine indispensable...

WhatFurrer

BJ, use the receiver's twst tones 'til you get a disc, they should be close.

Sutter, either meter works. Some prefer the analog because the needle tend to be a bit less agitated than with the digital, or so I've been told.