SPL Meter Recommendations?

[Robonaut]

Hi, folks, I'm thinking of picking up an SPL meter. What do you all recommend? I don't think I need anything particular fancy. I'm going to be shopping for a new car and I want to check how loud various models are on the highway.

 

[zheka]

Any spl app is probably good enough for this.

 

[SKBubba]

There are cheap/free apps for that. Maybe not super accurate but for your purpose would give you the relative noise between models.

 

[ZööZ]

UMIK-1?
https://www.avnirvana.com/threads/how-accurate-is-spl-meter-feature.1825/#post-16738

no idea how true that is though
(I do realise you most likely want something more convenient for that purpose but atleast you can do alot of other useful things with it also and maybe even have one laying around)

 

[Blumlein 88]

Phone app is good enough for comparisons as mentioned. The main failing being phones have little response below 200hz where some substantial differences are with vehicles.

https://www.parts-express.com/Dayton-Audio-iMM-6-iDevice-Calibrated-Microphone-390-810

From parts express for less than $20 you can get a full range measuring mic that will work with your phone. Dayton audio iMM 6

 

[digitalfrost]

As someone who has a calibrated SPL meter, the phone apps are garbage. They might work if you have a very popular phone model, but I would not trust them at all. SPL meters are so cheap, I see no reason not to buy one.

I have a Digital Sound 8928.

 

[Speedskater]

Remember that an 'SPL' meter is one thing and a 'cal' mic is another.

 

[USER]

As mentioned, phone apps are fine for comparison, but if you are using them for proper measurements, you are in for trouble. I compared a phone app to my umik/REW set-up and the measurement was off by over 15 dBs!! Once calibrated, it seems fine. But if you can't do that, you can easily fatigue your ears thinking you are listening to something at a lower volume than it actually is.

 

[Blumlein 88]

I've had better experience than some are describing with the apps compared to a real meter or the Umik1 via REW. When you do get big differences it is in sounds with low frequency content. I find them to be pretty very good from 200 hz to 3-4khz on almost every phone. And on up higher with phones for which an app can be calibrated.

The little iMM 6 is calibrated and will give results pretty much identical to a Umik-1. There are some android phones where it acts wonky and doesn't record above 8 khz, but for most and for iPhone's it is fine right on up to 20 khz.

Of course a dedicated single purpose tool like an Sound Level Meter will be more convenient and should be accurate for the purpose.

 

[zheka]

I've been using iMM6 with AudioTool app. I also own a calibrated Galaxy CM-140. There is nothing the meter can do that I cannot do with my phone just as well or better.
https://sites.google.com/site/bofinit/audiotool

 

[pozz]

https://www.cross-spectrum.com/measurement/calibrated_cm140.html

Galaxy CM-140 calibrated by Cross Spectrum Labs as mentioned by @zheka.

 

[mr.k]

Late to the party...but I see some people are recommending UMIK-1 for SPL measurements.
It showed absolutely wrong measurement in my case. In fact, forums are full of people like me.
There were myriad explanations what to do...I gave up.
"Cal" mic is one thing, "spl" meter another, indeed

If you are using Iphone, NIOSH app is calibrated for Iphone's mic.