Using REW and Umik-1 to tell me how loud I am listening

[Hazenhart]

Hello again.
Have I done this correctly?
I want to get an idea of how loud my typical listening is, quantitatively.

- Vertically oriented Umik-1 at the main listening position with 90 degree calibration file
- REW SPL meter set to dB(C), slow
- Logged most of a song, played at my loudest typical volume

Is this telling me that this was a ~76 dB listening session?

 

[Jimi Floyd]

Buy a sound level meter. Every job needs its tool. 50$/€ and you can buy a basic but reliable unit

 

[Sokel]

More or less, yes.
Tick Max also, it's useful to know how higher are peaks in comparison.

What kind of work is that, it shows very little variations.
Pop or something?

 

[Hazenhart]

Yeah that was a pop song, "Second Nature" by Lucius. I figured it would more easily show what "loud" looked like.

In addition to knowing what my ears are experiencing, I also wanted to get a rough idea of how hard I am pushing my speakers. So if I am getting 76 dB at my listening position, 4 meters from each of two speakers, then each speaker is putting out ~85 dB?

76 dB +6 dB per halving of distance 4m >2m >1m for +12 dB = 88 dB -3 dB splitting between 2 speakers = 85 dB?

 

[Jimi Floyd]

Yeah that was a pop song, "Second Nature" by Lucius. I figured it would more easily show what "loud" looked like.

In addition to knowing what my ears are experiencing, I also wanted to get a rough idea of how hard I am pushing my speakers. So if I am getting 76 dB at my listening position, 4 meters from each of two speakers, then each speaker is putting out ~85 dB?

76 dB +6 dB per halving of distance 4m >2m >1m for +12 dB = 88 dB -3 dB splitting between 2 speakers = 85 dB?

this kind of calculation is valid in an open, empty space. in room reflections completely change the game.

 

[Hazenhart]

this kind of calculation is valid in an open, empty space. in room reflections completely change the game.

Makes sense. So the direct output of the speakers is probably lower(?)

 

[Jimi Floyd]

yup

 

[EngineerNate]

FWIW I got the UniT spl meter and it seems adequate.