Decibel Meters?

[olddawg]

I use a DB app all of the time. Also a signal generator, tuner, compass, etc. A lot of clubs have a City Ordinance threshold of 85db at the door.

[Enzo]

My experience has been that as soon as you give someone a measuring tool all of a sudden what it measures becomes the most important thing on earth.

As soon as the club owner finds out you have a sound level meter, he will be watching it like it was his cash register.

In my day you didn't go to a bar to have polite conversations over the band. You went to drink beer, dance, and suggest to women they accompany you to somewhere else.

[nevetslab]

Class 1 Precision Integrating SLM

I too use a Sound Level Meter all the time. I've been addicted to Class 1 Precision Integrated SLM's, which tend to be expensive if you buy them new. The last one I found, a Rion NA-61, was similar to my Rion NL-11, shown below. The Analog Meter has a 30dB linear scale, it driven by a fast RMS Log DC converter, while the Rion NA-61 has a 25dB range, also linear dB scale. I paid $59 for this, plus shipping on ebay. Just one of those rare days I happened to go looking, spotted it, poked the Buy-It-Now.....mostly for the Mic Preamp, it being of the same generation as my NL-11. 1/2" Free Field Condenser Mic is standard with these. When everything worked (after cleaning the battery terminals), I just shook my head and laughed. Another excellent find.

The NA-61 doesn't have the Integrating feature, nor the Peak Hold mode, but does have Impulse Hold (35mS response time), along with RMS Fast and RMS Slow meter responses. A, C & Linear weighting curves. It covers from VERY Quiet rooms (25dBA) thru WAY TOO LOUD rooms (145dBA).



I thought I had a picture of the NA-61 here, but will have to wait till I get back to the shop for that. I know I've shown it in some previous posts. It does come in handy around the rehearsal studio complex, as well as having it monitoring some gear that shows up with the claim that the level keeps changing. Easy to monitor that from the desk with the meter, amp given a steady transient repeatable signal.

Speaking of the Radio Shack SLM's......their Analog model was somewhat patterned after this General Radio 1565B, which works a whole lot better. I bought this one in the carrying case together with the 1562 5-Freq Acoustic Calibrator on ebay for $75 years ago. Very nice, small & solid SLM, though after living with 30dB and 50dB linear dB meter scales on the others, I find the pure analog meter with its' 15dB meter range a little limited. It's low end level range is 45dB SPL.

[loudthud]

I was doing sound for a jazz band with a 3 piece horn section. A bar tender at one particular bar complained that the band was too loud. I went out and purchased a SLM from Radio Shack, the very first one they offered. I'd walk around the bar taking readings not having a clue what I was doing. The bar tender never complained again even though I didn't change a thing.

Found a fancy one cheap at a pawn shop. Switchable filters and goes to higher levels than the RS ones.

[Jazz P Bass]

Typically, Horn Sections are hard to get under control.

[Mick Bailey]

My experience has been that as soon as you give someone a measuring tool all of a sudden what it measures becomes the most important thing on earth.

Can't remember how old I was, but the same thing happened to me.

[eschertron]

Typically, Horn Sections are hard to get under control.

I played trombone in a band for a few years. You're right, we were wild!

[Leo_Gnardo]

Typically, Horn Sections are hard to get under control.

Concur with eschertron - I played bass in a horn band first 2 years of college. Trumpets - like to play the game "how loud and how high can you play" plus no shortage of ego. The shorter guys had a bit of Napoleon complex, always had to prove what a squeeky racket they could make.

High school marching band - zounds! Neighbors could hear us a mile away, no problem. put fingers-in-ears-smiley-thing-here.

[eschertron]

Typically, Horn Sections are hard to get under control.

I played trombone in a band for a few years. You're right, we were wild!

like to play the game "how loud and how high can you play"

Oh! You meant volume! I was referring to sneaking off stage between horn stabs to get a beer or pinch the girls

[Enzo]

On the other hand, a friend of mine played trombone for the Temptations, played on the stage at Madison Square Garden behind them. They had NO amplification, their horn blowing was expected to be heard on its own.

[The Dude]

I'm sure I'm not the only one who's done this, but here ya go. I used to leave the last channel unused on the console, when possible. If the club owner would say it's too loud, I'd grab that fader and slowly turn it down. The club owner would tell me that's much better and walk away. Of course, the fader did nothing because it wasn't used.

[Mick Bailey]

A sound guy once said to me that the only talent a bass player has is the ability to turn an amp up whilst making it look like its being turned down.