# Spl meter/ Worth it



## musicguy (Nov 28, 2012)

i have been using rew for about 3 months now. How much of a value would you put on buying a calibrated spl meter? If i'm happy with what i hear in rew is that ok. 

Plus in rew since its not calibrated should i trusted the difference i hear between the mains and my subs?

I dont mind buying another piece of equipment but i dont see to much of a need for it after i use it once.

music guy


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Im a bit confused by your post, are you saying you currently dont have an SPL meter? What are you using for a mic with REW?


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## musicguy (Nov 28, 2012)

Sorry i currently do not have a calibrated spl meter. 

I use use the one in rew and on my iphone.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Ok but how are you getting REW to do readings of your system/room if you dont have a mic?


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## musicguy (Nov 28, 2012)

I do have a mic, emm-6, outboard usb soundcard. A good set up. Im just wandering about the value in adding another calibrated spl meter. From what i understand from Home theater Shack posting is that the spl meter in REW is not calibrated. 

So if i measure my main speakers and then my sub, is this a good reading. Or should i use a different test tone for comparing a sub to a main speaker?

jeff


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

If your iPhone spl meter is working then you really dont need anything else. REWs spl meter needs only to be level calibrated meaning it has no idea what 75db is until you set it.


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

If you’re talking about something like the calibrated Galaxy meter from Cross Spectrum, its purpose would mainly be for making frequency response measurements (i.e., replacing your EMM6-soundcard set-up). 

Since you have the measurement mic and sound card, the only reason to get a high-grade SLM would be if for some reason you wanted a tighter tolerance on your SPL calibration in REW. For instance, your i-phone meter probably has a tolerance of something like +/- 2 dB. So when you use it to calibrate REW to say, 75 dB it could be as low as 73 dB or as high as 77 dB. Typically this doesn’t matter for any of the measurements that REW can take, however.

Regards, 
Wayne


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