# Using a no name Chinese SPL meter...Kindly Help Me :-(



## abumuqaatil (Feb 23, 2012)

Hi all

As Im new here please go a little easy on me 

As I live in Australia Im unable to find the Radioshack SPL meters anywhere, and I the Galaxy one is also a no go for me. I recently bought a new subwoofer and would like to ensure I get a flat response curve. My only option was to get a Chinese no name analog SPL meter which almost looks identical to the old RS ones. Im pretty sure its not exactly the same inside tho.

Im using REW and have a couple of questions.

1. If I use the SPL meter out of the box with no mic calibration files on REW would I still be able to imrove my sub ? or would I be destroying the sound quality more. ?

2. If I load up a RS calibration file for this chinese generic no name meter could that possibly work ? Or would it make matters worse ?

Thx for you help


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## JohnM (Apr 11, 2006)

abumuqaatil said:


> 1. If I use the SPL meter out of the box with no mic calibration files on REW would I still be able to imrove my sub ?


Yes



> 2. If I load up a RS calibration file for this chinese generic no name meter could that possibly work ? Or would it make matters worse ?


Could well make matters worse. Just tick the box on the REW mic/meter preferences to say you are using a C weighted SPL meter and make sure the meter is set to C weighting, REW will then compensate for the standard C weighting curve.

The meter may roll off earlier or later than it should at the low end, so don't pay too much attention to the levels of the lowest frequencies, but you should have all you need to find sub and listening positions that give the smoothest response.


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## abumuqaatil (Feb 23, 2012)

WoW

All I can say is THANK YOU John ! for the quick reply.

Much appreciated


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

What John said. The Radio Shack meter calibration file is essentially compensating for the meter’s “C” weighting curve that rolls out the low frequencies. Most inexpensive meters are so-called Class 3 devices that should be accurate ±1.5 dB against a laboratory-grade (Class 0) reference meter. This means –theoretically at least- that the meter’s response, and the response that show on an REW graph that used the meter as the measurement mic, should track the “C”-weighting scale within that range. The actual SPL scaling in the REW graph might not be completely accurate, but you will be able to see the severity of any peaks or troughs, which will allow you to deal with them appropriately.

Regards,
Wayne


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## abumuqaatil (Feb 23, 2012)

Thank you very much Wayne


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