SPL/db meter for producing?

[dubdub]

Trying to follow Voidloss' advice about producing to a constant db level but i'm not sure what's a cheap and accurate SPL/db-meter to buy for producing since there's about a billion out there and a lot of them have frequency responses geared towards industrial noise measuring etc.

[Lost to the Void]

I use this. It`s accurate enough to be useful in production terms, and it has C weighting.

Essentially as long as you have close to full range 30hz-ish to beyond 22khz with */- 1.5db or better sensitivity, you are gravy. You want C weighting because it doesn`t cut out the low end in measurements like A weighting.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/30-130dB-LCD- ... SwmLlX91iS

[WOLF!]

I'm using the Velleman AVM2050.
That's a great advice Voidloss gave to you. I got the same from my acoustic engineer.
Very good for long studio sessions to avoids ear fatigue.

[Lost to the Void]

The main idea behind producing to a consistent level, and referencing to the same level is that your ears tune to "correct" balance at these levels. So loudness becomes less of an issue when making mix decisions, and your ears will soon learn when something is popping out of the mix, at say 5khz or whatever.

Reference and work at a consistent and comfortable level and you will find in time your mix decisions will become more accurate and more useful. You will at some point find yourself reaching for the EQ and moving your freq dial to exactly the right place you are thinking about without having to sweep.

[dubdub]

I use this. It`s accurate enough to be useful in production terms, and it has C weighting.

Essentially as long as you have close to full range 30hz-ish to beyond 22khz with */- 1.5db or better sensitivity, you are gravy. You want C weighting because it doesn`t cut out the low end in measurements like A weighting.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/30-130dB-LCD- ... SwmLlX91iS

Cheers, I will give that one a try.

[kirkwoodwest]

http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/spl-meter_e.html
This is the classic radioshack one I use here... but I guess they don't make them anymore

[Lost to the Void]

http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/spl-meter_e.html
This is the classic radioshack one I use here... but I guess they don't make them anymore

Yeah they still exist under various different cheap brands

[paclos]

About the db "range".... how loud is "ok loud" ?

What I'm asking is for example (more or less),

Code: Select all

-Too low: from 0db to 60db
-Ok Loud: from 60db to 80db
-Too Loud: over 80db

What would be more or less your recommendations? I know that is also something personal, but I want wo be sure that I'm not producing at too low volume somehow.

[Lost to the Void]

Well it`s about producing to a comfortable level, that`s all.
I highly doubt you would find it comfortable to work at +80db

If you like working at low volume then check the performance specs of your monitors because bass performance changes at low volume sometimes, and also the human ear responds differently
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal-loudness_contour

In the mastering studio my steady state level is 74db where I sit, 8ft from the speakers.
For me this is a comfortable level for all day everyday listening.

[Hades]

I sure wish I could work at 74dB.
I some times switch it on but I'm always higher.
The good thing is I work shorter periods now because I work every morning a few hours and less full days like I used to.

[paclos]

Well it`s about producing to a comfortable level, that`s all.
I highly doubt you would find it comfortable to work at +80db

If you like working at low volume then check the performance specs of your monitors because bass performance changes at low volume sometimes, and also the human ear responds differently
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal-loudness_contour

In the mastering studio my steady state level is 74db where I sit, 8ft from the speakers.
For me this is a comfortable level for all day everyday listening.

Thank you for the info

For me it would not be a problem to be at 80db, but for the neighbours.... maybe yes

Anyway I'm with the Neumann KH12A so I guess that the performance at low volume will not change so much (http://www.neumann-kh-line.com/neumann- ... ors_KH120A#)

[Lost to the Void]

I sure wish I could work at 74dB.
I some times switch it on but I'm always higher.
The good thing is I work shorter periods now because I work every morning a few hours and less full days like I used to.

Jesus how loud do you work at?
I mean 74db on full range speakers is more than loud enough, you can "feel" the bass. The sound at the speakers is 80db but I`m 8ft away. Even then 74db is pretty loud, you can feel the bass.
If I were working at 80db from the listening position all day I¬d be ragged and fatigued.
I guess the difference here is maybe I have full range so I don`t have to crank it to get decent bass pressure.

[Hades]

I am talking more about peaks here, not average.
But yeah, last weekend I was working on a remix of that "In Flames" track from Corrosive
(you mastered that I've been told, though I got the unmastered project of course),
and at the end of the day, my ears were extremely tired.
I even decided to try a way more softer direction on sunday because I was so fed up with the hard sounds.
Mind you I very rarely do whole days.

I think one of the reasons I always tend to turn it up a little too much is because I lost about 20% of the mid range in my right ear,
so I try to compensate.
Totally stupid, but yeah.
I do try to give my ears as much rest as possible outside the studio though.

[tenga]

can you use something like waves wlm meter ??? or other metering plugin ???

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thmkn5k3U1I
http://www.waves.com/plugins/wlm-loudne ... tart-guide

[Lost to the Void]

can you use something like waves wlm meter ??? or other metering plugin ???

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thmkn5k3U1I
http://www.waves.com/plugins/wlm-loudne ... tart-guide

How would that measure the loudness at your listening position ?
It's just a meter plug right?
So I mean as something to throw in your daw to check your output levels sure. But you still need an spl meter to calibrate your monitors.

[CubiK Mass]

How do you determine the SPL when working with headphones?, I dont have it too loud anyway but I'd like to make sure my ears are saved late at night when mixing with headphones...

[paclos]

How do you determine the SPL when working with headphones?, I dont have it too loud anyway but I'd like to make sure my ears are saved late at night when mixing with headphones...

that is a question which I have since years and no one answered to me...

[Lost to the Void]

How do you determine the SPL when working with headphones?, I dont have it too loud anyway but I'd like to make sure my ears are saved late at night when mixing with headphones...

Quite literally stick an spl meter up to your cans...apparently.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/607728/testing ... ibel-level

[Hades]

I sure wish I could work at 74dB.
I some times switch it on but I'm always higher.
The good thing is I work shorter periods now because I work every morning a few hours and less full days like I used to.

Jesus how loud do you work at?
I mean 74db on full range speakers is more than loud enough, you can "feel" the bass. The sound at the speakers is 80db but I`m 8ft away. Even then 74db is pretty loud, you can feel the bass.
If I were working at 80db from the listening position all day I¬d be ragged and fatigued.
I guess the difference here is maybe I have full range so I don`t have to crank it to get decent bass pressure.

Switched it on another few times when I worked on my track on friday.
It goes up and down in the range of 60 to 80, some times a short peak at 88 or so.
This is using the C scale though, which is what you told me to use with that meter.
Not sure if you talked about the A or C metering when you mentioned your 74dB.

[Lost to the Void]

C weighting. It's not about peak, we are talking average level.
Working at 80db + for any length of time is supposedly no good for you.