Sears Craftsman makes a very similar SPL meter to the RadioShack analog one, and it probably is made by the same company that made them for RS.

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_SessionID=@@@@1771511359.1073095863@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccjfadckflfidhfcehgcemgdffmdfko.0&vertical=TOOL&pid=03482297000&bidsite=&vertical=T OOL&vertical=TOOL&com.broadvision.session.new=Yes&com.broadvision.session.new=Yes

For LFE, calibration probably is moot.

But for general sub set-up:

If you have any equalization for your sub, the sound meter is a very handy tool for taming peaks. I use my sub for movies and music and had a nasty +12db peak in the mid 30's. I eq'd it out and it is infinitely more listenable. There are correction tables for the low freqs of a Rat Shack meter. You can also use a Bass CD (such as that for mobile audio competition tuning) to generate your tones and plot out your response at the primary listening position.


[This message has been edited by Slee_Stack (edited January 03, 2004).]

To really do it right, you need to use an RTA to see the entire bass range at once. I use Real RTA (www.trueaudio.com) and a calibrated microphone.

This is a plot of my low end from 10Hz to 50Hz using this software and pink noise with 1/24th octave resolution. I don't use any equalization in the low end for several reasons.




[This message has been edited by soundhound (edited January 03, 2004).]

"I don't use any equalization in the low end for several reasons." ...Soundhound

Let me see... umm...no equalization ... why ... could it be ...

because ...

YOU DOM'T NEED ANY?

All that space taken up diplaying that BIG graph just to show a skinny little flat blue line at the top.

Luck dog!!!

Paul


------------------
the 1derful1

Soundhound,
If I'm reading that correctly(and I'm no expert). How do you keep fillings in your mouth

On a more serious note I always thought the best way to tame peaks was to add another sub. I'm looking for a match to mine right now so I can add a 2nd. I've heard alot of real world(read real living rooms) systems and the one's with 2 subs always sounded smoother to me. Any thoughts?

Lasher

Lasher:

Yes you are reading the graph correctly

I guess my graph could be a testament to the theory you've heard - this is a graph of all four of my 18" subs playing at once. Individually the response, while still extremely good, is not quite as flat.

I couldn't say however that more than one sub will automatically give you flatter response in all rooms. Sometimes a single sub will be better in an ideal location in a less-than-ideal room. My room is perfectly symetrical and built from the ground up for this purpose, so that makes a lot of difference.

The best thing to do is to invest in some RTA software, a calibrated microphone and experiment. An RTA is really the only way to sort out all the possibilities since you can see the effects of positioning and such at once and all across the band.

[This message has been edited by soundhound (edited January 03, 2004).]

Lasher - I wasn't being critical of you or anyone else or knocking the RS Analog or digital meters, I have an analog one myself. I was just trying to be helpful.

Soundhound: I was only trying to be helpful in the event Lasher wanted to use the meter to help equalize his system. We aren't all as fortunate as you to have rooms that can be built to minimize sonic defects or have multiple subs and other equipment to address what ever else needs fixing. Most of us even have jobs that are completely unrelated to the things we enjoy, Call me totally jealous if you want.

Gonk: Thanks for posting the actual link.