HTcrazy,

Yeah, if it wasn't for my big fat mouth I'm 100% that this issue would be as completely uncontended as you assumed it would be.
Sorry if that upset you or anything. Not my intent.

steves and MixFixJ,

You both continue to rec. I use an SPL meter ignoring my list of variables as being any kind of issue.
(Please don't take this to mean I'm mad here or anything).
I assume then you consider all of these variables myself (and other before me) as irrelevant, and your position seems to be (correct me if I have this wrong) that no matter which way you choose to use an SPL meter you pretty much can't go wrong and you'll in fact be totally (or at least very close) to accurate and without a doubt end up with results that will surpass a 'by ear' setting of levels by hearing the test tones.

Is this correct?

And MixFixJ,
I don't mean to 'challenge' people in a bad way (like to make them feel bad or dumb or anything), but rather to get people to look further into an issue than they normally would (as this thread would have been), and possibly learn more than they knew the day before (whether from me of anyone else). Something I think far too many people don't challenge themselves to do these days.
I think some out there may agree with this point (esp. those in working in our nation's school system).

I certainly have been open to having someone explain to me the 'correct' procedure of using an SPL meter and/or explaining how it's wihout a doubt better than a 'by ear' method (A method I also 100% believe to ALSO be somewhat flawed -my debate being over which is more flawed).

No one's done so to my dissapointment. I've just gotten some people mad at me, and some people just repeating that 'I should use an SPL meter' -clearly not understanding my point of contention about it's use, and claiming 'conjecture' yet not able to technically make any points that contradict my previous statements.