For all with a digital Radio Shack spl

Jer_ry
Jer_ry Posts: 118
edited October 2006 in Electronics
I got a spl meter yesterday but I cannot get it to work wondering what ya'll did to make it work. It's the digital radio shack sound level meter. I put the response to slow and the weighing to C turned up my reciever all the way to 0db and put the test tone on. It reads LO on every speaker on every range setting even when i put it up a foot away from the speaker. Whats going on?
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  • Skynut
    Skynut Posts: 2,967
    edited October 2006
    does LO mean low batt?
    Skynut
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  • Jer_ry
    Jer_ry Posts: 118
    edited October 2006
    no the manuaul says LO mean swith to a lower range...but i tried all of them and nothing gets reading
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  • PolkThug
    PolkThug Posts: 7,532
    edited October 2006
    It means your sound system is really quiet.

    Seriously, take it into Radio Shack and show them.
    Never Forget
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  • MikeC78
    MikeC78 Posts: 2,315
    edited October 2006
    IMO, get an analog one! I think the digital ones suck.

    Mike
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  • schwarcw
    schwarcw Posts: 7,341
    edited October 2006
    MikeC78 wrote:
    IMO, get an analog one! I think the digital ones suck.

    Mike

    Bingo! Just what I was thinking. Many like the analog better, easier to read.
    Carl

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  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited October 2006
    dial in a lower db range.. instead of 100db, go for like 80db or 70db. and those numbers should be changing. slow/C weighted other than that.. you may have installed the batteries wrong or something odd. SPL meters are pretty easy to use.

    FYI, digital ones do NOT SUCK ;)
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
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  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited October 2006
    LO level warning on the digital RS SPL meter.

    this is wrong. you will not get any readings this way.
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
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  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited October 2006
    now the correct way the digital SPL meter should read.. db lowered to 70 or 80db. not 100, not 110, not 120. your ears will bleed if you are playing tones at 120db and trying to set the level on your speakers. :eek: ;)

    this is how your digital readings should look like. this is correct reading
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
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  • janmike
    janmike Posts: 6,146
    edited October 2006
    No problem with the digital one here.
    Michael ;)
    In the beginning, all knowledge was new!
    NORTH of 60°
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  • JKnPA
    JKnPA Posts: 41
    edited October 2006
    Jerry,
    Did you fix the problem?
    I'm thinking of buying one........... just curious what the problem was!
    Do they sell both the analog and digital models?

    Jk
    Denon 1906AVR
    Polk... M40s, Cs1
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,810
    edited October 2006
    I love my RS digital meter.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • MillerLiteScott
    MillerLiteScott Posts: 2,561
    edited October 2006
    No problem with mine either. But I don't know what I am doing so.......
    I like speakers that are bigger than a small refrigerator but smaller than a big refrigerator:D
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  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited October 2006
    JKnPA wrote:
    Jerry,
    Did you fix the problem?
    I'm thinking of buying one........... just curious what the problem was!
    Do they sell both the analog and digital models?

    Jk

    I suspect operator error on Jer_ry's case. ;)
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
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  • disneyjoe7
    disneyjoe7 Posts: 11,435
    edited October 2006
    I love my Analog SPL meter.


    Analog RULES


    TUBES SUCK (just for you Jesse)

    Speakers
    Carver Amazing Fronts
    CS400i Center
    RT800i's Rears
    Sub Paradigm Servo 15

    Electronics
    Conrad Johnson PV-5 pre-amp
    Parasound Halo A23
    Pioneer 84TXSi AVR
    Pioneer 79Avi DVD
    Sony CX400 CD changer
    Panasonic 42-PX60U Plasma
    WMC Win7 32bit HD DVR


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  • JKnPA
    JKnPA Posts: 41
    edited October 2006
    He could have gotten a defective unit; other than the batteries, its not 'rocket science'.
    "I hope we didn't lose Jerry''.................:rolleyes:
    Denon 1906AVR
    Polk... M40s, Cs1
    JVC DVD player XV-SA600
    Sharp LC-37D6U
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  • phono2
    phono2 Posts: 19
    edited October 2006
    If you play narrow-band test tones at high volume, you're in danger of blowing a driver. Speaker power handling is a lot lower for such signals. Either the speaker user's manual or the supplier of the test tones will have information on the care you have to take.

    If you want to test the spl meter out, you should get about 80 dB for music played at moderately loud levels.
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  • cfrizz
    cfrizz Posts: 13,415
    edited October 2006
    I had no trouble using my digital SPL meter.
    Marantz AV-7705 PrePro, Classé 5 channel 200wpc Amp, Oppo 103 BluRay, Rotel RCD-1072 CDP, Sony XBR-49X800E TV, Polk S60 Main Speakers, Polk ES30 Center Channel, Polk S15 Surround Speakers SVS SB12-NSD x2
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  • disneyjoe7
    disneyjoe7 Posts: 11,435
    edited October 2006
    No Doubt Cathy no Doubt, you're full SS and or Digital... Nothing analog there.

    Speakers
    Carver Amazing Fronts
    CS400i Center
    RT800i's Rears
    Sub Paradigm Servo 15

    Electronics
    Conrad Johnson PV-5 pre-amp
    Parasound Halo A23
    Pioneer 84TXSi AVR
    Pioneer 79Avi DVD
    Sony CX400 CD changer
    Panasonic 42-PX60U Plasma
    WMC Win7 32bit HD DVR


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  • cfrizz
    cfrizz Posts: 13,415
    edited October 2006
    :D You betcha!!!! SS & Digital rock & rule!!!:p :cool: :D

    disneyjoe7 wrote:
    No Doubt Cathy no Doubt, you're full SS and or Digital... Nothing analog there.
    Marantz AV-7705 PrePro, Classé 5 channel 200wpc Amp, Oppo 103 BluRay, Rotel RCD-1072 CDP, Sony XBR-49X800E TV, Polk S60 Main Speakers, Polk ES30 Center Channel, Polk S15 Surround Speakers SVS SB12-NSD x2
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  • disneyjoe7
    disneyjoe7 Posts: 11,435
    edited October 2006
    Right :) Tubeless now but will have tubes in the future....

    This hobby isn't cheap :(

    Speakers
    Carver Amazing Fronts
    CS400i Center
    RT800i's Rears
    Sub Paradigm Servo 15

    Electronics
    Conrad Johnson PV-5 pre-amp
    Parasound Halo A23
    Pioneer 84TXSi AVR
    Pioneer 79Avi DVD
    Sony CX400 CD changer
    Panasonic 42-PX60U Plasma
    WMC Win7 32bit HD DVR


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  • scottvamp
    scottvamp Posts: 3,277
    edited October 2006
    disneyjoe7 wrote:
    Right :) Tubeless now but will have tubes in the future....

    This hobby isn't cheap :(

    Love my analog RS meter - simple and it gets the job done very nicely!
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  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited October 2006
    I liked the analog version. But then again, I would. I'm still waiting for the version with nixie tubes... :)
    madmax
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
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  • Jer_ry
    Jer_ry Posts: 118
    edited October 2006
    Still havent got it to work. Going to try once more tomorrow if nothing I'm going to return it. I tried the test tones on my reciever at 0db on all ranges on the spl. I also tried it at volumes -10 on all ranges and tried the thx optimizer from the Finding Nemo dvd. I noticed it gets a reading for about a split second when I turn the spl from 70db to 60db on certian things so it's probably defective.
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  • disneyjoe7
    disneyjoe7 Posts: 11,435
    edited October 2006
    Odd you should get a reading of something even in a quiet room (around -70db or so)

    Speakers
    Carver Amazing Fronts
    CS400i Center
    RT800i's Rears
    Sub Paradigm Servo 15

    Electronics
    Conrad Johnson PV-5 pre-amp
    Parasound Halo A23
    Pioneer 84TXSi AVR
    Pioneer 79Avi DVD
    Sony CX400 CD changer
    Panasonic 42-PX60U Plasma
    WMC Win7 32bit HD DVR


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  • Dennis Gardner
    Dennis Gardner Posts: 4,861
    edited October 2006
    You may have a bad meter Jerry. Read the manual carefully to get the settings right. I see that Al (dangerboy) sets his digital the same as I use my analog.

    Slow response, C weighted.
    HT Optoma HD25 LV on 80" DIY Screen, Anthem MRX 300 Receiver, Pioneer Elite BDP 51FD Polk CS350LS, Polk SDA1C, Polk FX300, Polk RT55, Dual EBS Adire Shiva 320watt tuned to 17hz, ICs-DIY Twisted Prs, Speaker-Raymond Cable

    2 Channel Thorens TD 318 Grado ZF1, SACD/CD Marantz 8260, Soundstream/Krell DAC1, Audio Mirror PP1, Odyssey Stratos, ADS L-1290, ICs-DIY Twisted , Speaker-Raymond Cable
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  • Jer_ry
    Jer_ry Posts: 118
    edited October 2006
    yup have all that set. tried everything. I'm going to go ahead and return it and get another tomorrow.
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  • Jer_ry
    Jer_ry Posts: 118
    edited October 2006
    Took it back and indeed the the guy said is wasnt working. They didnt have anymore digitals so i got the analog it works really nice. I noticed though that it demands the sub to be almost off to get at 80db it went off the scale when the sub tone came on so now it's not like I don't even have a sub anyone elses like this?
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  • Jer_ry
    Jer_ry Posts: 118
    edited October 2006
    bump....curious to know if anyone elses sub is almost off to get it at 80db. I have a svs pb10
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  • Frank Z
    Frank Z Posts: 5,860
    edited October 2006
    Correction values come in handy when using the Rat Shack meter...
    http://www.danmarx.org/audioinnovation/rsmeter.html

    This might help too...
    http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/showthread.php?t=166655&highlight=SPL+Sub
    9/11 - WE WILL NEVER FORGET!! (<---<<click)
    2005-06 Club Polk Football Pool Champion!! :D
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  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited October 2006
    Jer_ry wrote:
    bump....curious to know if anyone elses sub is almost off to get it at 80db. I have a svs pb10

    I'll see your bump and raise you two bumps. ;)


    this is very common.. just bump up the sub volume a bit.. everyone does it. runs their sub hot.. i do. :D
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
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