My SPL meter might be broken... :(

**Exocer** · **09-05-06, 03:21 PM**

Hey guys,
I have my SPL meter hooked up to my SoundBlaster X-fi like I normally do, and I just cant seem to get any output readings. I've tried other ports and get nothing but feedback from the SPL meter as if its a microphone.

It is the newer analog RS spl meter, and the needle still reacts to sounds. It is just unable to send any data to REW.

Could it possibly be a bad cable?

**JohnM** · **09-05-06, 03:34 PM**

Wrong channel selected, i.e. left instead of right or vice versa?

**Exocer** · **09-05-06, 03:41 PM**

Thanks, I'll try that now.

**brucek** · **09-05-06, 03:47 PM**

Quote:

My SPL meter might be broken...

Plug the SPL meter into the AUX input of your receiver with a standard RCA interconnect, turn on some volume and turn on SPL meter and sing.

It's a microphone - does it work?

brucek

**Exocer** · **09-05-06, 03:50 PM**

Well I use optical out from my sound card to the receiver. I've always been able to choose whichever speaker I wanted to get a measurement of all the speakers. It isn't receiving any measurements from the SPL meter.

When I calibrate the SPL meter levels to 75db, I can run a few sweeps and the measurement seems to stay at the calibrated level then tells me "the highest leve in the measurement is just -99.4db..."

Edit: its always been on "right" but changing it to left hasn't made a difference.

**Exocer** · **09-05-06, 03:51 PM**

Quote:

brucek wrote:

Plug the SPL meter into the AUX input of your receiver with a standard RCA interconnect, turn on some volume and turn on SPL meter and sing.

It's a microphone - does it work?

brucek

Yeah, that works.
Almost killed my ears with the sound of my voice

**brucek** · **09-05-06, 04:01 PM**

Quote:

Well I use optical out from my sound card to the receiver. I've always been able to choose whichever speaker I wanted to get a measurement of all the speakers.

You're totally confusing me with that statement. I don't see what that has to do with the SPL meter and REW input levels.

If you plug the SPL meter into the LINE-IN of the soundcard on the right channel, and select LINE-IN on REW for the "choose input" pull-down and press the red REW start/stop button, and give it some volume, does the SPL meter make the VU meter go up and down?

brucek

**Exocer** · **09-05-06, 04:03 PM**

Sorry for the confusion. I wanted to make sure you guys understood how everything was connected.

The answer to that question would be no, it stays at the calibrated level of 75db.

It seems that on my "Recording Control" Panel, line-in is muted but it isn't letting me unmute this channel.
Edit: Muting problem has been resolved. Still whistling but everything stays the same.

**Exocer** · **09-05-06, 04:18 PM**

Hey guys thanks for all the help. But I went away on vacation and I guess someone changed a few settings on my sound card. I reverted back to defaults and all seems to be back to normal....Thanks for all the patience and assistance. You guys rock!

**Exocer** · **09-05-06, 04:23 PM**

Well im getting measurements again.

It still sounds like the spl meter is acting as a microphone, I hear it comming through the speakers...

Edit: Problem solved. Had to mute line-in from the playback panel...All is good again.

**brucek** · **09-05-06, 04:23 PM**

Quote:

But I went away on vacation

I'm sorry to say that all your future vacations as of today are cancelled...............

**Exocer** · **09-05-06, 04:26 PM**

Quote:

brucek wrote:

I'm sorry to say that all your future vacations as of today are cancelled...............

moo baby moo

**Sonnie** · **09-05-06, 11:33 PM**

You mean I read all this because of a vacation???

**Exocer** · **09-06-06, 03:19 PM**

Hey, cut me some slack guys :-P I guess we all learned a lesson from this...don't operate your SPL meter on your first day back from vacation if you're Exocer

But seriously. If anyone is having problems with getting measurements make sure you line-in channel is muted from playback, and selected for record

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