Quote:
Originally Posted by Grahame
Tyll,
Is there any easy way to determine the maximum safe volume for a setup?
Various countries health and safety organizations (OSHA in the US?) set limits for exposure in the workplace. leisure should be no different.
Would (for example) a Radio Shack Sound Level meter be a worthwhile investment?
How much is your hearing worth to you? |
Yes, do get the rat shack meter. But be warned, it will not give you an accurate reading if you just put it next to your headphones at an equivalent distance to where your ear would be - you will get a very low reading, as the ear pad/ear cup is no longer coupled to your ear, and is thus radiating sound over a much wider field, thus yeilding a much lower SPL. To measure your headphone output, a simple way of doing it is to get a piece of cardboard, and cut a hole just the right size for the microphone tip - place the cardboard so that it covers the ear cup as it would against your head, place the microphone poking through and then take a reading.