Good uses for a sound pressure meter?

I use an SPM meter on my boat to test any changes in SPL levels due to modifications in the engine room (i.e. gasketing, shft alignment, valve adjustment, insulation) or deckhouse (i.e. carpeting) that impact sound propogation. The vessel is a downeast flybridge cruiser with the deckhouse situated immediately above the engine room.

Bakerfoto,

Somehow the other I think that your ears are much better than you the credit you are giving them!

The RS SPL meter is not very sensitive & it is quite flawed in that the freq. response is much tapered off owing to the cheap components & "incorrect" bandwidths used in the design. I'm sure that you know that there is a correction factor to be used with the RS *analog* SPL meter. Here is the link:
http://www.danmarx.org/audioinnovation/rsmeter.html

Your room is definitely part of the overall equation (That you absolutely cannot discount!) when you use the test CD to figure out subwoofer placement.

>>When I heard fairly dramatic volume drops in certain >>middle freq. ranges I assumed it was the speakers but >>when I set up the meter and recorded the db levels there >>was no drops of significance during those parts .

Did you measure at the same point as the point you were sitting/standing when you heard these drops in volume???

Before you figure out subwoofer placement, figure out your room response. That will tell you a heck of a lot + will set the baseline to which you need to add the subwoofer to.

Also use C-weighting & "slow" response settings on the meter. IMHO. FWIW.

I always take one along on my first date, and if that goes well, when I meet her mother.

Sincerely
I remain,