[LAU] [LAD] First release of jkmeter

Hector Centeno hcengar at gmail.com
Wed Oct 22 08:06:56 EDT 2008


Hi,

I've been using the excellent Jkmeter for a few weeks. Recently I gt
hold of a SPL meter so using Jnoise I was able to calibrate the
speakers volume to the suggested 83db(C). Similar  to what Steven
mentioned in his email, to me that sound level felt very uncomfortable
(way too high) so following my perception (and without using Jkmeter)
I started mixing everything way too low (I confirmed this after
playing one of my pieces at a electroacoustic music concert setup). So
I'm also wondering, did I misunderstood something or I'm just too
sensitive? Is my SPL meter not working (it's a new and made by a
Galaxy Audio)? Does the existent room noise (computer fans, street
noise leaking through the window, measuring around 50dBC)
significantly affects the measurement? I'll appreciate any comments on
this.

Thanks,

Hector

On Sun, Aug 3, 2008 at 12:38 PM, Steven Chamberlain <steven at pyro.eu.org> wrote:
> Fons Adriaensen wrote:
>> Jkmeter is a horizontal or vertical bargraph level
>> meter based on the ideas of mastering guru Bob Katz.
>> See <http://www.digido.com/bob-katz/index.php> and
>> follow the links on 'level practices'.
>
> Hi,
>
> I was a little sceptical at first, but having read the article I think
> it's a great idea.  My main concern was the magic number '83 dB(C)',
> which has somewhat vague, historic origin, but also I thought I would go
> deaf at that reference level.
>
> With two speakers, I guess that would be 86 dB(C).  Quite interestingly,
> extrapolating the OSHA noise exposure limits down to that level, a
> person could endure that for up to 16 hours a day without hearing loss.
>  That would make it, effectively, the loudest safe level for someone
> who mixes music all day, and so making the fullest use of the ear's
> comfortable dynamic range.
>   (OSHA limits are detailed on http://www.elvex.com/facts07.htm )
>
> As an experiment, I tried calibrating both of my monitor speakers with
> -20 dBFS pink noise to 83 dB(C).  Sound at that volume doesn't feel
> comfortable to me.  Perhaps I misunderstood something?  Maybe I'm just
> over-sensitive to that volume, perhaps because I have neighbours here,
> don't have a house to myself, etc.
>
> Under the K-20 system, it seems the maximum SPL when monitoring with two
> speakers would be a scary 106 dB(C).  Those monitoring levels would
> force engineers to keep loudness down, or risk going deaf otherwise.
> Presumably that would serve the intended purpose of the system, of
> avoiding excessive loudness of recordings, but I think it carries some risk.
>
> I think the K-14 system might be more to my own taste.  I believe it
> keeps the 83 dB(C) reference level, but with peaks up to 100 dB(C) in a
> two-speaker setup.  Sustained exposure for 2 hours even at the maximum
> level should still be safe as per the OSHA limits, but of course that
> level should rarely be reached anyway.
>
> I'd very much like to hear how a K-20, K-14, or K-12 recording compares
> to mainstream pop/rock/metal recordings.  Perhaps the high reference
> level would feel more comfortable with program material that isn't so
> heavily compressed.
>
> I'm also curious to know what sort of monitoring levels other people
> have been using.  I'd estimate that in the past I've been down to
> something like 60 dB as a reference level, and resorting to headphones
> when I felt more scrutiny was needed.  This unfortunately seems
> necessary here because I have other people living around me.
>
> I'm looking forward to trying out the jkmeter implementation.  And I
> imagine a K-14 and even K-12 version would be very useful someday.
>
> Regards,
> --
> Steven Chamberlain
> steven at pyro.eu.org
> _______________________________________________
> Linux-audio-user mailing list
> Linux-audio-user at lists.linuxaudio.org
> http://lists.linuxaudio.org/mailman/listinfo/linux-audio-user
>



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