[LAU] Realtime sound level measurement with logging

[Jonathan Gazeley]

Hi folks,

I'd like to set up sound level monitoring for my office, with periodic 
logging. I have a handheld meter but I'm really looking for a way to use 
a traditional condenser microphone and USB audio interface to measure 
the level with some kind of windowing, and log it periodically to a file 
(maybe once per minute). Is there a decent application that can monitor 
and log data in this way?

I'm also open to the idea of just recording a WAV file over 24 hours and 
doing the analysis afterwards, with periodic readings from the file.

Is my approach reasonable, to set up a microphone and use the gain knob 
to calibrate it against the handheld meter?

I don't need amazing accuracy. We've just moved into a large open-plan 
office for the first time and it is very noisy (handheld meter says 
about 50dB of air handling noise measured at my desk, rising to 60dB 
when there is background talking). I want to monitor sound levels 
throughout the day to test my theory that people are more noisy in the 
afternoon, and to get an overnight control reading with the people gone 
and only the air handling and computers running.

Thanks,
Jonathan
-- 
Jonathan Gazeley
Senior Systems Administrator
IT Services
University of Bristol