Reading Frequency and db

term lab meter but they are pricey. try radio shack. i think they have a db meter for a reasonable price. not sure if it will tell you your frequency tho.

 

maybe you can hit up your local car audio shop. some have them there and charge a small fee to test your setup.

 

Radioshack sells an SPL meter

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103667

You can also pick up a copy of a test CD with frequencies on it...Then you can sit in the car and pop the disc in. Set your HU volume about half way and start going through freq and write down what your SPL readings are..The test disc should have frequencies in at least 1/3 octave increments...THis method can give you a good idea of the freq response in the car...it is not as accurate as an RTA but it will give you a good idea..It will also let you see where your subs hand off to your other speakers...

It will probably run you 60-70 bucks for the meter and test disc...If you find a shop with an RTA and they can run the test for you, it might be about the same...Not sure...

I bought one of those SPL meters a long time ago and I have used it for many things...Mainly for channel balance on HT set-ups..

Willy

 

The only bad thing is that those spl meters from radioshack only go up to 126 dbs.

 

The handheld meters can get pricey. Grainger has one that goes up to 140 dB, but is around $500.

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/1T832

 

OK...Well when you are checking frequency response in your car, you are listening to sane levels...If you want to check to see where your peaks and valleys are in your freq response...if you want something to see what kind of SPL you are pushing then yes, you can overdrive that 120...I highly doubt that you wanna listen to an 8k hz tone by itself at 140 db...If you do, you won't listen for long...

What I am referring to is maybe seeing if some frequencies are pushing 90 and others are only like 78...that tells you you are pretty far off from having a flat freq response in the car....