Radio Shack SPL Meter ON SALE!! (1 Viewer)

i think people prefer analog becuase you read and needle rather then a digital number, supposedly its simpler and anything simpler is better right?

I have the digital meter as that is what is available in the Radio Shack's in Canada. I have read numerous posts claiming that the analog is easier to read and use but I really think that this is being said by people that only have owned the analog version. Let me tell you that the digital meter is actually the easier one to read and use. The digital readout does not jump around making it hard to read the numbers as I have read in some posts. It is the opposite. The digital numerical readout display is updated once a second and represents the average sound pressure level over the last one second period. The response button on the meter which toggles between fast and slow response (just like the switch on the analog meter) does not alter the one second display and averaging response of the numeric display but instead alters the response time of the secondary digital bar graph which is displayed under the numeric display (toggles the response from .2 to .5 seconds for this bar graph only).

Now what could be easier to read than a large digital number that if it does change, changes at a rate of once per second. If you can read the seconds display in a digital watch or clock then you can read this meter. Also, if the dB level is in between two numbers, ie. .5 dB increment, then I find that the numeric readout alternates between the two numbers once per second and you can also see the bar graph do the same thing. Now also what could be easier than seeing alternating numbers once per second.

With the analog meter, to read it I believe one has to look at or remember which number the dial is set to, then add or subtract (depending on which way the needle swings) one, two, three, four or five from that number the dial is set to to come up with the reading. I now this is not hard to do but again with the digital meter, no math or thinking is involved. It just displays the numeric number. Doesn't that sound easier? Again, the numeric display does not jump all around wildly making it difficult to see. It displays a number once per second. If the sound level was actually moving around a lot then with the analog meter, the needle would be jumping around also. The numeric readout displays the average level over one second updated every second. Very easy to read.

Also, with the analog meter once you set the center level with the dial, you can read a level either 5 up or down from this center number which makes a span of 10 dB which it can display, eg. if the dial is set to 70, then readings from 65 to 75 can be read; if the the level is actually 76 to 77, then the dial must be switched to 80 and the needle will read -4 to -3. With the digital meter, it has a span of 20 dB for each center level on the dial so if the dial is set to 70 then any level from 60 up to 80 can be read without changing the dial plus again, no math is involved with addition or subtraction to figure out the level. You just see the number. Again, can you tell me which is easier to use?

The member, Tony Genovese above owns both the analog and the digital so he can give us the best opinion. Does he concur with my opinions. He did say he prefers the digital himself and this coming from a guy who has both to try out side by side.

Now I'm not saying everyone should go out and buy the digital one as the analog is much cheaper and works fine but everyone should stop saying the digital is harder to use and read as compared to the analog because that is completely untrue, just ask the person who actually owns both.

Warner

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