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How on Earth does this work?


Happy Jack
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2 minutes ago, Monkey Steve said:

from the specs:

This device is intended to be used as a level indicator for audio line signals

So not a dB meter at all then...

Probably dBu or dBV of the line level, not dBSPL in terms of acoustic energy.

As someone said, a fancy lighty up thing for your rack....

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dB is a dimensionless unit which measures the relative level of two signals. When people talk about "the dB of sound" its actually compared to a scientifically defined reference level. In a similar way, in the audio world dB can mean a number of things but one of them is as a relative amount to the industry-standard reference voltage on a professional line level signal, which I think is 0.7V or 1V or something like that. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_level for more info on the science.

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7 minutes ago, paul_c2 said:

dB is a dimensionless unit which measures the relative level of two signals. When people talk about "the dB of sound" its actually compared to a scientifically defined reference level. In a similar way, in the audio world dB can mean a number of things but one of them is as a relative amount to the industry-standard reference voltage on a professional line level signal, which I think is 0.7V or 1V or something like that. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_level for more info on the science.

Exactly. The dB isn't a measure of audible volume, it's a measure of any signal strength when compared a standard. The unit in question seems to measure the signal strength going through it...and then does a Christmas tree impression to Festivise™ your bass amp :)

 

Edited by ahpook
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7 hours ago, Jus Lukin said:

I'll say! I'll look cooler with that behind me than with a new pair of trainers!

Boring answer- if you don't need one, it's worthless, and there's very little point in one in a bass or guitar rack. In a studio there are countless gain stages which might need monitoring, so something like this to patch in where needed makes a lot of sense. It will need calibrating to the situation to give the required reading, and may be one of those bits of gear which sits unused for ages, right up until it becomes invaluable for 5 minutes. Studios are full of that kind of thing!

Certainly a lot easier to read than a VU meter, too!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peak_programme_meter

It looks great but reading the few reviews that are there for it, it doesn't sound like it is very accurate even as just a peak level display, so it will just have to be cool flashing lights in your studio rack!

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