Extech 407732 Type 2 Digital Sound Level Meter 35 to 130 dB

I have an older DB meter that does straight readings. I was looking for something that I could use for averaging and finding peak volumes so I gave this a try. It's not at all expensive, is easy to use, and seems to work correctly. I have a high end calibrated source for my older meter, and when I tried it on the Extech it read exactly the correct value. So in a static situation the meter is very accurate. While I don't have any way to test it for peak or average readings, I'm guessing that it's probably pretty darn close. I plan on using this for measuring shop machine noise levels, and also for monitoring sound levels for the PA for a jazz band I play in. If you need a DB meter, this one will do a good job at a great price.

I purchased this as a gift for an engineer, knowing how much he likes data. He LOVES it.If you purchase it new in packaging, it comes with batteries, which was a nice bonus, and the windscreen does help when you're in an area with gusting a/c or things moving. He did say that it might read just a tiny bit high, but not so much that you can't get accurate readings. He's been playing with it all week testing everything from car highway noise to heavy duty machinery at work and has found that it reads quickly, accurately and the memory function is quite useful. It's a "nice blend of not too sensitive and sensitive enough to work well".I would highly recommend the meter, considering how much fun he's had with it. Great buy!

So far this meter seems to be working alright enough. We have used this on numerous occasions: checking noise level of a window air conditioner to determine if there was any way to dampen the noise level via adding various barriers around window; checking noise level of mowers, tractor, and weed eaters - though we always wear some sort of protective ear gear (plugs or muffs). By measuring equipment we use /have on hand, this gives us a more realistic idea as to what level of noise reduction we want to target / pay for with future replacement or other "noise producing" equipment. I could use this in my business, as I believe the quality is sufficient for the purposes of a very "limited" sound survey.

I have had to send two of these back for the same reason. When I returned the first one, the company said it must have been a defective unit, but the replacement one does the same thing.The problem is that the MIN/MAX function does not work properly. Even when recording very steady sine wave acoustic signals well within the device's measurement range, the unit often reports that the MAX signal value encountered during the recording period was too LO to be recorded. And about as often, that the MIN signal level encountered was too HI to be recorded. This obviously makes no sense, and points to a problem with the device's data acquisition or a software bug.If you just want to look at the numbers flickering by and make a guess about maximum, minimum, and average values over a time period, this might work for you, but for any serious quantitative engineering or scientific work, forget it. It's a hobbyist level tool at best, not a professional tool.

This Extech 407730 decibel sound meter is easy to use right out of the box and it works very well. The instructions are simple and easy to understand and everything worked as expected. I had never owned or used a sound meter before, so I wasn't sure what to expect, and someone told me it can be complicated, but it's "So simple a child could do it", to quote Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy from the original Star Trek (Spock's Brain episode)!Having both the "A" and "C" ratings available to use is a good thing -- make sure you know which one you should use for your particular application (I did some basic web research to learn more). It measures 40 dB to 130 dB, and I was surprised to find that 43 dB is about my basic background noise in my yard, no wind but birds chirping.Also, the "Max Hold" function is great; it keeps the highest rating on the display so if you mount the meter remotely, you can still see what it recorded.I mounted it on a basic camera tripod and it worked fine. It actually has a metal tripod mounting thread, unlike some (expensive) digital cameras that use plastic.The only nits I can pick are: 1) The little foam wind sock that sticks over the end is pretty flimsy and it comes off too easily, but not a biggie; and 2) The battery cover is attached with a tiny Phillips head screw, rather than having a cover that simply snaps on. So you'll need to find a very small #3 Phillips head screwdriver just to remove the batteries, and let's hope you don't have to do this at night or in the bush.It seems well made for what it is -- basic plastic case and slightly mushy rubberized push buttons. The display is easy to read (not sure if it has a light, I only used it during the day).Once you familiarize yourself with the instructions, you pretty much don't have to bother with them again, it's that easy to use. The batteries are the el cheapo type that probably have about 25% of the lifespan of a good pair, but otherwise, this is a very nice unit that's probably way overkill for just recording the neighbor's late night parties. I used it for a basic scientific research project and published the results and it worked fine for that.