How Loud is YOUR regional

[ZInventor]

I am planning to measure the oregon regional DB level, and want to see what other regionals are like.

IF you have a portable DB meter, and want to participate, please measure the MAX volume at your regional and mark it in the poll

If you don't have a portable meter, click one of the poll items that best describes the volume.

thanks,

-Z

also, here's a table comparing DB values and real things!

[Trying to Help]

Not really sure. I know that I had many conversations at GSR with friends this weekend where I had to shout with my face pretty darn close to theirs. Sometimes you could talk in a reasonable tone too.

I woke up this morning and sounded awful.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Z,
Where did you get your table? Several of the groupings seem off to me. Loud voice should be higher, 40 dbSPL should be nighttime home, etc. Also, were the readings specified as "A" weighted or "C" weighted?

[ZInventor]

Originally Posted by Al Skierkiewicz

Z,
Where did you get your table? Several of the groupings seem off to me. Loud voice should be higher, 40 dbSPL should be nighttime home, etc. Also, were the readings specified as "A" weighted or "C" weighted?

the groupings came with my DB meter... i believe the readings are A weighted, but am not sure... i usually average the two...

my meter is a RadioShack meter, and works quite accurately (i've checked it at a local sound studio)

last year, at the Seattle regional, the readings went above 130dbSPL (the max for my meter) whenever people started stomping on the bleachers... it was, needless to say, earsplittingly loud.

-Z

[Elgin Clock]

Apparently I have a high threshold of pain.
"Standing 2 yards from the speakers at a Rock concert" is ranked above the "Human pain limit"??
Who knew?

[ZInventor]

Originally Posted by Elgin Clock

Apparently I have a high threshold of pain.
"Standing 2 yards from the speakers at a Rock concert" is ranked above the "Human pain limit"??
Who knew?

no, you're just deaf...

really, have you ever thought of hearing protection? it makes the music sound better, since it only block the base...

-Z

[Koko Ed]

DC got incredibly loud due to the metal bleachers and the kids stomping repeatedly on them. It sounded like an approaching storm.
It was really quite impressive.
I expect FLR to be quite loud with 49 teams wedged into the Gordon Fieldhouse and it's designed for spirit (large floor space for teams to basically come down to and get their spirit thang going).
As for standing next to the speakers I was next to the speakers alll weekend in DC. The sound in that opening video actually vibrates through you and I swear it's displaced something internal.

[Elgin Clock]

Originally Posted by Koko Ed

DC got incredibly loud due to the metal bleachers and the kids stomping repeatedly on them. It sounded like an approaching storm.
It was really quite impressive.

Oh darn... I completely forgot about the metal bleachers in CT.
Between that & the Oink Oink Boom team coming this year & the rest of the already loud CT/MA/NY teams attending...
Aye.. I should have gone and voted higher than I did & should have chosen the "Standing next to a jet on takeoff " option!

[flyingcrayons]

jersey was really loud... for most of the last two days, i had to shout to talk to someone in the row in front of me... also, the DRP was one of the loudest things i have ever heard... we had all these crazy chants going on... the weird thing was, we were rooting more for some other peoples's teams than they were...

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Readings showing high levels of foot stomp are almost certainly "C" weighted. "A" weighting simulates the Fletcher-Munson human sensitivity curves which compensates for the reduced sensitivity to low frequencies and slightly reduced highs. I have modified your table with stated levels from a table in the Audio Engineering Handbook by K. Blair Benson from McGraw Hill. It includes OSHA industrial exposure limits but is by no means a comprehensive list.

[RoboMom]

Originally Posted by Koko Ed

DC got incredibly loud due to the metal bleachers and the kids stomping repeatedly on them.

That Blair is such a trouble maker.
I felt for the robot inspectors who were placed right next to the back of bleachers. It must have been very difficult to ask questions at times.

[Rick TYler]

I was scorekeeper at Seattle last year and NEVER took my earplugs out. I'm bringing along my 29db Peltor hearing protectors to wear OVER my earplugs this year.

[DonRotolo]

NJ was definitely a lot less loud than in previous years, specifically from the A/V system. The crowd was kinda loud, to the point of interrupting conversations and causing pain to the ears. Someone even had an amplified megaphone...

I only wanted to have earplugs for maybe 30 minutes, rather than almost the entire weekend.

[Tetraman]

Originally Posted by Koko Ed

I expect FLR to be quite loud with 49 teams wedged into the Gordon Fieldhouse and it's designed for spirit (large floor space for teams to basically come down to and get their spirit thang going).

Yea, I bust out the 'ultimate strength' Tylenol for FLR headaches after hearing all the noise.

[comphappy]

Originally Posted by ZInventor

last year, at the Seattle regional, the readings went above 130dbSPL (the max for my meter) whenever people started stomping on the bleachers... it was, needless to say, earsplittingly loud.

-Z

I am sorry but that was poorly thought out, multiple times another programmer and myself would have to leave the building and program outside. The good news is I don't think there are metal bleachers at Key Arena.

I have a feeling that our robot will be making up for the drop in noise from the stands.
Our shooter takes care our the higher pitch sound, while the conveyor belts take care of the low growl... It is part beast.