Question:
I just purchased a Royal Sovereign 9000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner.
I have a Radio Shack Sound Level Meter and at the "A
Weighting" setting (the less sensitive setting) I"m getting a measurement of
62db at around 3 feet from the unit.
I notice that there are other units that are advertised as having lower
sound levels, such as the "Edge Star 9000btu" which is said to have a noise
level of less than 54db, and the "Delonghi PAC-03" which is said to have a
noise level of 50db or less.
Is it likely true that the above two units are actually 8 to 12 db quieter
than mine? I'd hate to go through the trouble of returning the Royal
Soverign only to find that the published specs on the other two units are
false. Should I return the Royal Sovereign and try one of the other units?
Answer:
Check it with C weighting. That lets more low frequencies at the
meter. You'll probalby get a higher reading. A weighting is
appropriate for setting limits for hearing damage, but C weighting
will give you a better idea of what's more annoying.
I would, but then I return most of the stuff that I buy these days.
You simply can't tell unless you try, you can't always trust the
reviews, and the manufacturers want to make their products look as
good on paper as they can get away with.
Seeing as how you'll have to mail order the alternatives, I'd go ahead
and order one while you still have the Sears unit, and compare them.
Then return the noisiest one. If that's still not quiet enough for
you, order the other one and compare it with the one that's quieter
than the Sears one.
The question is, are you bothered enough by the noise so that it's
worth the trouble, the trip back to Sears, and the shipping costs (and
possible restocking fee) of the mail-order units? 62 dBA isn't going
to damage your hearing, but I sure wouldn't want to record with that
racket going on in the control room or studio. I turn off the air
conditioning (and heat) when I record in my house. Recording season
isn't very long around here since we hardly have any Spring and Fall
is sporadic and can't be depended on when scheduling sessions.
