I have a pressure signal and want to do SPL analysis on it

1. How is SPL measured?
2. Is SPL the same as dB?
3. What is the reference level for dB SPL?
4. What is overall sound pressure level?

How is SPL measured?

The unit measure of SPL is decibels (dB). It is measured with a Sound Pressure Level Meter, such as the Pulsar Nova. Sound enters the meter through a microphone, and then the meter evaluates the sound values by converting them into electrical information and the measurement values in decibels are displayed.

Is SPL the same as dB?

Sound pressure level, or SPL, is a measurement of sound pressure that uses Pascals (Pa) as its unit of measurement. We convert that into the more popular decibel scale or dB scale.

What is the reference level for dB SPL?

When the decibel is used to give the sound level for a single sound rather than a ratio, then a reference level must be chosen. For sound intensity, the reference level (for air) is usually chosen as 20 micropascals, or 0.02 mPa.

What is overall sound pressure level?

Recordings of interior noise can be analysed to obtain the following metrics: • Overall sound pressure level. This would normally be A-weighted for sound pressure levels below 55 dB (re 20 micro-pascals) and C-weighted for sound pressure levels in the range of 55–85 dB (Bies and Hansen, 1996).