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 Sound level meter apps? Quieter cabin?

 Created by: miniguydotcom
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 Posted: Aug 13, 2017 01:04PM
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I use the free dB app. I have mainly used it see how loud my neighbors parties are, reaching my house at about 95 decibels, and some of the music at the plaza where the club meets on sSaturday nights (up to 105 db)

I got it after putting the Dynamat on my hood, so I don't know how technically how much it helped, but it made a huge difference. I would have liked to put it on the firewall, but there really isn't room with the exhaust manifold there to melt anything. I also sealed any left over holes in the firewall with silicon dabs and/or little circles of Fatmat that I stamped or cut to fit. In the US I'd be able to buy grommets for some of them.

You don't want exhaust, as that can kill. I'd seal the firewall well, then make sure your tailpipe is where the wind can pull the flow away easily.

I used some aluminized tape on the hood to seal the edges, since the Dynamat Hoodliner is thicker than the cross beams. Be sure to get Hoodliner, not the butyl stuff. I put the butyl Fatmat on my floors.


 Posted: Aug 9, 2017 12:57PM
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Yes twin box RC 40 on a stock 998 with a 2.95 cwp. It was to loud from the get go. I have a fourth generation exhaust shop owner do mine custom. A twin box flows well and whisper quiet. Steve (CTR)

 Posted: Aug 8, 2017 02:02PM
 Edited:  Aug 8, 2017 02:05PM
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Steve/CooperTune:

Was your RC40 a twin-box system?

Like this one that our host sells?

//www.minimania.com/part/RC40/Austin-Mini-Cooper-Exhaust-System-Two-Box-Excluding-The-Front-Pipe

The single-box RC40 sounds great at idle, but is much too loud for me at higher revs.

Also, to me, it seems like the stainless RC40 has more of a "pingy" sound to it. (ie: when it's running)

Which exhaust system do you prefer?

 Posted: Aug 8, 2017 03:41AM
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I don't have a smart phone but I do have a cell. The kids laugh at my phone. A sound level meter would be cool. I'd also like to reduce cabin noise. I had a complete RC 40 side exit system on my car. I removed and threw it away. I found it to loud for me. I'm working on reducing front wheel drive whine. Have had a complete gear set REM treated. Also had the CWP and drops done. Looking at having a new set of pots and CVs done as well. If you are not aware it is a polishing process claimed to reduce drag by 1 hp per 50 produced. It does a great job on SC/CR sets. I also have found the MPI cast LCB carries a double wall down pipe set. So far the largest help has been my gearing selection. 70 mph at 3000 makes a would of difference. Steve (CTR)

 Posted: Aug 7, 2017 06:03PM
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dlawson.. dido on NOT having a cell phone..  nothing worse than I hate being out and see four folks sitting at table or the bar and all looking at their phone..  and sure HATE see them on  a phone TEXTING in the left lane.. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr  

 Posted: Aug 7, 2017 05:34PM
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My answer is "yes and no".  I don't even have a cell phone.  However, at work we have a supplier who is having trouble meeting our sound level requirements on their equipment.  They started making their measurements with phone apps.  We dismissed them and bought a sound level meter.  

In the end, their measurements were within 2 or 3 points on the A weighted scale when compared to our sound level meter.  That is fairly close.  HOWEVER, keep in mind that decibel scales are logarithmic, not linear.  An increase in 10 points is 100 times more sound pressure.

For what you are doing, a cell phone app should be perfectly fine.  You should not concern yourself with the accuracy of the meter but how your attempts at sound deadening affect the reading.  Look for trends, not specific values, and you'll be fine with the app.

Doug L.
 Posted: Aug 7, 2017 03:07PM
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 Has anyone used one of the sound level meter apps for the iPhone?

 

I'm trying to quiet down the cabin of my daily-driver '66 Australian Mk1 Morris Cooper S. I'd like to be able to take some sort of before-and-after measurements when I make modifications.

 

I just downloaded the free NIOSH app (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) after reading a review on the CDC (Center for Disease Control) website.

https://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-blog/2017/01/17/slm-app/

 

I just went from a center-exit Maniflow exhaust to an RC40 twin-box side-exit exhaust (ie: standard steel, not stainless). I think it's quieter, but I really wish I'd taken readings before and after to quantify the results.

 

My goal was to reduce the sound levels and the exhaust smell. (It always seems that I get more exhaust smell from the center-exit systems. Prior to replacing the exhaust, I replaced the cracked and stiff bootlid seal; that helped quite a bit, but it still seemed I was getting some exhaust fumes.)

 

I'd like to add soundproofing to the underside of the bonnet, the bulkhead and the floors. Currently, there's no padding under the carpets at all.

 

Has anyone used the NIOSH apps? Or a different app? Comments?

 

For headphones, there was a lot of great info in the other thread:

"Rosebud is LOUD: Noise Canceling Headphones"

//www.minimania.com/msgThread/121892/1/1/Rosebud_is_LOUD__Noise_Canceling_Headphones