Movement Sound Pressure Level?

**Gannon** · May-28-12, 09:16 AM

I do believe they set a record this year with acoustic power.

We didn't even dare go downtown this weekend, but I was able to measure 70dB average Sound Pressure Level in our driveway in GPP at ten o'clock or so last night. That is using C-weighted averaging, for those who need to know. I measured it because it was beginning to bother us on the way to sleep...we'd been in the backyard all day and were just too wasted to party. I caught 75dB peaks occasionally, but measured only around 60dB up in the bedroom.

Anyone have news on anything they did differently this year, my honey says she's never heard the music over here...and she's been in this house for over fifteen years.

We did take the last few summers' Memorial Days up north...and the year previous I was in the thick of it all at Eph's. Maybe I'm still shell-shocked?!

I wonder how many people's hearing has been pulverized this weekend?! Only the dim approach such things without hearing protection.

Windsorites have trouble with industrial hum, they must LOVE this weekend every year.

Cheers

**Zacha341** · May-28-12, 09:45 AM

^^^^ I gather you are speaking of sounds wafting [[smile) east from the Technofest? Oh, boy... yeah got to be fun in Windsor to hear that.

**Thruster315** · May-28-12, 10:44 AM

I'm sure some residents will say the same of the Woodward Avenue Dream Cruise too. Somebody's always going to be inconvenienced some how some way living in an urban environment.

**gthomas** · May-28-12, 10:52 AM

Yes! I live well over a mile away @ the Coronado Apartments on Second av and can clearly hear and feel the music from Downtown!! I posted on facebook about it! They were ROCKIN the city lastnite!!

**EastsideAl** · May-28-12, 11:11 AM

I certainly have nothing against a party, or the ambient noises of urban life. And I'm sure as hell happy to have things going on in the heart of our city. But that level of noise is really ridiculous and unnecessary, and, much more importantly, dangerous to the long-term hearing of anyone too close to it. The Grand Prix this upcoming weekend won't be as loud here, and I live much closer to it. I would think that attendees could have just as good a time at sound levels that are less dangerous.

**Gannon** · May-28-12, 11:27 AM

Don't get me wrong...I am not against the festival, rather I'm in awe of it.

From direct experience, that springtime of Eph's was amazing. The party was fierce, but the crowds were mostly fun-loving peaceful kids, many from Europe and around the country. Compared to the HoDown, they were total angels.

But the energy they produce...like good fireworks shows, seems to get stronger...better...more intense...every year.

I couldn't get over that it was measureable almost 8 miles away! I haven't done the calculation yet, but with standard temperature and humidity there is a fixed rate of decay or density reduction of SPL over distance. It might be 1dB per 10 feet...gotta look it up. Either way, I expect some crazy figure for my estimated source volume once I do the math for more than 35,000 feet!

Cheers

**Lowell** · May-28-12, 12:39 PM

We didn't even dare go downtown this weekend, but I was able to measure 70dB average Sound Pressure Level in our driveway in GPP at ten o'clock or so last night.That is using C-weighted averaging, for those who need to know. I measured it because it was beginning to bother us on the way to sleep...we'd been in the backyard all day and were just too wasted to party. I caught 75dB peaks occasionally, but measured only around 60dB up in the bedroom.

Reminds of Belle Isle on the road just west of the Coast Guard station.

BTW, where is Goat with his annual rant about the sound traveling to Windsor? Maybe it is being drowned out by the "Windsor Hum".

lol and happy Memorial Day to all.

**p69rrh51** · May-28-12, 12:46 PM

Although I did not have any instruments to measure the level [[very impressive that Gannon has the equipment) the music was very loud at Moross and Kercheval probably 10 plus miles away.

**Zacha341** · May-28-12, 01:21 PM

Wow! You live in the Coronado Apts... I love that building. It looks like the units are like flats, nice a spacious. Does your unit have the big round bay window? How do you like living there?

Originally Posted by gthomas

Yes! I live well over a mile away @ the Coronado Apartments on Second av and can clearly hear and feel the music from Downtown!! I posted on facebook about it! They were ROCKIN the city lastnite!!

**Gannon** · May-28-12, 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by p69rrh51

Although I did not have any instruments to measure the level [[very impressive that Gannon has the equipment) the music was very loud at Moross and Kercheval probably 10 plus miles away.

To be honest, I used my much-less-impressive old analog Radio Shack SPL meter...didn't want to bring out the expensive gear.

I carry that unit around and bring it out to check the volume in various locations...heh.

I am surprised you heard it all the way where you are...that is a long way. I suspect the pulsations of the bass energy cause it to carry further and stronger than usual tones.

It was incredible, but we haven't heard a thing today.

Cheers!

**Wheels** · May-28-12, 07:52 PM

Originally Posted by Gannon

To be honest, I used my much-less-impressive old analog Radio Shack SPL meter...didn't want to bring out the expensive gear.

I carry that unit around and bring it out to check the volume in various locations...heh.

I am surprised you heard it all the way where you are...that is a long way. I suspect the pulsations of the bass energy cause it to carry further and stronger than usual tones.

It was incredible, but we haven't heard a thing today.

Cheers!

I suspect you need to have your meter recalibraited. The company I work for builds Automation and Parts Washers and I can tell you that a full blown engine assembly line has to run at 70db or less at 3 feet distance. You are talking about some 6 miles away? AAAHHHH no! Notta. No way!

**cpanagio** · May-28-12, 08:27 PM

I'm all for fun too but when I have my headphones on full blast and the techno fest is drowning out the music I'm listening to, theres something seriously wrong with that. The city is so beyond desperate for the money that it brings in that it will never do anything about it.

**p69rrh51** · May-28-12, 08:46 PM

Originally Posted by Wheels

I suspect you need to have your meter recalibraited. The company I work for builds Automation and Parts Washers and I can tell you that a full blown engine assembly line has to run at 70db or less at 3 feet distance. You are talking about some 6 miles away? AAAHHHH no! Notta. No way!

Just wondering how many db it has to be for the sound to be loud some 10 miles away?

**Wheels** · May-28-12, 10:10 PM

Originally Posted by p69rrh51

Just wondering how many db it has to be for the sound to be loud some 10 miles away?

Using this calculator 120db at the the source would be down to 40db at 10,000 meters. At 16,00 meters it would be down to 35db. that could be considered loud. It would have to be 150db to still be 70db at 10,000 meters. There would be destruction at the source LOL,

http://www.sengpielaudio.com/calculator-distance.htm

**beachboy** · May-28-12, 11:25 PM

Originally Posted by Wheels

Using this calculator 120db at the the source would be down to 40db at 10,000 meters. At 16,00 meters it would be down to 35db. that could be considered loud. It would have to be 150db to still be 70db at 10,000 meters. There would be destruction at the source LOL,

http://www.sengpielaudio.com/calculator-distance.htm

Bah, some musical pipe organs produce 150db or more at the business end of their high-pressure reeds. For example, the Boardwalk Hall organ in Atlantic City [[the world's largest) has a stop called the Grand Ophicleide on 100 inches of wind, which produces up to 130db at a distance of 1 meter from a resonator. A theatre organ in a pizza parlor that I played many years ago produced 145db at the output of CC on the 16' Bombarde - we measured this using a mic and laboratory SPL meter calibrated for that purpose. The State Trumpet on 50 inches of wind in the West end of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine [[NYC) is painfully loud at the front [[East end) of the nave, approx. two city blocks distant from the source. So organists use earplugs when we tune or practice.

Mr. Gannon ... have you considered that these loud noises might actually be due to Government agencies amplifying these sounds with as-yet-undiscovered mysterious boxes buried in brick walls of the city sewers? Time to call Sherlock Holmes in pursuit of Dr. Moriarty...

**p69rrh51** · May-28-12, 11:28 PM

Originally Posted by Wheels

Using this calculator 120db at the the source would be down to 40db at 10,000 meters. At 16,00 meters it would be down to 35db. that could be considered loud. It would have to be 150db to still be 70db at 10,000 meters. There would be destruction at the source LOL,

http://www.sengpielaudio.com/calculator-distance.htm

Quite a link thx for the info.

**rjlj** · May-28-12, 11:50 PM

Blah blah blah.

Notice how no one from Detroit is complaining.

**courtney** · May-29-12, 12:49 AM

Likely it's just the way the sound was traveling yesterday.

From our backyard both Friday night and Saturday evening [[between Mack and Harper, at about 8 1/2 mile) we were hearing boats like they were on the next street and either the Infinity or Ovation leaving the dock like it was a few houses down. None of those events are eardrum blowing if you're right near them, but the atmosphere was causing them to sound loud and close. It happens fairly regularly, but it's not that noticeable unless the boats or out, or, in your case, some event is going on.

Occurrence · May-29-12, 01:02 AM

I've been reading DEMF wasn't even allowing people to bring water in. I'm wondering why anyone would support this festival now. That's pretty pathetic, especially for an event that use to be free.

**ferndalien** · May-29-12, 08:31 AM

Been to every one - this year had some stellar AV equipment, and with the orientation of the main stage, I'm not surprised the Pointes caught some of the fun. Maybe Ford Auditorium was a blast shield in years past....

Originally Posted by Occurrence

I've been reading DEMF wasn't even allowing people to bring water in. I'm wondering why anyone would support this festival now. That's pretty pathetic, especially for an event that use to be free.

I've been reading that too. And as usual, wasn't that hard to bring water in. Also read that DSLRs were being turned away at the gate, not true. Also read that the customary chalking of the plaza was being killed by the Paxa-man, have plenty of pictures to the contrary.

Why would anyone support this? Maybe to hear some good music, or be exposed to music you've not heard before, or to support local artists that either performed or organized the event? Spare me the whining about having to pay for it - I'll gladly pay to ensure that a world-class event is guaranteed year after year, with the artists guaranteed to be paid, over the sad sight of Derrick May gathering cash donations in at the end of the fest in 2004. Do I love everything about the current incarnation? No, but being able to hear KMS and Jeff Mills on a gorgeous night outweighs the dubstep stage that I'm too old to get. Have to say, if I were the 20-something now I was when I went to my first, I'm pretty sure I'd be in awe of what it is.

**BasementBeat** · May-29-12, 12:59 PM

They were checking bags pretty heavy...at least with me. Had to make a few trips outside the plaza to my "cooler" and rehydrate. Very fun time though.

**adamjab19** · May-29-12, 03:19 PM

The sound was incredible this year. I didn't go last year but had been almost every year before and the one thing I noticed was that ALL of the speakers were on the rigging. There wasn't any subwoofers on the ground that I could tell.

Also for those of you in the midtown area there may have been some sounds from after parties and such that you may have been hearing. Majestic had a party every night from Friday on. Not too mention Old Miami and TV bar.

And the bitching about what you can and can not bring in is so lame. Paxahau runs a great festival and it really has gotten better and better each year. Most gatherings that you pay for do not let you bring in your own beverages and there are often camera restrictions as well....A lot of people and I mean A LOT of people had camel backs on which I am doubt were filled with Smart Water.

**gthomas** · May-29-12, 07:50 PM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

Wow! You live in the Coronado Apts... I love that building. It looks like the units are like flats, nice a spacious. Does your unit have the big round bay window? How do you like living there?

Yes, I love it! In process of being fully renovated within 30 days Yaayy! Huge Units,very spacious loft-like. All are two bedrooms, two full baths. I don't have the bay window but I have huge front-facing windows and a common area exterior space [[shared), beautiful. Very cool mix crowd of neighbors lol..fun and open-minded people of all ages.

Occurrence · May-29-12, 11:36 PM

Originally Posted by ferndalien

Why would anyone support this? Maybe to hear some good music, or be exposed to music you've not heard before, or to support local artists that either performed or organized the event? Spare me the whining about having to pay for it - I'll gladly pay to ensure that a world-class event is guaranteed year after year, with the artists guaranteed to be paid, over the sad sight of Derrick May gathering cash donations in at the end of the fest in 2004. Do I love everything about the current incarnation? No, but being able to hear KMS and Jeff Mills on a gorgeous night outweighs the dubstep stage that I'm too old to get. Have to say, if I were the 20-something now I was when I went to my first, I'm pretty sure I'd be in awe of what it is.

Well since you went and I didn't, I can't really argue. I have heard a lot of stories around the interwebs of people not being allowed to bring water in. Maybe it was B.S or maybe they weren't trying hard enough. Even the corporate whores at Comerica Park let you bring your own water, so I hope it's not true. I'm assume they make enough with ticket sales now where they could let you bring in your own coolers, but that would cut into their profits too much.