Cross-Spectrum

Noise control comedy

Savant linked to this slightly morbid but very funny animation about a bad night in an apartment building.

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Calibrated Behringer ECM8000 microphones for sale

Since I started my microphone measurement service, one of the questions I'm asked the most is "do you sell calibrated Behringer ECM8000 microphones?"

The answer to the question was no... until today.

I am pleased to announce that Cross-Spectrum Labs will be selling individually calibrated Behringer ECM8000 microphones. Each microphone will ship with a report of its specific measured characteristics as well as a mini-CD with the data in electronic format. The price is $100 plus shipping ($10 USPS Priority Mail or you can select parcel post, UPS or FedEx).

I'm in the process of setting up an automated online ordering process for the mics. For now, you'll have to contract me through my online form to order mics. Payment is currently handled through PayPal but the automated process will allow you to use credit cards without going through PayPal.

Please note that quantities, for now, are extremely limit. The mics that you see on the sales page are what I have in stock. The popularity of the program will determine how many I stock at any one time and how often I restock. If you wish to purchase a mic, use the form and let me know the serial number of the mic you wish to purchase. First come, first served. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

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iPods and Hearing Loss

Time has posted a brief discussion with Children's Hospital Boston's ( and two-time GBC-ASA guest speaker) Dr. Brian Fligor about hearing loss and iPods.

Two things that Dr. Fligor emphasized in his GBC-ASA presentations and in this article:

Hearing loss is not only a potential problem for iPods - other portable music players (inlcuding digital media/mp3 and analog tape players) can put out enough volume to damage your hearing.
Hearing loss is not directly a function of the type of headset/earbud you're using. It's a function of loudness. The earbud at a quiet volume will have less potential for hearing loss than the circumaural headphone at high volume. There is the issue that earbuds may let more ambient sound into your ear which in turn requires you to turn the volume up to hear the music over the ambient noise but that's a different phenomenon.

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Loud music in bars makes you drink more

It's not big secret that alcohol is the real money-maker in restaurants. It's also pretty clear to readers of this blog that restaurants are loud.

Put one and one together and you get "Loud Music in Bars Hastens Drinking":

The observations took place over three Saturday nights, with the consent of the bar owners who allowed the volume of the bar music -- primarily top 40 tunes -- to be adjusted randomly (from 72 dB, considered normal, up to 88 dB, considered high) throughout each night.

Finding that higher volumes appeared to egg the men on to drink more and faster, the researchers theorized that louder background sound might be stimulating higher arousal levels among the patrons. They also considered the possibility that louder music might simply make verbal communication less viable, leading to more drinking as a result of less opportunity to interact socially.

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Quick Links - Noise from Children and Smokers

Unintended consequences: "Smoking ban causes rise in noise complaints"
"The Noise Children Make Is a Growing Source of Complaints" - once again, noise control needs to be incorporated into building design, not bolted-on as an afterthought. Also, check out the related article "Getting a Handle on Apartment Noise."

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