STILL / FIELD NOTES
A little more context.
A better measurement.
Practical guides to units, frequencies and repeatable sound comparisons. Built around what Still actually measures.
Average decibels correctly.
Combine comparable level segments using energy and time, with the working shown. →
Using an iPhone as a sound meter: a practical starting point
Set up a repeatable iPhone sound measurement and understand what the reading can tell you.
02dBFS vs dB SPL: why a phone reading can be negative
Understand digital full-scale readings, sound-pressure levels and why there is no universal conversion.
03Reference adjustment for an iPhone sound meter
Prepare a reference comparison, record the setup and understand the limits of a single-point adjustment.
04A, C and Z weighting: choosing a consistent sound view
Understand how frequency weighting changes a sound-level result and why settings belong in your notes.
05Fast, Slow and Impulse response in a sound meter
Why a sound-meter number settles differently with different response settings.
06Leq, maximum and peak: three different questions
Read energy averages and brief extremes without treating them as interchangeable sound measurements.
07How to read a sound spectrum on your iPhone
Explore frequency peaks without confusing a spectrum display with a diagnosis of a sound source.
08Spectrogram vs spectrum: frequency over time
Choose between a frequency snapshot and a history of changing frequency content.
09Octave and third-octave bands: grouped sound frequencies
Understand grouped frequency views and why their numbers differ from individual FFT bins.
10How to compare noise in a room
A repeatable room-noise observation with fixed position, settings and notes.
11Compare fan noise without changing the experiment
Make a repeatable fan or appliance comparison with a sound meter and frequency view.
12A useful sound journal: what to include in a report
Add context, compatible settings and clear units to sound-meter PDF and CSV exports.
13Noise dose: level, time and the reference matter
Understand the inputs behind noise-dose displays and why a phone estimate is not a safety verdict.
14A sound meter without a subscription: Still's pricing
What is free in Still, what the one-time upgrade unlocks, and why the local App Store price matters.
15Still and NIOSH Sound Level Meter: different reasons to choose
An honest comparison of Still's journal workflow and the free, validated NIOSH iOS sound meter.