STILL / FIELD NOTES 05

Fast, Slow and Impulse response in a sound meter

Time response controls how a level display follows changing sound. A faster response follows changes more readily; a slower response smooths the display over a longer interval. This setting is separate from frequency weighting and from the total length of your session.

September 8, 2026 · Arve Tech, maker of Still

A steadier number is not greater accuracy

Slow response can make a fluctuating display easier to read, but it does not remove microphone error or calibrate the device. Short events may look different across response settings. Peak and maximum are also distinct measurements, so keep their labels.

Choose before the comparison

Still offers Fast, Slow and Impulse response. Record the selected response and keep it unchanged when you want to compare sessions. If you deliberately switch it, label the result as a settings comparison rather than a change in the room.

Try a repeatable approach

1. Decide whether you are observing steady sound or changes over time.
2. Record response, weighting and session duration.
3. Repeat with identical settings when comparing a physical change.

Source and scope

Brüel & Kjær: environmental noise measurement handbook

Measurement guidance is educational. Still is not a certified sound level meter and does not establish medical, legal or workplace-compliance conclusions. App-specific statements describe version 1.0.0, currently awaiting App Store review.