About SoundsMeter
We believe measuring noise should be as easy as opening a web page, and as trustworthy as a real instrument.
Why we built this
Most “decibel meter” apps and websites are either cluttered with pop-ups, locked behind subscriptions, or quietly inaccurate because they leave the browser’s voice processing switched on. We wanted a sound meter we would happily use ourselves: fast, beautiful, honest about its limits, and free.
How it works
SoundsMeter uses the Web Audio API to read your microphone in real time. The signal passes through standards-based A, C or Z frequency-weighting filters (modelled on IEC 61672), then Fast (125 ms) or Slow (1 s) exponential time weighting, exactly like a hardware sound level meter. From that we compute the equivalent continuous level (Leq), maximum, minimum and peak.
We explicitly disable echo cancellation, noise suppression and automatic gain control, which would otherwise distort readings. Because every microphone has a different sensitivity, you can calibrate once against a reference meter and your offset is remembered for that microphone. The full signal chain is documented on ourmethodology page.
Privacy first
Audio never leaves your device. We do not record, store or upload sound. All analysis happens locally in your browser. Read our privacy policy for details.
Accuracy and limits
A phone or laptop microphone is not a certified Class 1 or Class 2 instrument. Uncalibrated readings are typically within a few decibels in everyday ranges; calibrated readings can be within 1–2 dB for steady sounds. For legal, regulatory or occupational compliance measurements, always use a certified sound level meter.
Get in touch
Feedback, bug reports and translation suggestions are very welcome. See our contact page.