Analysis of the Usefulness of Cheap Audio Recorders for Spectral Measurement of Environmental Noise

Environmental pollution by noise is one of the most serious health threats nowadays. The impact of noise on the human body depends not only on the sound level but also on its spectral distribution. Reliable measurements of the environmental noise spectrum are often hampered by the very high price of top quality measuring devices. This paper explores the possibility of using much cheaper audio recorders for frequency analysis. Comparative research were performed in laboratory and field conditions, which showed that, with some limitations, these devices can be useful for the needs of environmental noise frequency analysis. This fact gives an opportunity for reduce the cost of noise analysis experimental work.