The Gear Required for Measuring Actual or Simulated Pickleball Sound
Field testing: Any field test of pickleball sound should include a measurement of background noise levels. Pickleball sound during testing can come from players or from recordings of pickleball sound played on a sufficiently powerful speaker system. Field measurements also requires a means of measuring sound levels using the appropriate sound metrics and a calbrated measurement instrument. A phone does not quailfy since its metric is usually unknown and it is uncalibrated.
Measuring sound levels: measurements can be done directly with a sound levels meter. Three are pictured on the right, a basic model like this Tadeto SL720, a more accurate ANSI Class 2 model, the 840018 made by Sper Scientific and a Lab grade Class 1 model offered by Sper. These meters are shown on the right.
Measurements can also be done remotely by sending audio recordings to PSL, using with a calbrated audio recorder. PSL offers three models, the FRS-1. FRS-2 and FRS-3 and these are shown in the lower right side photo.
The sound source:If experienced players are available and if the weather permits, you have an aceptable sound source, although knowledge of the paddles and balls being used makes the data less than completely dependable.
An alternative method is to obtain the SBS-1 sound player from PSL. It is a calibrated high power commercial Boombox with a programmed sd card installed that will generate uniform pickleball sound levels at as loud as high level pickleball play or at an adjusted lower level that can simulate the likely results if certain sound mitigations steps are employed. The Boombox currently used by PSL, a Bugani 60 watt model, is shown in the upper left of the top photo.
