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

Environmental noise pollution is nowadays one of the most serious health threats. 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 the frequency analysis. Comparative research was performed in laboratory and field conditions, which showed that, with some limitations, these devices can be useful in analyzing the frequency of environmental noise. This provides an opportunity for reducing the cost of noise analysis experimental work.