Ambient Noise sensor specifications

Measures sound pressure in decibels. Sound pressure is sampled every 6 seconds for a duration of 60 milliseconds.

The Ambient Noise sensor samples every 6 seconds but only records a 60-millisecond snippet, with data displayed every 2.5 to 5 minutes.

In terms of noise level, dBA stands for “A-weighted decibels.” It’s a unit of measurement that reflects the relative loudness of sounds as perceived by the human ear. The “A-weighting” filter is applied to the decibel scale (dB) to account for the fact that the human ear is more sensitive to certain frequencies, particularly those in the mid-range, and less sensitive to very low or very high frequencies.

Therefore, dBA provides a more accurate representation of how loud a sound is likely to be experienced by people. This measurement is commonly used in environmental noise assessments, occupational safety, and noise regulation standards.

Wave Enhance is neither a microphone nor a recording device. Samples are collected, used to calculate average noise levels, then permanently deleted. Only average decibel levels are saved for the purposes of rendering historical graphs.

No, the Wave Enhance ambient noise sensor does not pick up or will show on the graph loud noises that occur for short amounts of time. The reason is that the monitor is not recording continuously. The monitor picks up the ambient average over time with small sample sizes, it is not comparable to a baby monitor for example.

Noise intensity decreases significantly with distance, making Wave Enhance suitable for detecting noise nearby, but not for detecting dangerous noise levels from afar.

Yes, orientation affects measurements. For the ambient noise and light sensors, the direction the device faces matters (towards or away from the source). It should not be placed near windows or vents as it could affect the readings.