How Do I Use DAQ to Measure Sound?

Updated Nov 22, 2023

Environment

Software

  • Sound and Vibration Toolkit
  • LabVIEW

I need to measure sound coming from a speaker. Can I read a microphone into a DAQ device and analyze the signal in LabVIEW? For example, I want to read sound from a microphone and convert the signal to dB.

Yes, you can use analog inputs on a DAQ device that can accept the output signal type of your microphone. You will need to consider signal type and range. Further, you will want to consider the desired accuracy for your application.

First, ensure you understand the basics of measuring sound with microphones.

Second, consider using native LabVIEW analysis functions for signal analysis.

To make this process easier, NI produces hardware and software specifically designed for high quality sound and vibration measurement in many applications.