I just measured my Studio Experience 50HD with an spl meter. It was 58db at the projector and about 48db at the seating position (directly beneath it). I've been reading about some of the new 1080p models being loud. Would they be louder than that?

That is quite loud. You should expect a projector to be nearly silent from your seating position. Something in the range of the high 20s to low 30s would be an acceptable number. By the way, each manufacturer seems to have their own way of measuring. The feedback from this forum is very reliable for sound level.

I just measured my Studio Experience 50HD with an spl meter. It was 58db at the projector and about 48db at the seating position (directly beneath it). I've been reading about some of the new 1080p models being loud. Would they be louder than that?

OMG Yes. NO.

How did you measure? 58 db is outrageously loud bordering on intolerable. I'm bugged when my HVAC turns on and puts about 30db of ambient noise into the room. I think the bearings in your fan or color wheel motor must be shot.

I'd have to say that don't miss the color wheel on my last projector (VP12s2). One of the real advantages of the RS1 is that it's MUCH quieter.

This is very loud by the standards of most pjs you will find discussed on this forum.
Most are in the 20-30 db range in their best mode.

I know, it's my first projector and I thought it seemed really loud but I had nothing to compare it to. I just had it in for warranty repair and I mentioned something that I thought it was loud but they never said anything. I actually have to send it back again for repair because it got damaged on return shipping so maybe I'll say something again.

I measured it by setting my radio shack meter to the lowest setting which was 60db and it measured around 55-58db right next to the projector and then it was about 50db a foot above my head in the seating position.

Hopefully they'll send me a new one as I'm not sure if they can fix it this time. The lens seems to have been moved out of place and I can't focus it at all and the case has a bunch of cracks.

Keep in mind that the audibility and irritation of the sound also depends on frequency. 58db at 20hz you wouldn't even be able to hear at all, just as a theoretical example.

Projectors with high frequency noise from lots of small fans may be a LOT more annoying than some other kinds of noises.

That's true.

Thanks for the replies.

I measured one more time with my furnace fan off this time (the projector is way louder than the fan but still). It was still about 58 at the projector but any more than a foot or two from the projector it would drop below 50 and I couldn't measure. So, it's probably less than 48 at the seat but still more than 20-30.

OK nobody measures at the projector - but at 3 feet, it shouldn't be more than 30 dB or so. Always a question with the Rat Shack meters - they can be 10 dB off.
It does sound like you have a bad fan.

Well I sent the projector back friday morning and told the service guy about the noise. Hopefully they'll just send me a new one. I mean the case is cracked, the lens housing has been moved somehow and you can't focus it at all, the fans could be going, and part of the right side of the projected image is screwed up (it is way darker than the left side).

WIth the RS-1, I have found that when you switch the lamp mode, it has a HUGE difference in your perception of fan noise. In the "low" lamp mode, the fan has a MUCH deeper sound, which is not that noticeable. In the "high" lamp mode, the fan noise becomes much more higher pitched. I have not used a DB meter on it yet, but my personal impression is that the "high" mode isn't that MUCH louder, but the fact that the frequency is "higher" it gives off the impression of being a good bit louder. I believe that MOST people are using the "low" lamp mode on the RS-1, anyway. I am currently running it in the "high" mode, but will drop it back down to "low" as soon as I get my new (higher gain) screen installed. I am still using a .8 gain screen, which substanitally reduces the "pop". I can tell that the projector is a "big" upgrade, but at the moment, the brightness is a bit too low...

Lee