Impulso vs SoundMeter X
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Impulso
Measure your room's acoustic response and simulate improvements with acoustic products. Visualize reverberation time and optimize room acoustics for different room types. Supports internal or external microphones and impulse sources.
- Acoustic response measurement
- Reverberation time visualization
- Acoustic product simulation
- Room dimension input
- Room type optimization
- Internal/external microphone support
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Impulso Lite allows you to measure the acoustic response of your room using your iPhone. You can visualize the measured reverberation time (RT) in octave bands and then simulate how the acoustic response of your room will be improved when adding artnovion acoustic products. You can enter room dimensions and select the type of room you are designing for. The app will then tell if your room meets the expected RT and you can select products to optimize the response accordingly. Impulso Lite allows you to take a measurement with an internally generated signal if you are able to play it via a loudspeaker system, or using an external impulse source, such as a balloon, if you don’t. Compatible with built-in or external microphones. Check out Impulso Pro for detailed plots of energy time curves, to check for undesirable reflections, a frequency plot, which you can zoom in and a table with the acoustic parameters of your measurements such as C80, D50, STI and Bass Ratio. Impulso Pro also adds tramlines to the RT plot so you can fully optimize the response to meet the criteria for the room type selected. You can also display the spectral response of the microphone input using the new Real Time Analyzer. Check more at www.artnovion.com
SoundMeter X
Transform your device into a professional sound level meter, noise dosimeter, and spectrum analyzer. Log data, calibrate sensitivity, and analyze audio with advanced features. Offers a free trial for premium functionalities.
- Handheld data-logging sound level meter
- Data-logging noise dosimeter
- Real-time octave spectrum analyzer
- Multi-channel data recorder
- Stereo signal generator
- Sensitivity calibration
- Data logging in CSV, TXT, MAT, and PDF
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SoundMeter X turns your iPhone or iPad into a handheld data-logging sound level meter (SLM), data-logging noise dosimeter, stereo signal generator, multi-channel data recorder, and real-time whole or 1/3 octave band spectrum analyzer (subscription or perpetual license required for most features--14-day free trial available). Input signals can be acquired from any available audio input path. Sensitivity calibration can also be performed for any audio input device and/or input channel. Direct hardware support (automatic sensitivity calibration, based on factory-defined values) for The Modal Shop’s 2-channel 485B39 USB-ICP interface and miniDSP’s UMIK-1, UMIK-2, and EARS microphones. In addition to real-time sound level measurements, SoundMeter can stream raw sound data to audio files, and store acquired sound level data, including date, time, and location, in CSV or TXT (tab-delimited) files, MAT-files, or high-resolution PDF images for later retrieval from your device. SoundMeter may be downloaded for free from the App Store. Additional tools and features are offered via in-app purchase. The SoundMeter Pro subscription includes: - User-defined custom metadata in saved audio and data files - Level MeterLp, Leq, Lx sound levels -- Standard Flat, A, C frequency weighting -- Standard Fast, Slow, Impulse time weighting -- Data logging. Data can be logged as often as every 0.1 seconds for up to 8 hours, every second for up to 72 hours, or every 10 seconds for up to two weeks. -- Event notifications - Max Levels Meter -- Traffic-light-style meters make it easy to monitor 2 separate sound level thresholds in 2 independent user-defined frequency bands. -- Define lower (warning) and higher (limit) sound level thresholds for overall (full audio band) levels as well as for individual octave frequency bands. -- Store user-defined thresholds in files for later recall. - Noise Dosimeter -- 8-hour Noise Dose, Projected Dose, TWA calculations -- Criterion Levels: 80, 85, 90 dB -- Exchange Rates: 3, 4, 5 dB -- Data logging. Data can be logged as often as every 0.1 seconds for up to 8 hours, every second for up to 72 hours, or every 10 seconds for up to two weeks. - Real-time Octave Spectrum Analyzer (RTA) -- Lp, Leq, Lx sound levels -- Supports whole or 1/3-octave frequency bands -- Standard Flat, A, C frequency weighting -- Standard Fast, Slow, Impulse time weighting -- NC, RNC, and NR references curves, NC, SIL, and NR values -- Data logging. Data can be logged as often as every 0.1 seconds for up to 8 hours, every second for up to 72 hours, or every 10 seconds for up to two weeks. - Multi-channel Data Recorder -- Supports up to 8 channels -- Live monitoring of recorded data -- Metadata (including calibrated sensitivity) embedded in audio file (AIF, CAF, WAV), optionally saved in separate data file - Stereo Signal Generator -- Left and right outputs assigned to arbitrary hardware output channels -- Random and pseudorandom (periodic) noise sequences with white or pink spectrum -- Linear and logarithmic frequency sweeps -- Dual periodic waveforms with arbitrary frequency and phase difference - MultiTool -- Powerful data monitoring and project management (Add 2-6 subtools, depending on screen size, and save configurations for easy recall at a later time.) The SignalScope X Pro Tool Set subscription can be shared between SoundMeter X and SignalScope X. It unlocks all tools and features of the SoundMeter Pro subscription in SoundMeter X and all tools and features of the Pro Tool Set subscription in SignalScope X (iCloud login required). Learn more about SoundMeter X at FaberAcoustical.com. Subscription Terms: - https://www.faberacoustical.com/apps/subscriptions/terms.html Privacy Policy: - https://www.faberacoustical.com/about/privacy.html Terms and Conditions for FaberAcoustical.com: https://www.faberacoustical.com/about/terms.html
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: SoundMeter X at 3.6 against Impulso's 1.6. SoundMeter X also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months) and review sentiment (23% vs 12%). Impulso's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 7) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 18.6). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. SoundMeter X sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Impulso asks for nothing beyond the download.
SoundMeter X holds the better App Store score, 3.6 against 1.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 16 and 45 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 12% of Impulso's written reviews are positive against 23% of SoundMeter X's.
Impulso ships an update every 3 months, SoundMeter X every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Impulso | SoundMeter X |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 1.6 (16 ratings) | 3.6 (45 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 11.5% of reviews | 22.6% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 16 | 45 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 18.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 24 MB | 18 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Artnovion LDA | Faber Acoustical, LLC |
Customer experience
Impulso
SoundMeter X
In-app purchases
Impulso
No in-app purchases
SoundMeter X
- SoundMeter Pro, 1 Month14 Days trial$4.991 Month
- Pro Tool Set, 1 Month14 Days trial$24.991 Month
- SoundMeter Pro, 1 Year14 Days trial$49.991 Year
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- Pro Tool Set, 1 Year14 Days trial$249.991 Year
- 14-day Free Trial, SoundMeter ProFree
- SoundMeter Pro 2026 Upgrade$29.99
- SoundMeter Pro 2026$99.99
Questions
Is Impulso free?
Is SoundMeter X free?
Which has better reviews, Impulso or SoundMeter X?
Do Impulso or SoundMeter X have ads?
Which is updated more often, Impulso or SoundMeter X?
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