How can I improve on the noise of a spectrum shield?

Development Boards Arduino
1

I’m wondering if I can get a lower noise floor than the spectrum shield by building one from scratch with the MSGEQ7.

Implementations that include the right resistors and capacitors are reported (by like one guy) to have 20% of the noise of the spectrum shield.

Everything I see shows people getting noise reading from their spectrum shields between 50 and 70. I’m seeing the same with about 12% variance, meaning some bands range from 55 to 62 even with nothing connected to the audio in.

Basically I am wondering if I can build my own and do better.

Thanks!

2

A followup, I’ve been looking at reports from people who used the MSGEQ7 along with the proper capacitors and resistors and they are reporting about the same noise levels as the shield. There is a “driver” at https://github.com/Stabitha/Spectrum_Shield_Driver that corrects for noise.

Boosting the input so it’s above the noise floor seems like the best solution.

3

A followup, I’ve been looking at reports from people who used the MSGEQ7 along with the proper capacitors and resistors and they are reporting about the same noise levels as the shield. There is a “driver” at https://github.com/Stabitha/Spectrum_Shield_Driver that corrects for noise.

Boosting the input so it’s above the noise floor seems like the best solution.