My neighbour has installed a spa and I believe the pump is emitting a low frequency which keeps me up a lot of the night. My wife and kids cannot hear it but it is loud to me and it’s making me miserable. Can your software detect this sound and if so what do I need to buy in the way of microphones to record it so I can prove I am not going insane!
Audacity can record any signal that you send to it (via the computer sound system). The problem is getting the sound from the outside world into the computer.
Microphones typically “roll off” (reduce) the level of very low frequencies so as to avoid problems with rumbling sounds in the recording.
“Measurement microphones” (such as: http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/ECM8000.aspx) tend to be “flatter” (less “roll off”) than other mics, but still don’t go below 20 Hz (very low for typical “audio”, but may not be low enough for mechanical vibrations).
Specialist devices exist for measuring vibrations down to extremely low frequencies and are used for measuring geological vibrations, machine noise, and so on, but these are generally very expensive and not readily available as consumer products.
We have previously had several long running discussions on the forum about similar issues, but have not been able to find a satisfactory solution other than directing the person to seek help from a professional, such as their local council or environmental health organization. If the vibration is so strong that it causes crockery to rattle, then you can video that. For lower level vibration it is very difficult to measure without specialist equipment.