Thread: Room measurement tool

So I don't have to search a hundred threads, can someone guide me to Mic/ measuring software to measure my room? Something I don't need an engineering degree to use? I researched it awhile ago and thought I remembered needed to spend around $300 for mic and software? .I see mics like Mini DSP are $109 and software free?

Originally Posted by Puma Cat

Buy one of these and download Room Equalization Wizard from REW Forum for free.

Amazon.com

+1

+ another 1

Originally Posted by Puma Cat

Buy one of these and download Room Equalization Wizard from REW Forum for free.

https://www.amazon.com/miniDSP-UMIK-.../dp/B00N4Q25R8

Ordered, thanks.

Originally Posted by Puma Cat

Buy one of these and download Room Equalization Wizard from REW Forum for free.

Amazon.com

I've heard that this is the best combination, but could you tell those others thinking of going that route how complicated it is to take readings please?

For example I find Dirac Live a PIA. The mic needs to be faced upwards towards the ceiling so I need to remove light fittings around the measurement points, and there are at least 7 measurement locations required (each needing 3 sweeps) to obtain one result.

Does REW allow for a single measurement point (the listenng position) with the mic pointing towards the space between the speakers (single reading) and / or towards each speaker? Thanks. Peter

Originally Posted by nicoff

It is not too complicated to take different measurements. However, like everything else, there is a learning curve.

The need for taking different measurements is not a requirement of REW, rather, it is done to get measurements at the listener position AND its surrounding area (typically about 1-2 feet around listening position).

The measurements can be taken with the microphone pointing toward the speaker or toward the ceiling. However, pointing toward the ceiling is recommended. The microphone is calibrated both ways (on-axis, and 90 degrees) and the corrective adjustment figures are provided for each.

There are companies that will use your measurements and will develop the filters for you. So all you have to do is get the measurements using whichever software you prefer and email the readings to them. Then they send you the files that you can use with, say, Roon or HQP.

Many thanks - very helpful.

Now you mention it, I do remember reading that this mic offers 2 correction curves so I'd probably use the forward facing option. I'm happy taking a small number of readings from around the listening position in order to stretch the very narrow sweet spot that my speakers are notorious for! In fact the lower frequencies of my Avantgarde Duo XD speakers can be manipulated by the dowloadable XD software and Avantgarde can help with correction settings if they see the measured curve. They don't provide a microphone with XD speakers, or the sort of "auto-adjust" that Dirac offers, but some distributors and dealers have measurement kits that may well be based on that mic and REW.

I've used Dirac Live and other DSPs but have never convinced myself that they actually improve the sound. They certainly flatten the curve but they seem to take away a little of the life and excitement from the music. I put this down to the extea signal processing that these DSPs impose on the entire frequency range despite (in Dirac case) adjusting only the sub-500Hz range. Since the XD processing is entirely done in the bass amplifier that's built into Avantgarde speakers, this slight deadening of the music shouldn't be present as the upper range is sent directly and without any filter from the power amp.

Originally Posted by nicoff

In my experience, if done correctly, the cost benefit of applying DSP filters based on the speaker-room response, outweighs by far the benefits of playing around with cables. There is just no comparison. And you can actually ‘see’ (that is, the before and after graphs) and hear the results.

Cables have nothing to do with room measurements. The purpose of a cable is to get an electrical signal from A to B with as little degradation as possible.