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Test Equipment for those committed to finding the truth about sound (Various levels of spend)

hwest

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I'm getting started on some test equipment to better analyze sound and outputs and overall Home theater sound setups. I was planning to start here with this tester that has what appears to be some good scope capabilities as well: https://www.audiocontrol.com/pro-audio/dm-rta-pro-kit/

I'm looking for feedback from the experts on whether this is a good first move, I have a good base understanding of electronics, audio, etc. Although they show the unit setup with car audio I believe this will work with home audio from what I have been told so far.


Hal
 

Blumlein 88

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I'd start with free, and very capable Room EQ Wizard (REW) and a Umik 1 microphone ($79).



You would also want a good recording interface with ADC capability too.
Something from Focusrite, Motu or similar. Such can cost from less than $200 or more depending upon what you want.

Or alternatively a Quant Asylum for $499 along with the Umik and REW might be a choice for you.
 

sarumbear

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You would also want a good recording interface with ADC capability too.
Something from Focusrite, Motu or similar. Such can cost from less than $200 or more depending upon what you want.
Why do you need an audio interface? The microphone is a USB type.
 

pozz

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Blumlein 88

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Why do you need an audio interface? The microphone is a USB type.
For the ADC capability if he intends to send signals from a device into the test equipment.
Pozz beat me to it.
 

sarumbear

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To measure electrical signals of gear if the OP wants.
I‘m sorry but how can you measure electrical signals, volts, amps, etc. with an audio interface like Focusrite, Motu, etc.?
 

pozz

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I‘m sorry but how can you measure electrical signals, volts, amps, etc. with an audio interface like Focusrite, Motu, etc.?
You can't measure voltage and so forth unless you have the gear (a multimeter, using signals around AC frequency for example) but you can send in a signal and look at the spectrum, etc.
 

sarumbear

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You can't measure voltage and so forth unless you have the gear (a multimeter, using signals around AC frequency for example) but you can send in a signal and look at the spectrum, etc.
I was confused with your use of the term “electrical” signals instead of “audio” signals. All clear now.
 
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hwest

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Thanks guys, I'm glad I got this conversation kicked off as I think many people are interested in testing and contributing here from different angle/points of view. Any additional advice would be helpful just to hear it all.
 

pozz

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I was confused with your use of the term “electrical” signals instead of “audio” signals. All clear now.
Sorry, meant to contrast "electrical" with "acoustical" as measured by a microphone.
 

pozz

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Dayton DATS V3 for speaker drivers.

Would like to see cheap options for headphone and speaker amp loads. Other than building them myself.
 
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hwest

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Anyone looking to just educate themselves here is a good video:
 

sarumbear

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pozz

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Are there still manufacturers left no publishing TS parameters of their drivers? Or that their values don’t tally the shipping drivers?
The latter. But you can also do impedance sweeps under various circumstances (free air, mounted in an enclosure, or check for leaks in a finished speaker).
 

SIY

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A capable person with amateur tools can do far better than someone who only half understands things and has a $100,000 bench.

Start with the question, "What am I actually interested in measuring?" If the answer is acoustic stuff, then REW with a good soundcard and cheap mike will work, assuming you work as well. :) Dedicated acoustic stuff like CLIO will make the learning curve less painful, but it's still going to take some understanding of what the measurement really entails.

If the answer is, "Electronic stuff," you'll generally need more equipment- yes, an excellent soundcard or interface (I use an ADI-2 Pro FS R), more sophisticated software like Virtins MI, an analog electronic interface like the Linear Audio Autoranger, and (if you start getting very granular) a low distortion oscillator like the Vicnic and associated twin T filters.
 

pseudoid

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Snag_3db1e231.png

You mean one of the amazon "BEST sellers" at $17, will not cut it for all you wanted know about audio?:)
 

Doodski

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Thanks guys, I'm glad I got this conversation kicked off as I think many people are interested in testing and contributing here from different angle/points of view. Any additional advice would be helpful just to hear it all.
Are you planning on testing amps? If so you need 8R and 4R non-inductive loads.
 
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