REW For Simple Desktop Speakers?

[HarmonicTHD]

What do you mean by, “. . . increase the buffers in REW”?

There is a menu in REW, I think where you also set the mic and speaker level, where you can set buffer sizes. I am traveling so I can’t send you a screenshot to better explain.

 

[wacomme]

No always point the mic up and use the 90deg calibration file for listening position measurements.


For close in, less than 1m driver measurements, you point the mic directly at the center of the driver to be measured. Not relevant for your application where you want to correct for room modes and reflections.

Ahh. Then I need to measure again. I’ll check the CPU settings too, and if I still get the R roll off, I’ll switch monitors to see if I have a faulty monitor.

 

[wacomme]

No always point the mic up and use the 90deg calibration file for listening position measurements.


For close in, less than 1m driver measurements, you point the mic directly at the center of the driver to be measured. Not relevant for your application where you want to correct for room modes and reflections.

I’m only 2.7 ft. from each monitor - not greater than 1m. Does that matter?

 

[HarmonicTHD]

I’m only 2.7 ft. from each monitor - not greater than 1m. Does that matter?

No. You want to capture the room response not the driver response. So point it up.

 

[wacomme]

BTW - I’m using a SMSL DO100 dac and a Topping L50 amp.

 

[Trell]

Ahh. Then I need to measure again. I’ll check the CPU settings too, and if I still get the R roll off, I’ll switch monitors to see if I have a faulty monitor.

Check that you use the correct calibration file that corresponds to mic orientation in REW. Pointing mic up it should be the 90 degree one.

 

[HarmonicTHD]

What do you mean by, “. . . increase the buffers in REW”?

Now I found it. See the manual, they provide a screenshot - see buffers are set to 16k in the example. First set the CPU to full clock speed and if that does not work double the buffer size.

Getting set up for measuring

www.roomeqwizard.com

 

[wacomme]

Are you using a Topping DAC?

Topping D50s Fault - Right Channel Broken Above 6Khz

I found some time to play with REW today with a view to trying the moving mic measurement technique. However, when I started doing to some test sweeps, I noticed that right channel on my Topping D50s appears to be broken. Here's what I see in REW (Blue is right speaker driven by right...

www.audiosciencereview.com

It's one of the reasons I use MMM.

I’m hoping the 5K dip isn’t caused by my dac, but I’ll keep the possibility in mind. However, I don’t understand why that would imply using the MMM method.

 

[wacomme]

Should I also test L/R loudness settings for each monitor to make sure they’re even - considering that they’re equal distance from my head? I presume this is easy to do within REW and the umik-1

 

[HarmonicTHD]

I’m hoping the 5K dip isn’t caused by my dac, but I’ll keep the possibility in mind. However, I don’t understand why that would imply using the MMM method.

There is no connection btw MMM and the 5k drop. The MMM method requires a bit less CPU power afik. Therefore crank it up.

 

[HarmonicTHD]

Should I also test L/R loudness settings for each monitor to make sure they’re even - considering that they’re equal distance from my head? I presume this is easy to do within REW and the umik-1

It would come out in your separate LR measurements anyhow.

 

[Trell]

Should I also test L/R loudness settings for each monitor to make sure they’re even - considering that they’re equal distance from my head? I presume this is easy to do within REW and the umik-1

Setting level using REW would be nice though I've not used it for that as GLM does this for me, and similar for Audyssey XT32 in my living room.

 

[wacomme]

It would come out in your separate LR measurements anyhow.

So, from my measurements, the monitor loudness is even. Is that correct?

 

[Berwhale]

I’m hoping the 5K dip isn’t caused by my dac, but I’ll keep the possibility in mind. However, I don’t understand why that would imply using the MMM method.

The auto shut off issue with the R channel on my Topping D50s DAC meant that I could not easily measure my monitors separately (i.e. without swapping cables around). This, coupled with my experience with iLoud's ARC3 software where (IIRC) I need to take measurements from 27 positions (9 on 3 separate horizontal planes) made the simplicity and speed of MMM seem very attractive.

When I compared corrections generated from standard measurements, MMM and ARC3, I could tell the difference between them, but I could not conclude that I consistently preferred one over the others. I therefore stuck with MMM as it was the simplest for me in my situation.

I should add that these experiments were carried out a couple of years ago and I have a different DAC now, so I do intend to revisit all of the above when I can find some time to do so.

 

[wacomme]

As for the 5kHz roll off. Try switching speakers and channels just to exclude any fault with them. However I assume your computer is not quick enough. Make sure it is in full power and not energy saving or economy mode, where the CPU is throttled when not loaded. Secondly you can increase the buffers in REW. This will most likely solve it, at least it once did for me.

I checked my computer (M1 Macbook Air) and it seems to be running in full power - it's plugged in and doesn't have energy saver on. I will try switching monitors to see if there's a monitor issue.

 

[Trell]

That would be great!

REW from MLP today, not so nice around xover. Should do new GLM calibration with GLM 4.2 along with new REW measurement.

 

[HarmonicTHD]

I checked my computer (M1 Macbook Air) and it seems to be running in full power - it's plugged in and doesn't have energy saver on. I will try switching monitors to see if there's a monitor issue.

Did you increase the buffers?

I don’t have Mac so for PC one can switch to a mode that the CPU always runs at its highest clockspeed. Good luck.

 

[dc655321]

I’m hoping the 5K dip isn’t caused by my dac, but I’ll keep the possibility in mind. However, I don’t understand why that would imply using the MMM method.

Can you drive the speakers directly from the Mac? This could eliminate the DAC as the source of the 5kHz drop.

Also, nothing you’re doing with respect to audio is taxing your computer. Do not be concerned.

 

[Trell]

Can you drive the speakers directly from the Mac? This could eliminate the DAC as the source of the 5kHz drop.

Also, nothing you’re doing with respect to audio is taxing your computer. Do not be concerned.

REW won't allow different interface for ADC and DAC, but that is possible to work around in Windows with ASIO4ALL. For MacOS I don't know.

The sharp 5K drop should be quite audible though so your suggestion of another DAC ought to work for just confirmation.

 

[wacomme]

Did you increase the buffers?

I don’t have Mac so for PC one can switch to a mode that the CPU always runs at its highest clockspeed. Good luck.

I will increase the buffer in REW, but I don't think there is anything I can do with my Mac CPU clockspeed.