Room EQ Wizard

Mike Dzurko · « **on:** 20 Feb 2008, 06:12 pm »

Anybody know anything about Room EQ Wizard? I've heard some good things about it. It is a free download of what looks to be pretty potent software for measurement. I'm lacking the time to try it myself right now but would love to hear others weigh in. Might be a heck of a tool for those looking to get good measurements of their systems/rooms/subs:

http://www.hometheatershack.com/roomeq/

bpape · « **Reply #1 on:** 20 Feb 2008, 06:15 pm »

It's a great tool - especially for the price

. I use it with a lot of my customers. It's a bit touchy getting levels set right but after that, it's wonderful. I hear rumors that there will be a new version out very soon that has RTA functionality in it which would be great.

Bryan

Mike Dzurko · « **Reply #2 on:** 21 Feb 2008, 08:54 pm »

Thanks Bryan, I figured you'd know about this. So it sounds like something that anyone with a PC and a mic can make effective use of with a little learning curve?

miklorsmith · « **Reply #3 on:** 21 Feb 2008, 09:02 pm »

You probably need a USB preamp too. I got one on ebay for about $100. I've been meaning to measure the room to dial in the bass EQ better but it sounds so good already . . .

Philistine · « **Reply #4 on:** 21 Feb 2008, 09:12 pm »

I was a moderator on the HT Shack forum during their startup - the guide that Sonny put together on the Behringer and the REW from John Mulhay are indispensables. You need the Behringer (whichever one it is today), the Radio Shack SPL meter (this is the microphone) and a usb midi interface (I believe someone like Creative makes one of these). Once its all dialed in you can quickly run a frequency scan, program in the curve you want to see and the wizard automates the filter settings. The first one takes time to setup, but once you've done this its so easy to run.

bpape · « **Reply #5 on:** 21 Feb 2008, 10:23 pm »

If you just want to measure for placement, you don't need the Behringer. If you have a full duplex soundcard and mic or an external mic pre with a USB interface, you're ready to go. You can even just use the ratshack meter as a mic if needed. It's not terribly accurate for exact response but will show you peaks/dips and relative changes as you move things around.

Bryan

griller · « **Reply #6 on:** 22 Feb 2008, 02:28 pm »

I've got a laptop with a soundcard. Any suggestions on a mic-preamp package for under $200 that would do a good job?

miklorsmith · « **Reply #7 on:** 22 Feb 2008, 03:20 pm »

For USB preamps, Hugh at Inguz recommends the Tascam US-122 and M-Audio MobilePre. I have the Tascam and got it on ebay for under $100. It works like a champ.

He also recommends the Behringer ECM8000 for a microphone. I got mine for about $80.

So, you should be able to meet your budget fairly easily.

bpape · « **Reply #8 on:** 22 Feb 2008, 03:33 pm »

If you want to do it cheap and easy, get a RatShack meter and one of these

http://www.jr.com/JRProductPage.process?Product_Code=CLN+SB0490&JRSource=PriceGrabber.datafeed.CLN+SB0490

If your soundcard is full duplex, you won't need the external SB piece - just an adapter cable and a Y cable. The meter isn't perfectly accurate but it's enough to show you where you have issues and is perfectly fine to show relative changes.

The recommendations above will also work very well and are more accurate - albeit more expensive.

Bryan

BradJudy · « **Reply #9 on:** 22 Feb 2008, 03:55 pm »

Yep, good software. As mentioned, for most software like this you need a full duplex soundcard with a two-channel input (many notebooks have a single channel mic-in).

I have an M-Audio Mobile Pre and while it has served me well, they still have only released "beta" drivers for Windows Vista that cause problems if the machine goes into standby with the MobilePre connected. Since it's been more than six months since they have updated this beta driver, I'm not optimistic about the future of Vista support for this device.

I used mine with a calibrated ECM8000 mic and mainly ETF, but also TrueRTA and REQW.

mgalusha · « **Reply #10 on:** 22 Feb 2008, 04:58 pm »

I've got the Behringer ECM8000 as well as a couple of RS meters, one analog (modded for better LF response) and one digital. I picked up a Presonus "TubePRE" from my local Guitar Center to use with the ECM8000 and it works great. The downside is getting both will run you nealy $200, so unless you plan on using them a lot it might be hard to justify. Home Theater Shack has a calibration file for the ECM as well as the RS meters to use with REW. The REW folks strongly suggest not using REW with Vista but as Brad said it will work.

Russtafarian · « **Reply #11 on:** 22 Feb 2008, 05:28 pm »

I also use REW in combination with TrueRTA and they've both helped me dial in my room. The program is free but I ended up spending around $150 on the behringer mic and a mic preamp so I could use it properly.

For around $200, including calibrated microphone, this system looks intriguing:

http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue35/atb.htm

TomS · « **Reply #12 on:** 22 Feb 2008, 05:32 pm »

MikeD

I also use REW, M-Audio pre, and a Radio Shack meter, with RDES and my pair of Titan IILE's. Overall, it's really easy to use and works great for general tuning without a lot of expense. Can't go wrong here.

Tom

BradJudy · « **Reply #13 on:** 23 Feb 2008, 02:04 am »

Quote from: mgalusha on 22 Feb 2008, 04:58 pm

Home Theater Shack has a calibration file for the ECM as well as the RS meters to use with REW.

I've had the opportunity to compare several ECM8000 calibration files and, other than some consistency in very high frequency roll-off, my opinion is that there is not enough consistency between calibration files to make it worthwhile to use a generic calibration file on the ECM8000. It's a pretty flat mic (particularly for the price) and you'll probably add as much error as you remove.

miklorsmith · « **Reply #14 on:** 25 Feb 2008, 03:57 pm »

I've been tweaking my Definition 2 sub EQ for about two months. The EQ is a dbx pro unit, which has self-tuning via pink noise to generate a graphic EQ curve. You have 4 bands of parametric EQ beyond that. There are other setups but this is the one I've been using. This unit has a laptop interface sort of like a TacT unit, though far less sophisticated. Still, for what it is/does it works very well.

I'm running the subs to about 125 hz where the mains start tapering from there in my room but have some output down to 40 hz. I haven't noticed any phase issues in the bass.

Obviously, the potential is tremendous - complete flexibility and honest ability to achieve whatever sound you want in the room. As those experienced with EQ and the like will rue: "Flexibility is the enemy of satisfaction - you always know there's more and will overanalyze." While I've been happy with what I've achieved with an SPL meter, test tones, and paltry understanding of parametric EQ/acoustics, it hasn't been quite "right". Midbass has been plump and low bass not quite as forceful as I'd like.

Well, I sat down with REW this w/e and figgered it out, to a point. There's a ton there I won't ever need, especially since I'm using an external EQ. I was able to get the measurement stuff working though, it's not too hard.

The short story is that in 2 hours, including the upfront learning curve of getting the software operational, I was able to EQ each speaker independently +/- 3 dB from 20 - 200 hz in my room. The target for this exercise was to get "flat". I will likely save this curve in my EQ as a reference and move onto others like TacT does - varying curves for volume levels and/or purpose. Funny, I'm not sure "flat" will be my preference but whenever I need it, it'll be there.

This tool makes quick work of evaluating the working environment and adapting strategies to achieve optimum results. Compared with shooting in the dark it's incredibly effective. Being able to see exactly what's happening and addressing it in a real-time environment is the bees knees - I'm sold.

Dan_ed · « **Reply #15 on:** 25 Feb 2008, 05:36 pm »

Another satisfied user of Room EQ. I use the ECM8000, Rolls Mini preamp w/phantom power and a SoundBlaster external usb card.

Parts Express has the Behringer for $50 and the Rolls for $68. You still will need a couple of cables and probably an adapter or two from Rat Shack. But, at these prices you may as well get the good stuff!

griller · « **Reply #16 on:** 25 Feb 2008, 09:39 pm »

This is very interesting. I looked the the software and it seems very cool. I plan on downloading and sending a donation if I make it work. Planning on ordering a mic and preamp real soon. This looks very promising.

Mike Dzurko · « **Reply #17 on:** 10 Mar 2008, 06:44 pm »

A new version has been uploaded. Haven't checked it out yet:

http://www.hometheatershack.com/foru...0-release.html

bpape · « **Reply #18 on:** 10 Mar 2008, 07:14 pm »

Yup. The version they put out yesterday finally has the RTA functionality built in. The one thing I haven't found though is how to change the depth of the window for waterfalls past 300ms.

Bryan

TRADERXFAN · « **Reply #19 on:** 12 Mar 2008, 12:28 pm »

I tried this program out with a radio shack spl meter as the mic. Just intended for measurement of what I had. It was pretty cool for a while -but then a channel on my (integrated) sound card seems to have gone out! (not blaming the program, just concerned my pc isn't up to pushing that 50' "3.5 to rca" cable or something. Or maybe there was pressure on the inputs from pushing the plugs in? -I don't know Luckily this soundcard has 5 input/outputs that are user configurable so no big deal. I only use 1 of them and the rest of them seem to work fine. I was reluctant to risk damaging another one though.

So this experiment piqued my interest and I thought I would try a behringer deq2496. It seemed a great bang for the buck because moving up to a better mic I would need some kind of preamp with phantom power, and didn't really find any phantom power mic preamp for very much less! So I "bought it now" on ebay. It was a "demo" DEQ2496 that was coming from a pro sound shop somewhere in kansas for $165. They said 100% tested and operational. Luckily same day I received the mic and mic cable and 1/4 to rca converter plugs from parts express for the aux outputs. Hooked it up, went through resetting the configurations, when the thing started crapping out. The screen faded then came back on, then some lights started randomly lighting, then reboot. So I persisted, and got it to the point that I could get some measurements, but it wouldn't stay running very long. Clicks and buzzes. So I told them I needed to return it and they agreed to that, but they are kind of incredulous that it wasn't working, or the box wasn't damaged in shipping...

So I would like to go back to this REW (can't beat the cost!) but I am worried about what is going on with the sound card interface... plus I don't have any means to implement the correction this way, I don't have a squeezebox and if I am going to buy a feedback destroyer I might as well get a new deq, right? Just worried about the reliability of the unit.

Any suggestions?