If you dont have it, buy one NOW

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CyanJaguar

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Anybody who has spent any amount of time mixing will tell you that the number one tool you need is a cheapie SPL meter from radioshack.
 
How much are they and how exactly is it used to help your monitors?
 
http://www.radioshack.com/category.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F011

$50. With a test tone CD, you measure (and then adjust) for flatness of frequency response. The SPL meter attaches to a camera tripod. Set it up about a meter from each speaker and feed the test tones to it, and measure the level of each band. Tweak until you get it as flat as possible and both speakers as similar to one another as possible. It'll take a couple of hours, but you'll learn an awful lot about what's coming out of your monitors.
 
i think i need to try that BUT what if u dont have an adjustable EQ with your monitors? How do you adjust everything? I have a powered sub now that i can adjust but what about everything else?

thanks
 
You move things. The speakers interact with the room. When you move the speakers their response changes. Try it out.
 
Plus,
it helps you know exactly how soft your mixes are in comparison to standard CDs.
IT lets you know if you are monitors are too loud or too soft, and so to compensate the bass and treble
 
FIX THE ROOM - EQ'ing the monitors does absolutely NOTHING for the deficiencies in the physical characteristics of the room - You'll EQ yourself into a hole and wonder why your mixes sound so strange.

That being said - I little "preference tweak" can work, but I'd argue that it's better to either (A) get monitors that sound the way you want so you won't NEED a preference tweak or (B) learn the monitors you have.

But again, learning your monitors is damn near impossible if the room isn't at least "reasonably" tuned - The two interact with each other.

This is why so many use "nearfield monitors" - More direct sound, less interaction with the room.

Still, the room is a very important part of the listening experience (and therefore the mix). There isn't an EQ in the world that can fix null points...
 
Fix The Room

Very good point, but the question was about an SPL meter and that's what I addressed.
 
thanks guys...i went and bought the radio shack SPL meter as shown in the link. Now...dont i need some sort of test tones? is there somthing i can download?

thanks - Louis
 
test tones

http://www.tmenet.com/audio.htm
$25US and it'll last you the rest of your life.

I don't know of any freebies...even Allen & Heath charge for their software pink noise generator. But this has that and much more.
 
If you have the speed, this is an excellent CD, for free. It is, however, 423mb, so not for the faint-hearted connection.
Scroll down to Bink audio test cd.
Download the user guide as well.
Bink is a serious pro.

http://www.binkster.net/extras.shtml
 
cool thanks tenkas.
could someone give me an example of how to use this thing? i guess i would choose the pink noise feature on that free flash program that tenkas put up and then what?

what am i testing here?

sorry for the stupid questions but im a little lost...thanks
 
ok , im downloading that CD too...thanks! Now i just need to know what to do with it lol
 
Dagoob said:
Would something like a Behringer ECM8000, and a copy of Rightmark Audio Analyzer (or similar) work?

DG
Click to expand...

I can't tell if that does RTA functions. It seems like it tests soundcards and digital systems.

You've got the right idea on the mic, though. Lots of people use them with analyzers, because the are really flat, cheap, and their relatively high self-noise isn't a problem for this application.
 
Rickson Gracie said:
ok , im downloading that CD too...thanks! Now i just need to know what to do with it lol
Click to expand...
Check out track 6 and the instructions for using it. Probably the most helpful, after you make sure your sytem polarity is correct.

Be very careful with any of these cds or generators or tones or whatever!! Any of them are capable of damaging your system or ears very easily!!! Always start with the volume all the way down, and turn it down again before going to the next track. Some in the Bink CD in particular are designed to push systems to their limits!!!!
 
Some other software worth checking out:

http://www.acoustisoft.com/SoftwareOverview.html

There is also a file on the site describing the frequency response of the Radio Shack SPL meter.

It's not flat, so I wouldn't use it for critical measurements, according to the site only good to about 5K.
 
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