U
UhOh
New member
Have you used a room & system setup cd?
If so, which one and are you happy with the results?
If so, which one and are you happy with the results?
Ethan Winer
Acoustics Expert
Oh,
> Have you used a room & system setup cd? <
That approach doesn't work. Most of the test CDs I've seen play sine wave tones at 1/3 octave intervals, and that's far too coarse to assess the true response in a room, especially at low frequencies. More to the point, even if you could measure a room that way, the information you get is not as useful as you'd think. The implication is you can then fix the response using an equalizer, but that doesn't work either.
If you get Electronic Musician magazine, see my article in last month's issue that explains all of this in detail. If you don't get EM, that article is now on the Articles page of my company's site, linked below under my name.
--Ethan
> Have you used a room & system setup cd? <
That approach doesn't work. Most of the test CDs I've seen play sine wave tones at 1/3 octave intervals, and that's far too coarse to assess the true response in a room, especially at low frequencies. More to the point, even if you could measure a room that way, the information you get is not as useful as you'd think. The implication is you can then fix the response using an equalizer, but that doesn't work either.
If you get Electronic Musician magazine, see my article in last month's issue that explains all of this in detail. If you don't get EM, that article is now on the Articles page of my company's site, linked below under my name.
--Ethan
lpdeluxe
The Precision Bass Guy
I'll beg to differ slightly with Mr Winer. The setup CDs are valuable for some low-level tasks, such as setting the level & crossover frequency of subs. To tune a room, I defer to Mr Winer.
In fact, if you want a REAL ear-opening experience, get a CD with frequency sweeps and run it through your speakers! You'll think you died and went to audio purgatory. You can almost hear the room flexing....
This is apart from the issue of bass traps/reflections/diffusion.
In fact, if you want a REAL ear-opening experience, get a CD with frequency sweeps and run it through your speakers! You'll think you died and went to audio purgatory. You can almost hear the room flexing....
This is apart from the issue of bass traps/reflections/diffusion.
Ethan Winer
Acoustics Expert
LP,
> The setup CDs are valuable for some low-level tasks, such as setting the level & crossover frequency of subs. <
Yes, good point. Usually when people ask about setup CDs what they're really hoping for is to use the results to adjust an equalizer to make their room flat. So my responses have become sort of automatic.
Thanks for clarifying.
--Ethan
> The setup CDs are valuable for some low-level tasks, such as setting the level & crossover frequency of subs. <
Yes, good point. Usually when people ask about setup CDs what they're really hoping for is to use the results to adjust an equalizer to make their room flat. So my responses have become sort of automatic.
Thanks for clarifying.
--Ethan
lpdeluxe
The Precision Bass Guy
No problem. I appreciate the amount of time and wisdom you devote to these discussions.
U
UhOh
New member
Thank You for your replies
I read the article and learned some things, Thank You. I especially never thought about the difference when using a commercial cd to set the system and the difference there would be depending on the key the song is in.
I found the following review on one of the setup cd's. I guess what I really want to know: Is if I spend the money on this or another one that's supposedly better will it improve my general listening area for mixing? I understand it's not an end all in perfecting the room.
http://www.audiorevolution.com/equip/testdisc/
I read the article and learned some things, Thank You. I especially never thought about the difference when using a commercial cd to set the system and the difference there would be depending on the key the song is in.
I found the following review on one of the setup cd's. I guess what I really want to know: Is if I spend the money on this or another one that's supposedly better will it improve my general listening area for mixing? I understand it's not an end all in perfecting the room.
http://www.audiorevolution.com/equip/testdisc/
lpdeluxe
The Precision Bass Guy
Here's a link to one I use. http://www.tmenet.com/audio.htm
We all like to believe there's some simple shortcut to making things sound good, without realizing how chaotic acoustic events are. Since I've been seriously listening to sounds in my studio, I find myself in the living room listening to a the sound of an ice cream truck fading down the block, and thinking about the other sounds I hear masking it and its own evolution as it gets more distant...
...and this from a guy who spent his college years racing unmuffled motorcycles!
We all like to believe there's some simple shortcut to making things sound good, without realizing how chaotic acoustic events are. Since I've been seriously listening to sounds in my studio, I find myself in the living room listening to a the sound of an ice cream truck fading down the block, and thinking about the other sounds I hear masking it and its own evolution as it gets more distant...
...and this from a guy who spent his college years racing unmuffled motorcycles!
Ethan Winer
Acoustics Expert
Uh,
> will it improve my general listening area for mixing? <
I don't see how it could do more than identify what's wrong with what you have now. You'll still need to actually fix the problems, which means getting acoustic treatment and bass traps. Maybe such a CD will help you to place your speakers a little better. But that will get you only partway there. The real issue is solving the acoustic problems such a CD tells you about.
--Ethan
> will it improve my general listening area for mixing? <
I don't see how it could do more than identify what's wrong with what you have now. You'll still need to actually fix the problems, which means getting acoustic treatment and bass traps. Maybe such a CD will help you to place your speakers a little better. But that will get you only partway there. The real issue is solving the acoustic problems such a CD tells you about.
--Ethan
U
UhOh
New member
lpdeluxe, Thank You, I'll check it out, You are right about the shortcut method, never pans out the way you hope. Sheez, sometimes I didn't even know I was taking a shortcut and still ended up in UhOh land.
Ethan, You are right, while I can devote an EQ to be set for only the few square feet of my mixing area environment and I believe that will help some. (I'm not concerned with the rest of the room) I will still need to do it right and obtain the sound altering materials. I'm going to try one of the CD's and while waiting for it to arrive I will learn as much as I can about what to do with the results I get from the testing.
Best to both of you
Ethan, You are right, while I can devote an EQ to be set for only the few square feet of my mixing area environment and I believe that will help some. (I'm not concerned with the rest of the room) I will still need to do it right and obtain the sound altering materials. I'm going to try one of the CD's and while waiting for it to arrive I will learn as much as I can about what to do with the results I get from the testing.
Best to both of you
