Spectrum Analyzer

[dabluesman]

Does anyone know of a good spectrum analyzer? It can be software, but I'm not looking for a plug-in type. I would like for it to run on its own. I would perfer 31 or 66 bands. I found one called SpectR-Pro, like the look of it but it doesnt act smooth and I have to use it as a plugin in Cool Edit Pro 2. I really like the one that comes with Gold Wave but I want more bands and I dont want to use Gold Wave just for looking at the analyzer. I tried Samplitude some time ago and I think it had a nice one but then again I would have to use the program just to view it. An other way to go would be a hardware unit, like a rackmount device that has a digital spectrum analyzer read out on it. I've searched google for these but have only found a few EQ's, and most dont even have the analyzer read out. Does anybody know of such a thing? I have a Delta66 soundcard, and it would be perfect if m-audio added a spectrum analyzer to their m-audio delta control panel, but I'm not waiting for that to happen. Does anyone know of any software or hardware that will do what I want? Thanks!

 

[caryindy]

Check this out... audio testbench

http://www.moonaudio.com/softwar5.htm

 

[Middleman]

Try this, its a plug in that works very well.

http://www.brainspawn.com/

 

[dabluesman]

The Spect Analyzer in the audio testbench wouldnt even work, said something about a missing file... That SpectR-Pro is the plug I tried at brainspawn, it's close but not quite what I'm looking for, If it wasnt a plugin it might work for me. Thanks for the links though, please keep them coming!

 

[kylen]

Here's a couple that I use and what I do with them. They vary from hardware to software that I run in a software app - it's not a problem for me to do that usually - sometimes it is though if the app wants to control the sound card. For a while I was using 2 sound cards to get around that (one plays the other records) but now I just use a single sound card.

The software spectrum analyzers that are VST can be plugged in the the VST adpater called CHAINER and run standalone since Chainer can run standalone or as a VST plugin.

Behringer Ultracurve DEQ2496 - I have this hardware device connected to the digital out of my soundcard, my powered monitors are connected directly to the DEQ2496. It has a 1/6 octave spectrum that I use for watching music sontent or judging my room acoustics when I use the 'pink noise' feature and measuring mic. The spectrum has decent normal and peaking decay 'traces' along with an averaging feature. It is a little small to look at since it's a 1 rack unit but you can move around and zoom a bit by readjusting range values. It's very easy to use and get used to.

Ozone3 spectrum (Izotope.com DX plugin) - I use this the most for spectral analysis. It has very good normal, averaging and peaking features. It has 1/3 ocatave, critical bands, and full resolution up to 8192 FFT points. It has 8 overlays so you can take a snapshot of an EQ curve to use as a reference point - a bit like using a grease pencil on a scope !

Curve EQ (voxengo.com VST plugin) - 1/3, 1/6, full scale resolution upto 4096 points (?). It has a damping feature to slow the speed of change down. It has averaging and infinite peak hold. It has a feature that allows you to 'titl' the curve - I have mine tilted to +3dB per octave (resenbles the pink noise curve).

Inspector (Elementalaudio.com VST free) - this plugin has a new version out that has some delay features I think. I use this one to judge rms vs peak headroom when watching the characteristics of reference material.

I have other EQs with spectrum analyzers on them like Firium and Timeworks EQ but they aren't controllable - kind of used just as a reference point.

Happy Spectrum Analyzing !
kylen

 

[dabluesman]

Thanks for the post! I think I found one (at least for the next 20 days...) It's SEK'D Sonoscope Some of it's features are: 32 Bit digital engine, FFT resolution can be from 256 - 65536 points (anything over 8192 seem useless for what I'm doing), Octave band display (spectrum) of 1/1, 1/3, 1/6, 1/9, 1/12, 1/24, Linear and Logarithmic, & frequency weighting. One thing that I really like about it is the "stay on top" button that shrinks up the analyzer and lets me drag it over my CEP2 so I can always see it. It also comes with a VU meter, correlation meter, stereo meter and a sample signal indicator. Now I just need to learn a bit about FFT points, frequency weighting, & windowing (hanning, hammering, blackman & bartlett.) Thanks for the help!

Here is a screenshot of it in action

 

[kylen]

dabluesman - what are you using the spectrum analyzer for - mixing, mastering, re-balancing ro repair work ?

The sonoscope looks pretty good - expecially if you want to float it over CEP. Doesn't CEP's spectrum look about like that - or is it not real time - I forget ?

kylen

 

[caryindy]

here's something similar to the one you have the screenshot of. It's a free one. C_FFT

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/NickWhitehurst/cplugs.htm

 

[dabluesman]

Holy Sh*t! I just realized that Sekd Sonoscope I found costs $300 to register... I guess I'll just have to keep looking.

kylen, I want a spectrum analyzer so that I can "see" what is going on in specific frequencies (mainly for bass, kick drum, and low end on guitars.) I just played around with CEP2 and found some settings in the Frequency Analysis which give me the bar type spectrum in real-time during playback but ONLY during playback. That is one thing I really like about Sonoscope, It can run all the time even when previewing an effect or EQ'ing. I want to be able to open up one of CEP2's EQs (or one of the DirectX plugin EQs) click the preview button (to start playback), cut or boost frequencies (in real-time), and at the same time have the analyzer running so that I can "watch" the effect of my EQ'ing take place (again in real time.) Or should I just get some real monitors and "hear" the frequencies instead of trying to "see" them (Ideally I would like to do both)

Oh, VST plugins dont show up in my Cool Edit Pro 2, just Directx/DSP

 

[grinder]

I don't think the RTA on the Behringer 2496 deq is detailed enough.With only 64 frequency bands, I think you miss out on alot of stuff going on with in between frequencies.Also you can't take a snap shot of a frequency curve to compare to another.The unit has some nice features but, I wouldn't buy it just for the RTA.

 

[kylen]

Hi grinder - I use DEQ2496 for broader curves since it's 1/6 octave (critical bands are 1/3 octave) it's good enough to get a quick general idea of what I'm putting out into the room. Its other features include room measurement and analysis, live sound reinforcement tools and mastering tools.

I use Ozone3 and CurveEQ for higher resolutions all the way thru to full resolution - I usually watch the full resolution wave. Ozone3 other features includes a full mastering suite as well as eq curve overlays and EQ matching. Curve EQ has mastering eq and Eq matching features also.

In the beginning it was easier on my little brain to break the freq spectrum into smaller 1/3 (30 bands), 1/2 and full octave (10 bands) to see how it worked.

Which rta spectrum do you recommend ?

dabluesman - yes for VST plugs to work in CEP you need an adapter like Cakewalks VST Adapter - I use that one. I see what you mean about the CEP spectrum. I have to plug Ozone3 or Inspector into a main bus so I can see something moving all of the time - I'm not sure about preview though I'd have to check. I mostly use the multi-track view and the effects rack when in CEP.

If you're looking at bass freqs (< 300Hz) on a spectrum analyzer I can tell you that it didn't make sense to me untill I moved my speakers about 3 feet away from any wall and added a little bass absorption (couch and some 703). In other words I was exciting a few modes of my room acoustics so I would watch what the rta spectrum indicated but when it hit the room it was way different. I could eq the bottom end but since I was pushing into a room mode it was useless. When I would play the mix on a car stereo it sounded like I had a ton of bricks down there - fatiguing to the ear too !

Like grinder said - if you want a technically accurate view you need full resolution. I switch back and forth - depends on what I'm doing - sometimes I want general curve shapes sometimes all the peaks and valleys. It was a little daunting at first since there are literally many dozens of peaks and valleys to look at and zoom in to in full resolution ! He He - which ones should I EQ is what I kept wondering !

The answer is simple(er) - the one's that need to be EQ'd ! Using good reference material, good tools, and a good listening room I can hear stuff down in there now - being able to see it is a cool bonus too !

kylen

 

[grinder]

Kylen, I'm not really knocking the Behringer, it has some good features and I use it a fair amount.Like you say, the screen is kind of small, making it hard to read.My other beef with the unit is the lack of 1/4" inputs.If I was looking strictly for an RTA, I would shop around for something with more features, probably software.I'm not set up for computer recording, so I went the Behringer route.

 

[kylen]

grinder - Oh yes, I see what you mean, it might not be a single solution in the world of hardware. I'd hate to think what a good hardware high-resolution rta spectrum analyzer would cost. Hmmm

In fact I'm sure I wouldn't be able to tool around much at all if I waited to save up for all that beautiful audio hardware.

kylen