Giving the TAD CR-1's a spin!

[joeinid]

Joost,

I would be interested in how you take the room measurements and what software/hardware you use.

[cmalak]

Originally Posted by jdebonth

Cyril, you are absolutely right on all counts. If I hadn't been able to measure my room and tame the severe room modes through EQ filters I would not have been able to live with the Ankaa's for very long. The digital correction of 150Hz and below was VERY effective though and I managed to flatten down to +/- 3dB with RT60 decay times of less than 200ms. So I do feel like I enjoyed the ankaa's to their full potential and I have come to appreciate what Jeff Fritz means when he says that noone does bass better. The way Rockport bass integrates into the whole needs to be heard to be believed.

Of course in a room twice my size the correction would not have been needed and they would have had all the room to breathe.

I had asked my dealer about this prior to purchase and he mentioned there would be NO problems and then went on to show me pictures of a recent installation he did of the Altair's (!) in an even smaller room with some crazy ultra high end gear. I now know he was wrong (can't work out if it was a genuine mistake or if he is not to be trusted).

I am very pleased I am now in a place where I do not require fancy work-arounds to make the speakers work in my room. Of course I still measured with the CR1's and still apply some minor EQ below 150hz for +/- 3dB flatness (just cause I have all the tools available), but I could live without it.

[jdebonth]

Originally Posted by joeinid

Joost,
I would be interested in how you take the room measurements and what software/hardware you use.

Radioshack SPL meter


Behringer ECM8000 measurement mic


M-Audio Fast track mkII microphone preamp


Software to take measurements and generate filters: REW


VST plugin to apply EQ filters in pure music during playback on the macmini: FabFilter ProQ


If interested I can explain the workflow in a different thread, you would need to be using a computer as a source and a player that support VST plugins... It's good though: truly 100% transparent digital EQ with no unnecessary AD/DA conversion.

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by joeinid

Joost,

I would be interested in how you take the room measurements and what software/hardware you use.

Joost pretty much listed it all, Joe.

You can get a calibrated microphone from Dayton for about $80. Just do a search or go to the Room Equalization Wizard forum at Home Theatre Shack. You'll need an M-Audio USB mike preamp for about $100, and in addition to the Radio Shack SPL meter, you will need a microphone stand, and long RCA plug/1/4" mic plug cables, a long mic cable, and a long USB cable. Download Room Equalization Wizard (the REW software Joost referred to above) from Home Theatre Shack. I would recommned the Dayton mike over the Behringer as the guy who sold me mine said the Dayton is more accurate to the NIST traceable standard and shows less variation from mike to mike. It will come with a CD that has a calibration file that you will import into REW so that the software can reference against the measured performance of your mike.

See my post in the recent "Objectivist/Subjectivist" thread to see some of my actual in-room frequency responses.

Joost is using effectively the exact same setup that I am...it works really well, and having some data to look at can really help with speaker placement, listening position placement, and sub integration if required. You will find that pretty much EVERYTHING will have an influence on the measured in-room frequency response, including you sitting in your chair, or shifting the mike/listening position by as little as six inches. Some visual data can really help to optimize things.

[Face]

This is what I use, it's a great all in one solution, no SPL meter needed...: Dayton Audio OmniMic V2 Precision Audio Measurement System 390-792

[Puma Cat]

That looks like a sweet mike and setup, Face, but it looks to be a higher specification than mine. My Dayton mic was about $80 or thereabouts. The REW software from Home Theatre Shack is free, and I bought my USB mic preamp from Amazon for $99.

Here's a pic of my setup with the mic in the listening chair. The little silver box sitting on the red yoga mat (which covers the reflective glass top on the coffee table) is the USB mic preamp. You can see why you need long cables.

[joeinid]

Thanks Joost, Mike, Stephen,

I'll start getting everything together and when my 911's land, I'll get some measurements going and see where I am at with my freq. response. This should be fun.