Best Audio Frequency Analyzer?

Ron Resnick

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Jan 24, 2015
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What in your actual, personal experience, is the best professional audio frequency analyzer for segmenting frequency response, measuring reverberation time, etc.?

I am envisioning being able to view a display with accurate frequency segments and twist a knob or move an adjustable Helmholtz resonator and see the response on the display.

This could be a handheld unit or a desktop unit. But please suggest only dedicated devices; not applications on a laptop.

Thank you!
 

microstrip

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What in your actual, personal experience, is the best professional audio frequency analyzer for segmenting frequency response, measuring reverberation time, etc.?

I am envisioning being able to view a display with accurate frequency segments and twist a knob or move an adjustable Helmholtz resonator and see the response on the display.

This could be a handheld unit or a desktop unit. But please suggest only dedicated devices; not applications on a laptop.

Thank you!

It depends on the etc. and the quality of the measurements you need. IMHO if you need something having a performance similar to REW you will have to spend in the tens of thousands of USD. Any special reason for not wanting a laptop? Are you afraid that its digital processing can contaminate your future turntable? :)
 

Folsom

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I think maybe you're wanting a calibrated microphone and an iPad? But once you're there, you need to know what you're doing, and where you're measuring what.

What you're wanting just isn't what people use anymore. It's all complicated software, microphones, ADC's, and computers.

Having any of this stuff doesn't mean you know how to measure diddly, or even know what you're looking at and why. An experienced listener will be more valuable.
 

microstrip

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(...) Having any of this stuff doesn't mean you know how to measure diddly, or even know what you're looking at and why.

Strong point. For example, we can find many sites explaining how to use REW in five lessons, but none adequately explaining what to do with it (or its limitations, BTW)!
 

Kcin

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What in your actual, personal experience, is the best professional audio frequency analyzer for segmenting frequency response, measuring reverberation time, etc.?

I am envisioning being able to view a display with accurate frequency segments and twist a knob or move an adjustable Helmholtz resonator and see the response on the display.

This could be a handheld unit or a desktop unit. But please suggest only dedicated devices; not applications on a laptop.

Thank you!

I use this one:

https://store.acousticfrontiers.com/products/xtz-room-analyzer-ii-pro

Mainly for the relatively good quality calibrated microphone and the software is fairly easy to use. It's full day of trials and adjustments. Not fun but it can get you in the ball park.


A dedicated new device would be tens of thousands unless you buy surplus I would imagine
 

Folsom

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That looks like a good solution.

A microphone and software like that is WAY more powerful of a tool than any "box" solution you can get for any reasonable price. Box solutions are kind of pointless at this point, and they cost huge amounts of money. Maybe it could be useful for someone setting up a large concert in a football stadium, but they aren't going for finesse either...
 

microstrip

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I use this one:

https://store.acousticfrontiers.com/products/xtz-room-analyzer-ii-pro

Mainly for the relatively good quality calibrated microphone and the software is fairly easy to use. It's full day of trials and adjustments. Not fun but it can get you in the ball park.


A dedicated new device would be tens of thousands unless you buy surplus I would imagine

It looks nice. Does it allow detailed decay analysis? Some programs only show the waterfall, but do not allow quantitative analysis of them. It is needed for setting adjustable Helmholtz resonators, as Ron requires.
 

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Folsom

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If the mic is compatible with other software, then just use other software if the stock one doesn't.
 

sbo6

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I would start with REW, any computer and a UMIK-1. It will likely suit all your needs.
 

audioguy

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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If you want "plug and play" (and have $300) the OmniMic product is what I have used for the last 7 years. Has everything I need and then some. You can literally be up and running in 10 minutes. I can't say that for REW (which is also an excellent choice but in my opinion and experience, not as easy to use out of the box).

Measurements:

• SPL meter with A, B, C, or no weighting
• Spectrum analyzer, FFT, or RTA
• Frequency response with phase and impulse response
• Oscilloscope function to view complex waveforms
• Harmonic distortion: 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th harmonics plus THD
• RT60 reverberation: measures sound reflection
• Bass decay function identifies room modes and helps determine proper subwoofer placement
• Polar Plotting, in flat or 3D radar format
• Wavelet Spectrogram (color) to the Waterfall group
• Curve Math for live or added curves
• Auto-naming of repeated FRD measurements; updated
• Snapshots to PNG, BMP, JPG or WMF formats
• Measurement down to 5 Hz
• Energy-Time Curves, with configurable band limiting
• Supports new file-based microphone calibration
• Expanded Help Files
• Printer selection

Go HERE for more information.
 

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
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It depends on the etc. and the quality of the measurements you need. IMHO if you need something having a performance similar to REW you will have to spend in the tens of thousands of USD. Any special reason for not wanting a laptop? Are you afraid that its digital processing can contaminate your future turntable? :)

EXACTLY!

I am afraid a computer in the listening room for any length of time will spray digital electrons far and wide and contaminate the whole place!
 

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
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I have in mind something like this:


C71F53E8-BB36-4172-8065-A21C75B5AC20.jpg
 

Folsom

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I doubt you'll get much use out of it beside personal entertainment (and I don't mean for tuning the stereo).
 

Ron Resnick

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Jan 24, 2015
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So which dedicated device do you like better?
 

Folsom

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So which dedicated device do you like better?

An iPad perhaps that can be loaded with good software. I wouldn't use it for anything else, believe me, I have one sitting in a drawer somewhere... As far as all-in-one things they're far too inferior to consider for home use. Why force yourself to look at a tiny little screen and then have to manually calculate things out? With a computer type device you can save measurements and name them easily, see them on a large screen... The software can analyze things by taking multiple measurements, etc.

With a computer you can look for stored energy and exciting stuff. With the PAA3X what more would you do than adjust the bass up or down?
 

Folsom

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But I'd say in general audiophiles don't really need either. That is unless they're willing to start attaching stuff to speakers and walls, that might not be pretty.
 

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
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. . . With the PAA3X what more would you do than adjust the bass up or down?

That is mostly what I need it to do.
 

Brucemck2

Member Sponsor
May 10, 2010
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Studio Six Digital on a recent vintage iPad works reasonably well.

You’ll need the app, one of their calibrated mics, and their outboard sound card to use the advanced functionality.
 

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