RTA Measurement Method Differences, House Curves and You!

[erinh]

This video discusses the difference in results of measurement methods and why they should be considered in your analysis of results. Especially when a Target/House Curve is used as your goal. These all are based on the typical methods I see used. The first is using a microphone placed at multiple locations and sine swept, one-at-a-time, then averaged together to form a singular response. The second is a moving microphone average with you holding the microphone in front of you while in the seated area. The third is like the second, except you are not physically in the seat holding the microphone; you are behind the seat holding the microphone on a boom or by hand. These methods all result in a different response. The magnitude of differences will vary from situation to situation. But the point is: a difference exists. When trying to match your response to a target curve these differences can have a dramatic effect on the result of your equalization process. It is important to understand these differences exist and understand how different they are in your specific case. I am simply illustrating the fact these differences do exist.

[goatpanda]

This is hilariously timely, thanks for doing this video! I spent the afternoon having a go at matching my tweeters to the JBL house curve, sitting in-seat moving the mic around. I succeeded only in sucking the life out of my tweets, they were smoother yes but so, so dull... I've always been wondering why I never have much luck with house curves, this explains a big part of it!

[jtrosky]

Interesting video!

I quickly learned that tuning to a pre-defined house curve wasn't going to work for me - so I ended up developing my own "customized" house curve, just based on what I know I like my system to sound like - and I use that as a general guide - it at least gives me a good "starting point" to tune towards, which I can then fine-tune from there if/as needed.

I *always* use the same method for measuring (same method, same volume, same pink noise file, etc) - that way, at least the measurements are good for comparing to each other. I just happen to prefer sitting in the seat while doing it, but again, the curve I initially tune towards is one that I know sounds good to me, with me sitting in the seat (not a predefined curve someone else developed). I use the moving MIC method and keep averaging until I stop the measurement manually (basically I keep going until the averaged measurement stops moving).

Really, the biggest thing that measurements do for me are they allow me to get left and right matched as good as possible - and making sure that they are no obvious phase-related dips when measuring multiple speakers together (by comparing the "shape" of multiple-speaker measurements to the individual speaker measurements).