Note: this is an updated and expanded version of a much older post. It also appears in this same form on ProSoundWeb. There’s a running joke in the system optimization community: “How much time does it take to tune a sound system?” The answer (“as much time as you have”) is often all too true …
Q: Wondering if I could get a hand with using Impulse Response to tune PA as opposed to using TF with Pink Noise. I’m aware of the “Common way” blasting Pink noise, Finding the delay and then storing traces and averaging and making the adjustments. I’m just not familiar with using Impulse Responses. Is there …
As technology marches on, FIR (Finite Impulse Response) loudspeaker presets are becoming increasingly common, and with good reason – they’re not just a marketing buzzword. FIR filters offer some real benefits in pro audio applications – and, like other tool – they come with their own drawbacks and considerations. I am often asked how FIR …
I’ll be honest, I’m pretty jaded when it comes to DSPs (a technically-not-super-accurate blanket term that we often use as a catch-all for system processors, matrix mixers, and the like). FOH control racks in the live / touring world continue to be dominated by the venerable Lake with some Meyer Galileo thrown in for good …
I spent some time today playing with both of these tools designed to allow you to measure In Ear Monitors with an audio analyzer. In this post I’ll be discussing the Audix TM2 and the SLS-Audio MiEMi. Here are my comments on both – please note, this is not intended to be an exhaustive or official review, just …
Rather than deal with the legal and logistical challenges of short-range FM transmission, many drive-in concert events in the U.S. are simply opting to fly PA. My friend and touring mix engineer Fletcher McDermott recently reached out to me as he was preparing to mix a drive-in concert, wondering if I was aware of any …
When I was in high school, I was a member of the Cross Country team. What I found very appealing about that sport was that it wasn’t just about competition with other runners – it was also about competition with yourself – pushing yourself to always improve upon your best results. I feel some of …
When measuring SPL, indicating the frequency weighting curve used for the measurement is critical. Below we see the A (orange) and C (red) weighting curves, the two choices you are likely to encounter on a typical SPL meter, thanks to IEC 61672. Although these weighting curves owe their creation to a failed attempt at emulating …
The wonderful silver lining of our present situation is that the internet is being flooded with all sorts of seminars, online classes, training videos, and the like. I’ve got a bunch of stuff bookmarked to dive into and it feels a bit like trying to drink from a firehouse. However, I’ve stumbled across a few …
One thing that doesn’t usually come into play for general measurement work, but is mission critical for SPL measurements, is headroom. This is a two-part concern. Max SPL To perform properly at concert levels, the measurement mic should be able to withstand levels of up to 140 dB SPL. Many measurement mics hit severe distortion / …