Measuring response with SPL meter and laptop

[Andrew Pratt]

Given that I'll be tweaking my tumult sub in the next day or so I wanted to ask you guys what's the easiest way to measure freq' response directly into my laptop? I have the SPL meter and a cable to connect to my soundcardbut which software should I be using...preferably freeware :W I remember doing it once a long time ago but since then I've just being manually running test tones from a CD and entering those values into Sonnie BFD spread sheet...which works fine its just a little slow for what I want to do with the new sub since I can move it around the room to find an optimal placement for it.

[Bing Fung]

Hey Andrew, I'm not sure I quite understand what your wanting to do. Is it you wan tto measure the Frequency response through a Mic directly into your Lap top?

Or are you wanting a tone generator for the laptop?

If it's the latter, http://www.nch.com.au/tonegen

If it's the former, I don't know This Spectrum analyser Thomas showed me may do it. http://www.qsl.net/dl4yhf/spectra1.html

[Andrew Pratt]

It looks like there's a bunch of RTA shareware/freeware programs here. Has anyone used any of them?

Ah now I remember...thomas you guys used SpectraPlus didn't you? Or was it SpectraRTA132?

[Steve Goff]

I think the preference is for TrueRTA. The free version gives you one-octave RTA, whereas the ones you pay for go all the way to 1/24th-octave RTA.

[Andrew Pratt]

Right I think I tried that one once as well.

[ThomasW]

Andrew,

The evaluation version of SpectraPlus writes to a specific cluster on your hard driver and stays there. You can't fully delete it unless you reformat the drive.

I't's a good program but it's VERY VERY complicated to learn.

I'd just use test tones and Sonnie's Excel sheet. That's about as good as it gets when using the RS meter

[Spearmint]

Andrew

A good package that I use is ETF5 from ETF Acoustics. You can use the package, although you can't save your sweeps unless you purchase the program, other than that the program is fully functional, also there is some great information in the "Demo Room" on their site.

I use both ETF5 & TrueRTA, although for me I find ETF5 the better of the two for calibrating & EQ'ing my subs.

[Andrew Pratt]

Thanks I'll give some of the free versions a try. I'll likely use Sonnies sheet when it comes time to redo the BFD but I just wanted something to give me a quick and dirty curve while I move the sub around the room.

[ThomasW]

Here are some freeware links

http://www.qsl.net/dl4yhf/spectra1.html

http://www.dazyweblabs.com/shannonsoft/page3.html