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Topic: RTA's

Greg Mueller
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1687
From: Port Gamble, WA
Registered: Jun 99

posted 08-11-1999 08:45 PM

Who makes the best Real Time Analyzer? How's the Audio Control SA 3051? Or the Audio Control R130?

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 08-11-1999 09:01 PM

Well, there's a little crappy RTA known as the "R2".

Just kidding. Actually, the R2 unit is what THX uses and is around $6000. It is the best.

The Audio Control units are reliable, but my favorite is the JBL Smaart Pro RTA software. You run it on your laptop and viola...instant RTA! It "laptop" part of it is particularly nice when dealing with SDDS, as you can line up the RTA window directly on top of the SDDS window, making a split screen. Thus, EQing is much quicker since there is no need to constantly change your attention back and forth between two different screens. The software is around $800 from JBL, but can be had cheaper from other vendors, such as Motion Picture Projection Services out of Oklahoma. You can check out the software at http://jblpro.com/pages/software/jblsmpro.htm

Whatever you do, make SURE you get yourself a good multiplexer. In my opinion, EQing with a single mic just doesn't cut it. For the bucks, the Ultra Stereo multiplexer is one of the better ones I've used, although you normally have to balance the mics yourself on the first time setup.

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99

posted 08-13-1999 10:47 AM

The R2 is the best
Second best is the Goldline DSP30 as it has RT60 and NC software for it and there is an interface to a PC
3rd is the Ivie or the Abacuss from the UK
4th is the Audio Control
I have owned and used them all and the Audio Control is just not as good of display. It either bounces to fast or doesn't update quickly enough no happy medium
There is also the PC RTA from a company in Oregon and Smart distributes it and at one time it was beining looked at as the R2 replacement when the original R2 maker went under before THX and That Corp took it over
With any analyser a multiplexer is a must (the R2 and thew PCRTA include it) and the Ultra Stereo is the best add on but you must check the battery regularly becasue as it weakens the SPL readings drop. Goldline also makes one as well

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 08-25-1999 02:16 PM

Without a doubt the R-2 is the best. Its a pain in the butt to haul from theater to theater in a really big plex.....its really better to have an extra person to help you move it around or you'll be putting miles a day on those new sneakers. It also impresses the heck out of your customers to see all that stuff in action.....and the results have always impressed the heck out of them too. I've set up virtually every type of system(Altec,E-V, JBL, HPS-4000, Peavey, Etc) with them and there has always been a positive benefit. Its odd....no one has mentioned IVIE here. Before the R-2 it was THE defacto standard(also used by THX). Works great with the Ultra mic system(if ya like that setup). Actually, its impossible to beat an IE-30 for size, accuracy and reliability....they are in use all over by the armed forces and the government for testing. I still have a dinosaur PC-40 that I prefer to use for mag and "A"chain setups cause I like the decay settings better than the R-2. The PC-40 also does very accurate RT-60 and NC tests as well. I always carry mine in case my PC crashes...at least I not high and dry 300 miles away.

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