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Topic: What is a good RTA?

John Westlund
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 204
From: Burney, CA, USA
Registered: Jun 2001

posted 08-25-2002 01:29 AM

I was wondering what RTA's are out there that are good but dont cost thousands of dollars.
Thanks, John

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Pete Naples
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1565
From: Dunfermline, Scotland
Registered: Feb 2001

posted 08-25-2002 05:42 AM

You can do a lot worse than the Abacus Electrics ARTA80.

I use one of these, absolutely love the thing.
http://www.abacuselectrics.com/arta80.htm

Don't know what it would cost in US$ though.

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Barry Hans
Film Handler

Posts: 92
From: Minneapolis, MN, USA
Registered: May 2000

posted 08-25-2002 09:11 AM

Gold- Line makes an affordable one that does a fair job. I have a Audio Control that is priced in the same area but I have'nt been that impressed by it. I really check into TerraSonde Audio tool box. Ouside of the display size I have heard really good things about it. I know when I was looking the price was always the stumbling point.

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Dave Williams
Wet nipple scene

Posts: 1836
From: Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 08-25-2002 10:04 AM

I happened upon this one. It is a software based RTA. I do not know how well it works, but it's cheap. Like ten bucks, with a two week free trial. Worth a shot anyway.

It is from allen & heath, a very reputable audio company. We use thier boards over at the Hale Theater (stage productions) where I do some work from time to time.
http://www.allen-heath.co.uk/rta.asp

Dave

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Steve Kraus
Film God

Posts: 4094
From: Chicago, IL, USA
Registered: May 2000

posted 08-25-2002 10:30 AM

I'm curious how they would calibrate for an unpredictable microphone.

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Barry Hans
Film Handler

Posts: 92
From: Minneapolis, MN, USA
Registered: May 2000

posted 08-25-2002 11:37 AM

Forgot to mention Ivie. http://www.ivie.com/ Here's links to some other I mentioned also: http://www.terrasonde.com/ http://www.audiocontrolindustrial.com/ http://www.gold-line.com/

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Dave Williams
Wet nipple scene

Posts: 1836
From: Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 08-25-2002 11:59 AM

Unpredictable microphone?

Dave

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Ken Layton
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1452
From: Olympia, Wash. USA
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 08-25-2002 12:35 PM

The Ivie unit is excellent, but hoo boy get out the wallet!

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Frank Angel
Film God

Posts: 5305
From: Brooklyn NY USA
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 08-25-2002 03:09 PM

At one theatre they had a White, which was very expensive but a beauty to use. Now I have a Tenma which does the job, as they say and they have a model in the poor man's price range. They also make reasonably priced oscilloscopes.

My assistant has gotten one of those software RTAs for his laptop. It sure has all the bells and whistles -- does print-outs with graphs and fancy stuff, but I asked the same question....how does it compensate for the microphone? Every RTA I've ever seen had its own lab mic that had to be used with it. How do the software RTAs know what they are listening through or the specs of the audio card for that matter? Doesn't compute for me.

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Steve Kraus
Film God

Posts: 4094
From: Chicago, IL, USA
Registered: May 2000

posted 08-25-2002 05:18 PM

They don't specify what mic to use do they? Therefore the mic response is unpredictable. The computer's sound card might be as well. It says something about doing a calibration first. I may have to download this just to see how they do this because short of setting up in a "known" pink noise soundfield and adjusting the RTA readings so that it matches the known curve I don't know how they do it. Thus I'm curious.

I once did a rudimentary B chain alignment with an RTA that lacked the correct mic by tracing the pink noise curve I got in a known properly aligned room (I think I used the output from the SPL meter) and then setting the EQ so it matched the weird curve from the non-cal mic. Crude but it ended up sounding fine.

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Manny Knowles
"What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???"

Posts: 4247
From: Bloomington, IN, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 08-25-2002 05:21 PM

Maybe they are anticipating a muxer. That doesn't need to be calibrated to the RTA like a single mic, does it? I was told that they just need to be adjusted for SPL matching.

I just did a room (with a CP-45 processor) yesterday with an IVIE IE-30 and I'm very happy with it. I used to like the CP-45 until I realized how IMPOSSIBLE it is to do a proper EQ with the minimal amount of EQ controls they give you. The IVIE is a cute little thing, too.

I have also used one that was made by AudioControl. I think the model number was 3051 or something like that.

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 08-25-2002 07:39 PM

I have an Ivie PC40 that I have had for years now. With occasional tightning up all the screws, and calibration of the unit, its sort of like the Ever ready bunny, just keeps on going. The Ivie filters are ultra high quality as is the mic that comes with it. No complaints, it does what its supposed to.

About a year after I had bought the Ivie I installed my first THX system and got to see first hand what the R-2 is really capable of. I was sold on it and immediately ordered one that I am still using as my primary analyzer today. Its never been any problem except for the one time a carpet installer sliced through one of the mic cables.

The advantages of it over everything else is so clear that I'm not sure how, or why anyone would want to use a single point mic system. I even tried the Ultra Stereo Mic system on the Ivie before I bought the R-2, but there are problems with it. I'm going to let others that use the R-2 chime in here about the advantages and disadvantages.
Mark

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Manny Knowles
"What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???"

Posts: 4247
From: Bloomington, IN, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 08-25-2002 08:24 PM

Mark...please go on about the problems with using the Ultra-Stereo Multiplexer. I just ordered one but I have not received it yet. My tech from the states uses an Ivie and I think my RTA will probably be one of the AudioControl models.

I would like to hear more about the problems you experienced with the USL mic kit. Aren't they Countryman mics?

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Dave Williams
Wet nipple scene

Posts: 1836
From: Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 08-25-2002 09:05 PM

I checked out that allen & heath RTA a bit. It seems like it may lack a few tools needed, but then again, I haven't really tried it. So far as I can tell, you can calibrate your sound card by direct loop, or you can calibrate your microphone, if you have a flat response amp and speaker to put it through. If you don't then you need a calibrated mic to run with it, with the soundcard calibration.

I am going to give this sucker a try this week.

Dave

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

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

posted 08-25-2002 09:37 PM

The USL does an acceptable job I use one with a Goldline DSP30 and at the end of the day it is usually within 1 db compared to my R2 across the board

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