What xover program & mic should I get....... (1 Viewer)

[Chris Carswell]

Decided to get serious so I am taking the plunge & going to get some software & a mic. Problem is which to get?
I'll address the mic issue 1st. I remember reading somewhere in older posts that there was a $40 mic that measure real flat & was the best bang for the buck. Does anyone remember where I can find it or what it is? I think it is the Behringer ECM8000. I thought about doing the modification to my RS SPL meter & using that but I would just rather get a the mic. Unless of course the panisonic cartridge WM-60AY modified RS meter measures flatter than the $40 mic.
What about the microphone pre-amp issue? I heard the Rolls PB23 for $45 is a good deal. I am lost here though. Do I have to get one? Can't I just plug it into my sound card? If I do have to get one it seems best/cheaper if I just modify my RS SPL meter since it is powered & wouldn't need a preamp. Please advise.
Programs & measuring software. I plan to continue to use Unibox & WinISD for box work for the time being. I think both these programs are great & easy to use. Oh yah, the price was right as well .
I know there are a few main players out there for xover & measurement work. This is the popular short list that I have come up with. There are a few words of opinion for each:
LspCAD, $130: Very popular, great product, total package & comes with with JustMLS measuring software, good price, can be a little tricky for the 1st timer.
SoundEasy, $225: A complete package as well, little complex, not as good as LspCAD which is less $$$.
Xover3Pro, $90: Easy to use, CHEAP, no measuring software.
Winspeakerz + TrueRTA $80: Cheap as well, software not as good as some of the others.
CLIO, $600: I think this one goes without saying
WinMLS 2000 $80: Just measurements software, no xover program.
ETF: Just measuring software, no xover program.
If there is anything I am missing or forgot to consider LMK. Look forward to hearing what you guys think about these choices.

 

[Isaac C]

ETF: Just measuring software, no xover program.

I took a quick glance at ETF a while back, but I'd imagine SoundEasy's new measurement and post-processing routines could do the same things.
If I had to buy software 'now', I'd purchase SoundEasy. It has probably the best filter simulation segment, it includes 3 types of room simulation algorithms and you can simulate any box you'd care to imagine. One could use calculated or measured data, which you could import from its built-in electrical/acoustical measurement routines.
If you'd like to wait for the next revisions of the above-mentioned software, Link Removed and the various tools from the FRD Group should be more than enough for most DIY needs
Isaac

 

[Chris Carswell]

Hi Issac & thanks for the reply.

I current am using Speakerworkshop. For what it costs vs. what it does it's great. It is a pain having to create frd files by tracing a graph. A lot of room for error. How does LspCAD & SoundEasy go about getting their frequency responses of the drivers used? Do you take a measurement of the driver in the baffle to be used then enter in the T/S parameters then calculate a xover from this info?

LspCAD 6 ??? Cool. I'm in no big rush to buy so waiting isn't a problem.

 

[Isaac C]

SW is a great tool, if only Mark Z. could change it a bit to address interface difficulties. Here is a good sample design process with SW.
Exactly. You'd build the boxes, mount the drivers and then measure the electrical and acoustical characteristics of the design. You'd then proceed to filter design, simulation, construction, testing and tweaking. T/S parameters are not really needed when you have measurements, you'd use them perhaps to get initial values for textbook filters and impedance comp. circuits etc.
Yep, LspCAD 6 has been unofficially/officially announced here

 

[Dan Hine]

Isaac,
I have actually been looking at Winspeakerz and rather like the demo. Is there something particular that you don't like about it that you wouldn't mind sharing? Also, do you have any idea when next year LspCAD-6 may come out? Saying "anytime next year" is pretty vague.

 

[Isaac C]

Dan,
It's not that I don't like it. It's just that the same features can be found in freeware tools.
You'd have to email Ingemar for news on the new LspCAD, I have a feeling the new code will be even more cool

 

[Mark_E_Smith]

My 2 cents after having used X-overPro for a while, it will get you in the ball park and it did predict the phase and response curve fairly well BUT once you need to do notch filters or other non- standard additions it cant handle it, it can design a notch, but it cant model it. :frowning: I am looking for something that will. The CLIO is great and looking at all that it does RTA, T/S etc its alot of stuff in one piece of equipment. Maybe if you found some partners a group could go into a CLIO together. Mine collects dust most of the days, untill its time to start another project.

 

[Jonathan M]

I current am using Speakerworkshop. For what it costs vs. what it does it's great. It is a pain having to create frd files by tracing a graph. A lot of room for error.

SW offers measurement of impedance/frequency response as well as importing. I have also used SPL Tools from the FRD consortium to input data - works quite well, albeit a little time consuming! One thing I have found is that phase response is a little strange with SW (At least on my measurement setup)

I'd personally wait it out for a while with SW until the new versions of LspCAD etc. hit the streets.

 

[Chris Carswell]

Anybody hear anything new about LspCAD 6?

 

[ThomasW]

Here's info from the man himself

Date: Mon Dec 30, 2002 2:52 pm
Subject: Happy new year


Wish you a happy new year 2003.

You have not heard much on the LspCAD side lately, main reason is that the software development team has locked themself in a closet with a diet of only banas and milk, if all things work out for the better they you be able to present an exciting release 6 sometime after the summer.
A very early alpha release has been sent to a very limited number of persons a few weeks ago, just to get a grip about how they felt about the user interface, which will differ greatly from earlier releases but still be easy to use.
At this moment I will not be able to give you more details about the capabilities or price policy for release 6.

Regards
Ingemar

 

[Shawn Solar]

I has just wondering and not trying to bust in on this thread but what kind of soundcard and equipement does one need. I'm looking at getting a laptop so I can do RTA of customers' HT and audio distribution. programs for room anaylasis and such. I've heard the term full duplex sound card and such. Time to do some research. I want to do it but I want to do it right.