[Otto]

shawn wrote:

I downloaded the new java and installed the roomeq wizard software. Read the directions, and got stuck. Step 1 was calibrating the system and that's where I am stuck already. I ran a cable from the 'front channel 1/8" jack' output of the xm card to the line-in input and tried to check levels. It didn't work so obviously either I'm an idiot or I'm missing something here.

Hi Shawn, and welcome!

It sounds like you are on the right track. Using the loop back cable provides the means to create a soundcard calibration file. Sounds like that's where you got stuck.

First, is there any sound coming out of the speakers when you are connected the way you are? I.e., if you use the "Generator" feature of REW, you should hear something coming out of your speakers. I would probably select pink noise, and start with your receiver's volume at minimum. If you get nothing at this point, there's something wrong with the output from your PC, or the input to your receiver, or, I suppose, the cable.

Second, are you getting sound back into your PC (i.e, is REW "hearing" anything)? You should be able to use the "Levels" feature of REW to show the output and input levels as seen by REW. You should be able to see the meter move if you talk into the mic or clap your hands, etc. If you are getting nothing into REW, it could be the soundcard, cable, setup, mic or mixer. We can check into those things.

Finally, is it possible that either the input and/or output of the soundcard is muted? Check in "Control Panel" for "Sounds, Speech and Audio Devices" or use the little speaker icon in your "task tray".

If that's all working, let us know, and we can keep looking into it.

My goal was to try and measure the front channel speakers make a graph and use that to adjust the eq. then do the same for the rear speakers, and finally the side speakers. I will add 2 more eq's if I notice a decent difference trying the first one on the front speakers. At the moment I am not worried about the sub as I could not find an eq in the store that focused on the 'sub' range.

Well, if you made it this far, you probably know that most REW/BFD usage is targeted at subs for a few reasons. Many of us are trying to address room nodes that are not part of the sub's intended or anechocally measured frequency response. It's a good and cheap way to fix room nodes, which are excited by the large volume of air moved by the subs. For main speakers, it's easier to handle their reflections by room treatments. Also, the ability to measure in the higher registers is limited in the tools we have. You'll see that as frequencies get higher, the measured response gets really ragged. REW will have a of a time predicting all those peaks, and will definitely be limited by the fact that the BFE has only 12 filters to use. You have 31, which is quite a few more, but are they parametric? Will you be able to adjust gain, bandwidth and frequency, or are your frequencies and bandwidths fixed? Anyway, all that said, please don't think I'm trying to shoot you down. By all means, go for it! Measure and post your graphs before and after. I don't see this come up much, so perhaps you can get a positive and interesting result.

So, I hope that helps, and let us know how it goes, especially if you're still having problems.