If You have an RTA or spectral analizer, You begin to understand sound once You "see" how the freqīs work in the audible spectrum.
In a PC or Mac based Analysis Software You can get info, that You would never see in the SPL meter or low-price-resolution RTAīs.
Imagine that You are measuring the spl to calibrate your sub.
You have White or Pink Noise, but the speakerīs freq response is 10 dB higher in 80 Hz, the Spl meter will measure those extra 10 dbīs, without noticing the peaking frequency.
There are great High-resolution analyzers based in a computer, which are cheap, easy to use and have a lot of extra tools that You can use.
* Real Time Analysis
* Noise Generator ( Pink & White noise, or choose any freq You want )
* Spectral analysis
* Equipment measurement ( ampīs, receiverīs, eqīs.. )
* Delay times
* levels ( SPL )
* Harmonic distortion calculation
* Room acoustics analysis
All You need is:
A measurement mic. I Use Bruel & Kjaer, but thereīs a great option from Behringer ( ECM-8000 $65 ) that will give excellent results.
Microphone preamp with phantom power ( needed for the condenser micīs ) Behringer ( MIC-800 $50 ) ,also check Tascam, M-audio, Creative...
PC or Mac with line in, or USB ( depends of Your preamp or external sound card )
Mic stand ( camera tripod & Gaff tape should work for a Home T )
Cabling ( XLR-Miniplug, Miniplug-RCA, XLR-XLR ) To interconnect the PC with the preamp, receiver and Measurement mic.
THE BASICS:
*Computer Line out goes into one of the receiverīs line in. ( Noise Generator )
*Measurement Mic goes into the micīs preamp and receives Phantom Power from it.
*Preampīs line out goes into the computerīs line in ( or USB )
The software shoots the generated signal ( Noise or freq ) into the receiver.
The Mic measures the noise that goes out from the speakers, and the software makeīs the required analysis.
HOW TO GET STARTED:
http://www.siasoft.com/pdf/Started-with-SmaartLive.pdf http://www.behringer.com/MIC800/index.cfm?lang=ENG http://www.behringer.com/ECM8000/index.cfm?lang=ENG
SMAART LIVE (30 Day demo ):
http://www.siasoft.com/
SPECTRA RTA ( Demo ):
http://www.soundtechnology.com/RTA132.html
You may download the demo version ( Smaart Live has 30 days ! ) and start to do some experiments.
You can measure the signal that goes out from the computer ( If You Go to
the Recording controls in the sound card properties, Select "Wave out", or "Stereo out " ) and see how the freq response fluctuates when You play any sound signal in the computer ( Music files, or the noise generator that is included in the software )
If You wanna go Pro, read about the transfer function, phase, and spectrogram.