Microphone for EQ Room Wizard

**Carter Asbill** · **02-27-07, 07:01 PM**

Can someone tell me what type of Microphone is best to use when using the EQ Room Wizard to evaluate a listening room and what quality Mic will do?
I also would appreciate any recommendations on a Mic.

Thanks very much.

Carter

**Julien43** · **02-27-07, 07:38 PM**

While it is certainly not the "best" measurement microphone, the Behringer ECM 8000 is highly recommended

It is, basically flat, inexpensive and there is a calibration file for that mic

It does require phantom power, so the cost of an mic pre may have to be added to the bottom line

**Wayne A. Pflughaupt** · **02-27-07, 08:16 PM**

Welcome to the Forum, Carter!

The Behringer is a good mic (in conjunction with the calibration file) if you want reasonably accurate full range readings out to 20 kHz or so. If all you want to do is measure your subwoofers, the venerable Radio Shack SPL meter will do. Most of us already have one (you should too, if you don’t already).

Regards,
Wayne

**rabiddawgs** · **03-01-07, 10:33 PM**

i also have this question. im new to this and not really sure what im doing. but my brother has a mic that he uses for his band. would this work? its not a high priced one but its not a cheap one either.

**brucek** · **03-02-07, 03:20 AM**

Quote:

would this work?

No, unless you have a calibration file for it or can verify that it is perfectly flat over the frequencies of interest.

brucek

**rabiddawgs** · **03-02-07, 07:57 PM**

where would i go to find out if there is a calibration file for it.

**Sonnie** · **03-02-07, 08:23 PM**

You probably would not find a calibration file for it, not to mention it probably isn't a measurement mic, although it might still work if you had it calibrated.

**Danny** · **03-02-07, 09:58 PM**

What type of mic is it, you could probably go to the manufacturer site and check it out, i know the Shures have the responses

**rabiddawgs** · **03-05-07, 09:17 PM**

im not sure what kind it is i will have to give my brother a call and find out.

are there any lower cost alternatives. i cant justify spending that much just for a mic to use once or maybe twice.

**dmccombs** · **03-12-07, 12:49 PM**

I am getting a ECM 8000 with my new SMS-1. Will the SMS-1 act as a 'mic pre'?

I would like to use the ECM 8000 with REW to see what is happening in my room (above the sub range).

Quote:

Julien43 wrote:

While it is certainly not the "best" measurement microphone, the Behringer ECM 8000 is highly recommended. It is, basically flat, inexpensive and there is a calibration file for that mic

It does require phantom power, so the cost of an mic pre may have to be added to the bottom line

**brucek** · **03-12-07, 01:11 PM**

Quote:

I am getting a ECM 8000 with my new SMS-1. Will the SMS-1 act as a 'mic pre'?

The SMS-1 comes with its own microphone and internal calibration file. I don't know if its an electret condenser type like the ECM (that requires a phantom voltage). Why would you purchase an ECM8000 to use with the SMS ?

brucek

**dmccombs** · **03-12-07, 01:23 PM**

Bruce,

I think the mic that comes with the SMS-1 is a ECM 8000.

Regards,
Darrell

**brucek** · **03-12-07, 01:56 PM**

Quote:

I think the mic that comes with the SMS-1 is a ECM 8000.

Interesting, I didn't know that.

I can't see anywhere in the pdf of the sms users manual where they breakout the microphone preamp to transmit the information to external devices. Then you might wonder, even if they did, is the calibration applied at that point anyway.....

You'll need a behringer mic preamp to use the ECM8000 with REW....

brucek

**dmccombs** · **03-12-07, 02:02 PM**

I see the SMS-1 has a pass through, but I don't know if this will do it.

**brucek** · **03-12-07, 02:10 PM**

Quote:

I see the SMS-1 has a pass through, but I don't know if this will do it.

The pass-through is for feeding the un-equalized line level from the SMS-1 to a second SMS-1 unit.

brucek

**dmccombs** · **03-12-07, 02:35 PM**

What about using the LFE Out?

**brucek** · **03-12-07, 02:57 PM**

Quote:

What about using the LFE Out?

That's the equalized line-level signal to your subwoofer. (in both balanced (XLR) and unbalanced (RCA) connectors....

brucek

**dmccombs** · **03-12-07, 03:49 PM**

So what kind of mic pre do I need to buy for a EMC 8000?
Thanks for the input Bruce. While I may not like the answers, I do appreciate your help. ;-)

I will have a laptop, RS Meter, SMS-1, EMC 8000, and I will still have to buy a mic pre to measure above 500-1k hz?

What about an intgrated amp that has an XLR input? I have one of those.

Otherwise, what kind of mic pre do I need to buy for a EMC 8000?

**brucek** · **03-12-07, 04:53 PM**

Quote:

What about an intgrated amp that has an XLR input? I have one of those.

No, you need a proper low level microphone preamp with integrated phantom supply to use with the ECM8000.

The Behringer XENYX 802 preamp is the one that everyone uses. It has the pahantom voltage required for the ECM8000.

The model they used to sell before they renamed it XENYX was the EURORACK 802 (identical product really). You may see these on e-bay. Its the model I have.

The XENYX802 retails about $79.

The ECM and 802 preamp with a calibration file (on the shack site) is a fairly accurate combo that is good for all frequencies...

brucek

**mace** · **03-14-07, 09:28 PM**

Quote:

brucek wrote:

No, you need a proper low level microphone preamp with integrated phantom supply to use with the ECM8000.

The Behringer XENYX 802 preamp is the one that everyone uses. It has the pahantom voltage required for the ECM8000.

The model they used to sell before they renamed it XENYX was the EURORACK 802 (identical product really). You may see these on e-bay. Its the model I have.

The XENYX802 retails about $79.

The ECM and 802 preamp with a calibration file (on the shack site) is a fairly accurate combo that is good for all frequencies...

brucek

You can also get a the M-Audio brand "AudioBuddy" for a nice, clean, low noise mic pre-amp (with phantom power). it is two channel as well, although phantom power is either "on" or "off" for both channels (they can't be controlled seperately). I have had good luck with this little box (runs off of AC power) and the ECM-8000 as well as several brands of instrument/voice mics for recording into GarageBand. I'd swear when I got it 2 years ago it was only $30 but maybe my memory is fried! If I really did pay $80 for it I wish I would've gotten the Bheringer.

http://www.zzounds.com/item--THKMIMAB0

Mace

**Sonnie** · **03-14-07, 10:53 PM**

That one looks like it functions similarly to the MIC100 from Behringer, which is only $39. Not sure why we would be using it anyway... it has phantom power.

**brucek** · **03-15-07, 09:52 AM**

The MIC100 is a tube preamp. Its response would have to be considered in addition to the ECM calibration. Not really suitable. Whenever you read the word 'warm' when describing a product, besides the harmonics implication, insert the words 'crappy response'....

**mace** · **03-21-07, 10:04 PM**

Quote:

Sonnie wrote:

That one looks like it functions similarly to the MIC100 from Behringer, which is only $39. Not sure why we would be using it anyway... it has phantom power.

Doesn't the ECM8000 require phantom power?

Mace

**Sonnie** · **03-21-07, 10:14 PM**

Quote:

brucek wrote:

The MIC100 is a tube preamp. Its response would have to be considered in addition to the ECM calibration. Not really suitable. Whenever you read the word 'warm' when describing a product, besides the harmonics implication, insert the words 'crappy response'....

lol... I didn't think about it that way. Some folks do like "warm" though...

Quote:

mace wrote:

Doesn't the ECM8000 require phantom power?

Yes!

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