|
Does RTA microphone = Calibrated microphone ? |
Post Reply 
|
| Author | ||
Radius 
Registered User 
Joined: 30 January 2019 Location: UK Status: Offline Points: 102 |
 Post Options
 Thanks(0)
 Quote Reply
 Topic: Does RTA microphone = Calibrated microphone ?Posted: 23 February 2019 at 11:19am |
|
|
Just trying to figure if I can get away with using a calibrated mic for the Driverack PA2, or if I need to get the pricy mic they want to flow as an accessory....
|
||
 |
||
|
pfly
Old Croc 
Joined: 25 October 2007 Location: Helsinki, Fin Status: Offline Points: 2828 |
Post Options
Thanks(1)
Quote Reply
Posted: 23 February 2019 at 12:17pm |
|
|
If you're just using single microphone for your system tuning and you aren't measuring any SPL stuff, you don't need microphone to calibrated. Most differences between different microphone models are in extreme highest octave and extreme lowest octave and to be honest that's kind of stuff that you should adjust with your ears anyway.
Edited by pfly - 23 February 2019 at 12:18pm |
||
|
||
|
Radius
Registered User
Joined: 30 January 2019 Location: UK Status: Offline Points: 102 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 28 February 2019 at 6:23pm |
|
|
HI man
I think I will be trying to measure all that good SPL stuff in time. .. Can't get over how darn helpful everyone is..its really nice ! thanks ! |
||
|
||
|
Conanski
Old Croc
Joined: 26 January 2006 Location: Ottawa, Canada Status: Offline Points: 2543 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 01 March 2019 at 2:02am |
|
|
The deal with calibrated mics is... it's only "calibrated" if the hardware the mic is connected to has that mic's correction file loaded, and yes that file will be specific to that individual mic. So unless the two were matched at the factory and sold as a package a random DBX mic won't be any more accurate than any other quality test mic.
|
||
|
||
|
odc04r
Old Croc
Joined: 12 July 2006 Location: Sarfampton Status: Offline Points: 5482 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 01 March 2019 at 8:53am |
|
|
All you really need from a mic is a guarantee from the manufacturer that it has been tested and found to have a frequency response that is flat to an expected level and bandwidth. If you are just making your first journey into SPL measurements I wouldn't bother for now. I'd just get an ECM800, they hold their value fairly well if you keep it neat in case and want to upgrade in the future. You'll likely find that how you measure your cabs and where you do it has a bigger effect anyway.
|
||
|
||
|
Earplug
Old Croc
Joined: 03 January 2012 Location: Europe Status: Offline Points: 7216 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 01 March 2019 at 1:04pm |
|
Yup - or worse. A few years back, I was helping out designing and testing some monitors. We were using SMAART with a couple of very expensive measurement mics. Then one day - as a joke, one of the techs brings in a 2€ PC mic and runs some tests. Guess what? The 2€ jobbie gave results almost as good as the pro mics. There obvioulsy were differences, but for basic testing, I wouldn´t bother with anything expensive. A waste of money.
|
||
|
Earplugs Are For Wimps!
|
||
|
||
|
pfly
Old Croc
Joined: 25 October 2007 Location: Helsinki, Fin Status: Offline Points: 2828 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 03 March 2019 at 1:45am |
|
|
There would be at least two different things that calibrating a mic could refer to. First one would be to have calibration file for that individual microphone to compensate its frequency response variations. Second one would be SPL calibration that would include microphone and mic preamp to make sensible SPL measurements. This is done with microphone calibrator. Calibrator has a hole where you put microphone, calibrator makes reference noise, typically 1kHz sine at 94dB. You then tell your SPL measurement software / device that right now with that particular signal chain it is hearing 94dB signal. Microphone behaviour varies by age. If you need to use several microphones to tune large systems efficiently, it makes sense to have more expensive microphones and ideally have them matched to begin with. As far as I know more serious stuff tends to not vary sooo much as they age.
|
||
|
||
|
Chris Grimshaw
Registered User
Joined: 10 September 2018 Location: Sheffield Status: Offline Points: 281 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 11 March 2019 at 10:15pm |
|
There'll be differences when you crank it - the good measurement mics are fine above 140dB. My Beyerdynamic MM1 is well into distortion at that point, so I have to take it far away from the speakers to keep the mic happy Chris
|
||
|
Quality sound from Sheffield
www.grimshawaudio.com |
||
|
||
|
Earplug
Old Croc
Joined: 03 January 2012 Location: Europe Status: Offline Points: 7216 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 12 March 2019 at 6:46pm |
|
I´d also want to be far away if you´re kicking out over 140dB!   |
||
|
Earplugs Are For Wimps!
|
||
|
||
|
toastyghost
The 10,000 Points Club 
Joined: 09 January 2007 Location: Manchester Status: Offline Points: 10919 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 12 March 2019 at 7:13pm |
|
|
Does that graph mean I can take legal action against crying babies?
|
||
|
||
|
monkeypuzzle
Young Croc 
Joined: 25 January 2005 Status: Offline Points: 924 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 12 March 2019 at 10:45pm |
|
|
And London Underground!
|
||
|
blah blah blah blah blah......
|
||
|
||
|
odc04r
Old Croc
Joined: 12 July 2006 Location: Sarfampton Status: Offline Points: 5482 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 13 March 2019 at 9:53am |
|
I would be surprised if someone's neighbour had not at somepoint in the past... Those little bastards can wear you down, even when they're yours.
|
||
|
||
|
Post Reply
|
|
| Tweet |
| Forum Jump | Forum Permissions You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot create polls in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum |
Topic Options
Conanski wrote: