Using TrueRTA to tune Omnitop 15

[KTOKTO]

Hello,

I recently purchased the 1/3rd octave trueRTA to flatten the response on our bands PA system. (omnitop 15 and titan 48, behringer 31 band eq)

I am a complete rookie here and am looking for some help to ensure I am using the software properly.

This is what I did last night, please let me know if I am doing something wrong or missed something.

1) plugged behringer ecm8000 in to small mixer for phantom power

2) plugged output of small mixer in to Truerta laptop's mic input

3) plugged laptop's headphone output in to PA mixers input and generated pink noise through the PA

4) loaded ecm8000 calibration file in to trueRTA and started RTA

5) adjusted bands on the 31 band EQ up or down until all bands in trueRTA looked close to the same level



Is this close to the correct procedure for tuning the PA for room? I didn't go through any input or output calibration on the laptop. I am assuming this is not critical for what I am doing because I am just looking at relative values of each eq band.

We have a show coming up in two weeks and I want to make sure I've got this down before that night.


Thanks!

[Chris_Allen]

That looks good to me, as long as there is no EQ going on between the mic input and mixer output.

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

That looks good to me, as long as there is no EQ going on between the mic input and mixer output.

+1, but keep in mind that only gives a base EQ for the room. You still have to notch out feedback, and of course do any tweaks as required to sound as good as possible.

[DJPhatman]

And, that EQ "base-line" is only good for that particular room, with that placement. Since you now have the pieces, take the whole rig outside, somewhere where there are no obstructions at least 50 feet in any direction, and measure there. That should be your base-line EQ curve.

[KTOKTO]

Good to hear I was on the right track.

One last question about mic placement.where is the best place to take the measurement at the gig? I am assuming on a mic stand back by the mixer board in the back of the room. Is this a correct assumption?

[DJPhatman]

For in-room, you should take multiple measurements in different spots, then "average out" the EQ to get the best over-all sound to the most audience area.

[BrentEvans]

Good to hear I was on the right track.

One last question about mic placement.where is the best place to take the measurement at the gig? I am assuming on a mic stand back by the mixer board in the back of the room. Is this a correct assumption?

Not usually. You want to take multiple readings, at different places in the seating area. I try to get the mic at about "head height" and point it towards the nearest speaker stack. You want to take readings front, middle, and back, and left, center, right of a seating section. If you have time to do only one, go dead center of a seating section.

[KTOKTO]

Thanks again for the assistance. I used trueRTA for the first time at our show Saturday. The difference in sound was amazing.

Here are a couple video clips. I posted this on another post but I figure I would do it again for those following this thread. I might sound a little distant on the chorus of Uprising but thats because I use some thick reverb and delay to cover up if my voice cracks.

With RTA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9R008NijP5Y


Without RTA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzSDm0uUBY8

[KTOKTO]

A quick question. How many db should I play my pink noise over the PA at when I am measuring with the RTA?

I ran somewhere in the upper 70s last time. Just wondering what the correct level is.

thanks

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

Loud enough to mask environmental noises.