Topic: Finding the sweet spot w/ Room EQ Wizard?

[sunjan]

Room EQ Wizard is donationware that shows how the frequencies are reflected in a room.

I found a mention here on the playback subforum:
http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=79890.0

But my understanding is that REW is also good for recording:
http://www.homebrewedmusic.com/2009/02/19/acoustic-treatment-heres-what-were-trying-to-fix/

I guess this could be really useful for those bringing laptop to a venue, with plenty of time to move around, maybe during soundcheck?
You wouldn't have to rely just on your ears, but will also get graphic confirmation on the screen which spot gives you the most accurate rendition.

Maybe it's also useful when comparing different mic configurations, when selecting whether to runt NOS/ORTF/DIN at any specific venue? Or am I drawing the conclusion too far?

Did anyone here try it?

[Gutbucket]

Room EQ Wizard is measurement software, mostly useful in smaller domestic living room sized spaced for analysing room modes in the bass region. Some FOH engineers use software that includes similar analyisis tools to help tune the PA system to the room, but I don't think using this software as you envision it would be helpful in choosing the best location for recording. 

It's an interesting idea, but even from a purely practical standpoint, you need to send a test signal through the PA system for each measurement position you wanted to check.  Then you'd get end up with detailed data which would be difficult to near impossible interperate correctly, and which really only adresses one aspect of importance.

If you have the opportunity to get in during sound check to find the best recording position, simply walking around and listening for the best sounding location is the best bet.  Doing that not only allows you to easily assess the room/bass qualilties at the potential recodring positions in a nearly instantaneous and intuitive way but will also give you far more information about alot of other things that are important to a good recording. The ear/brain gestalt sonic analysis tool is simply unmatched.

[SmokinJoe]

If the FOH used such a system to ring out the room, you might think that setting up right next to him would work, and there is validity to that.  And actually one of our standard tactics is that if you set up next to the board, the FOH dials it in so it sounds good to him at that spot, computerized analyzer or not.

Philosophical question for you.... why doesn't the sound guy run FOB? 

[page]

Philosophical question for you.... why doesn't the sound guy run FOB?

I can think of two specific local venues right off the bat (The National & Jefferson Theaters) where it seems that an unfortunate amount of checking in front of their mixing console occurs. I think part of it is either inexperience or unfamiliarity with the material/room. That said, I can think of one (Capital Ale House) where the house guy *never* leaves his seat, and he does a good job, although he does say that our tapes will do better further up (due to crowd noise and S/N ratio) than by the sbd, the mix is rather solid further back (IMHO).

[run_run_run]

Philosophical question for you.... why doesn't the sound guy run FOB?

Pragmatic issue in the end IMO; every good sound guy would prefer to run the board at the "best" spot. Notices at Unity when The Brew play's they NEVER use the house board and they set up closer and more centered.