A PS Audio cellphone app?

This viewer wishes PS would make a cellphone app to setup speakers.

[itschubbwithans]

Modern cell phones have LiDAR built in. There are already apps that architects, interior designers, and realtors use to map rooms and home exteriors. I can see this being a feature used to map and help set up a listening room or space.

[LessTalkMoreDelicious]

I have a good question if you don’t mind… 🙏

With all things equal (such as same woofer driver, hf driver, frequency response specs, bass ext., crossovers, cab material, parts, etc., etc.), does a bigger cabinet sound better than a smaller cabinet?

Why do bigger cabinets sound better, fuller, “bigger” and have more depth than smaller cabinets?

Example… I have Yamaha HS8 that goes down to 39hz… but, much bigger cabinets w/ 12” woofers which also go down to only 39hz sound much bigger/better… is this due to the bigger cabinet size and/or woofer?

A double bass, grand piano or harp sound huge in person… is this due to their large cabinet size?

[spacemissing]

Neh.
Phones should be used for phone calls.
Audio equipment and accessories should be used for setting up sound systems.

[PSA]

Short story long:
Software like REW have a function to estimate the response at the listening position. But it's just a basic estimate, it doesn't include furniture etc.
I noticed on my measurements that it actually was better than what the software calculated, but also different.
Lots of small things have changed the audio, removing a big TV bench in between and mounting it on the wall (well I actually made my own really low bench that have square tubes poking up so I can use the wall mount), changing from leather to fabric couch, and of course acoustic treatment.
Could a computer calculate it all, probably, but you would need All the data (like is the walls and furniture reflecting or absorbing, and to what degree, and so on).
If you don't want All that work, go by the basic rules suggested by Paul and others from the data points you can collect without creating an engineering firm, buy a $100-200 microphone, a tape measure and download something like REW (there's also pictures online showing how we perceive a change in the frequency response at different places, both + & - dB, and it's really accurate when you have measured).

Could you create an app that use the camera to feed dimensions as well as estimate all the things in the room into a simulation of the room and give you a starting point, yes. Could the microphone in the phone help, it's not calibrated so that's a "if you're lucky, but it might do the opposite".
So I guess it's a question of what the value of it is for both developers and consumers with the limitations compared to the options we have today. 🤷🏼‍♂️🙂

[uzyh]

Infinity irs speakers were installed in the back midrange and tweeters are they connected in reverse phase

[InsideOfMyOwnMind]

Tech and attire. Seems like never the twain shall meet.

[mongo]

Usually this kind of stuff is built into an AVR. So a cheaper idea would be to do this with a non surround system made by PS Audio but include the microphone to do it. Yamaha does this. No app or phone needed for set up. It is probably already out there by that company whose name I have forgotten… PSA could just license it.
As for an app for other stuff, this is where smaller audio companies should form an alliance and create an open source app that ties into a common platform that can be included on all their systems. Before the old geezers here start to hate on that idea; If you follow boards and Reddit for different music streaming services, the APP is really important and how it integrates with audio systems is also really important to anyone under 30 and more and more 40-60 year olds. The future of audio needs to keep this in mind. When the 22 year old of today is 32, 42, or 52 and with money to spend, the industry should be ready with something versatile and in place. Start now.

[tothemax]

I prefer the idea of staying offline as much as possible.

[therealBozoDjTrump]

Arcam did that in the late 90s with their av amplifiers, you would use your phone record the room test tone from the amplifier, it would go back to a supercomputer it would work out the calculations and send it back to the amplifier for correction without your input.
Another way you can do it is to get a speaker management /active crossover whatever you need three or four-way not expensive about 150 dollars Pro. get rew on your laptop and any microphone will really do as long as it's not too crap and nasty. and it will give you the room and you can adjust accordingly in live time using REW what's free, by moving your speakers will give you your nuls and peaks and phases, you can see on the graft when you're moving the speakers about. You can do this without changing or adding any equipment as well

[Jorge-Fernandez-Lopez]

I have tested some AI: dumb, plagiarize without references and try to sell some products. The book, my notes and my ears, it's all I need: faster, more fun and probably more accurate than any APP/AI... First setup of chair or the sofa, then some kind of triangle (isosceles worked better than equilateral in my rooms), and if there's the slightest amount of asymmetry (walls, doors, furniture) a small asymmetry in the distance of one of the speakers (1 to 5 cm) can solve phase issues and get an accurate imaging (by moving the right speaker closer and keeping the left one like an anchor, the center image of some vocalist move to left, as it would move if the image was painted in a door with hinges on the left side; balance didn't solve the problem because it was a phase problem). If we really enjoy this hobby, reading a good book about it and using our ears should be also fun.

[Projacked]

Maybe add a laser-pointer in the speaker ?
That can be useful for setup, but also measuring?

[babubabu]

Interesting Discussion, Thx Paul Sir.

[paulburke]

`Call me "old fart, but we're way to keen on
ai tech'. Use yer own brain, if you have one .

[glenncurry]

Because of the room, I have to bring my Maggies out into the room to listen and then put them back against the front wall to get to the bedroom or garage doors.... So the exact sweet spot is gone and I have to spend time getting them back to the right spot for a listening session. Maggie owners likely know that a couple degree twist even changes the sound. And no, the WAF stops me from marking the new carpeting up! I've found aps that will let you scan a room and it creates the 3D layout including furniture. But then I would need a laser grid projector system on the ceiling...

[paulpavlou]

It cannot be that hard. I imagine that if you had an app and some test tones or sound sweeps on file or CD that you could play back through your sound system while sitting in your sweet spot with a iPhone. The iPhone app would analyse the playback sound of test tones/sweep of the system and the room and make suggestions on whether to move speakers further forward or back etc. I guess it’s kid of the reverse of using a surround sound receivers room tuning like “Audyssey” on Onkyo multi channel receiver.
But what do I know, I’m just a simple person.

[glenncurry]

Groucho Marx references are so effective with the kids! 🙂

[gdownz]

I'd rather see the effort put into a dedicated app for the Airlens like most of the better music streamers have. Maybe someday? 🤔

[Voidoid]

Paul, re; Shopping for clothes, you're *not* lazy... I'm a '60 plus' yr. old and I've despised shopping for pretty much everything apart from hi-fi and music for longer than I care to remember. Drives me nuts!

[petew]

Solution to being dragged to store by wife - give her your credit card and ask her to bring back something nice. She will likely spend a fortune on herself and bring you back a bag T shirt. It’s worth it.

[Greg-zvvp]

Luma AI might be able to make this a reality. I highly recommend playing around with it. It can 3d scan entire scenes and might be the ticket for this exact thing. Its on IOS for sure, I believe it's also available on android. Takes less than 3 or 5 minutes per scene and it's free to try.