How To Connect Your Sound System Tuning Rig And Take A Measurement

►► FREE GUIDE: How to build a sound system tuning rig for under $250

You've got a measurement mic, maybe even some software, but how in the world do you connect it all together and start capturing measurements? Today I'll walk you through step-by-step how to make it happen.

Did I mention we will be using FREE (and professional grade) software?

You'll learn:

- What gear you need to have a lean, yet professional system tuning rig
- How to connect it all together, set levels, and capture a measurement
- Why its important to make sure you have great data

00:00 - Intro
01:30 - Gear List For System Tuning Rig
03:58 - Studio Setup Overview
04:41 - Physical Connections Overview
07:52 - Software Overview (Open Sound Meter)
11:26 - Routing and Gain Staging
21:18 - Capturing A Measurement With Open Sound Meter
28:25 - What gets in the way of a good, coherent data?
30:47 - Outro

[tomassamuelsson]

This is by far one of the best YouTube tutorials, on how to get started with OSM. And has also been a huge game changer for me, and my home theater as well as for my high end car audio sound system.

Therefore, I now recommend everyone who in one way or another wants to learn how to get the most out of their sound systems to visit this particular YouTube channel.

Best regards from Sweden.

[timverhoeven]

Great video, very clear visual explanation of how the setup works. My 3 important getaways from this video:

1. Ensure that the speaker level is 20dB above the noise floor when measuring
2. In OSM, make sure that your levels are in the green and just/just not touching the orange and that they are as equal as possible
3. Reset the measurement delay, by clicking "apply estimated delay" everytime you move your microphone (or the speakers)

[strumz]

Thanks! Im implementing system tuning into my setup this year thanks to you! Ive also discovered the db meter feature in OSM, id like to keep the RTA mic at FOH after system tuning for a constant SPL reading during the show, but not sure how hard to gain the mic for an accurate reading, future video please!

[sonusartis]

Um...wow! That was the clearest explanation of a basic measurement set up that I've ever heard! I will check out the rest of your channel as well. Thanks.

[oli]

Hey man, would love that video about phase alignement using this software in a live setting!

[Stefan-]

Hey- great video. Last couple of weeks I was searching for a video like this which is explaining step by step how to setup everything to get me started. Don't know why it took me that long to find your video. This is helping a lot- thx!

[diebeatz]

Thank you for taking time to make this video!

[chrisrust]

Thanks very much indeed, I'm just setting up a portable OSM rig for small PA gigs so your videos are exactly what I need to get me started. Looking forward to learning more.

I'd like to recommend the interface I'm using for my portable rig, it's an ART USB Dual Pre which I bought for something else. It's a 2-in 2-out interface with phantom power, very compact, it needs no drivers and crucially it runs on USB power from the laptop (or a 9v battery) so it's a really simple physical setup.

[brianisbrined]

Hey Michael. Just took my first trace thanks to this video. Keep up the good work!

[atcordice]

Great video. It is nice to see you push the technical part of audio engineering. this information is very valid and make a great differnce in your sound system

[michaelwesterlund]

I know this is an older one you did but thanks so much for stepping through this. Amazing job! I have now subscribed and working through many of your videos. Do you have any of your videos you would recommend that could guide me on what to do with the data? #1-how to read it; #2-how to apply changes to optimize systems. I have done some work with my home stuff and REW sweeps at 1m but need to move my efforts to PA work I do occasionally. Maybe pink noise is the best way? Biggest challenges I have are aligning top end (horns with compression drivers) to bass cabinets and then aligning all of this with subs. It’s older gear but all I have. Crossover types, optimal crossover points (acoustic also), slopes, phase alignment and driver alignment and gain for all components. Or maybe more simply stated, how to interpret the data and apply it to optimize the rig….across all the critical variables. Thanks again!

[Mikee]

Nice video I've been using Smaart for decades and actually the most cost-effective test microphone is the $20 Behringer ECM8000 Measurement Condenser Microphone. I also own a $600 Josephson CL550 test microphone and the differences are negligible. It's incredible what they charge for Smaart these days. Totally ridiculous. I'm still using version five, and they charge me $100 when I move it to another computer. I would never recommend that company.

[garends]

This was great. Excited to see the explanation videos for impulse, phase, magnitude etc. When using this setup with a live PA, does the generator loop back run through the soundboard?

[jimmie]

Hi Michael. Excellent video, as always. Is there any chance I can get a cheat sheet for this workflow?

[martinmares]

Great video Michael! Detailed and clear. I just started learning OSM and I'm liking it so far. I'm into home theater and want to learn better, smarter ways to analyze my hone theater system and to be able to tweak the system in real time. I want to learn how to do dual FFT measurements and see how updates changes my system in teal time. Your videos are informative and helpful. Thank you amd keep up the good work.

[Alex_Martz]

Does the measurement mic connected to input 1 should go BACK to output 1?, you don't mention here if it needs to be routed only to the inputs of the measurement software, because by default the mic we connect on input 1 will go ALSO to output 1 and that will create a feedback loop

[robint]

Great video man.... Plz can u make a video sub and top phase alignment using OSM

[Raymanuelmuzik]

Another great info session!! Thanks Michael!! I Just need to download OSM Few questions!
1. On a venue, would you do your room tuning based on the mains only or would you include the subs as well?
2. Do you run your system full range or sub on a separate aux/matrix and how would you implement the subs when it comes to tuning?
3. Once you find your problem area, you eq it and remeasure?

[johngilldesign]

You are so informative! Your advice has been very helpful. I want to be able to use my Open Sound Meter and 4ch interface to get Transfer Function measurements during performances. I know this sounds silly, but I'm confused about how to connect the interface to the mixer so that I don't have the measurement mic coming thru the speakers, but I can see what I do on the main outputs reflected in OSM. TIA.

[johnmcquay]

I'm running a very similar setup; REW (Room EQ Wizard) along with a PreSonus AudioBox USB96 with the Behringer ECM8000. It works really well for me so far. I've not used Open Sound Meter; so I'll check it out.