Room Wizard not working... :-/

[Brettbasic]

Watched the video and in the section where they talk about setting you input and outputs for calibration.... I don't get any other option than Default or Java Sound Engine for Output. This cannot be right and has to be one of the reasons its not working.

[Brettbasic]

When running the test am I supposed to only run one channel (Monitor) or both?

[Brettbasic]

I Have opened REW 3 in hopes I could get it to work, same problem. My audio interface is being seen by the program. I have tried opening both Audio Midi Setup and the MOTU 828 Interface to de-select and select the device. REW just doesn't want to see it. I'm sure if I can figure this out Ill be sorted....

Anyone else having this problem? I guess my next option is to find a measurement program that works with my OS and config. ????

[John White]

You have to use the analog in/out. The out being the headphone jack. There was just a Java update, but I haven't tried REW since downloading.

[Brettbasic]

So I have to select Java and use the headphone output for the out and the analog in/out for the input? k...will try , brb...thanks.

Hope this works, starting to feel like Im wasting my time.

[John White]

I don't think you have to select anything other than make sure the in/out is appropriate in Preferences. I believe this problem to be unique to Apple.

[Brettbasic]

That is kinda of the problem , no? In the REW5 Prefs. You cannot select the appropriate devices. I selected Java for the output but still it only gives me the choice of 4 inputs Default,Core Audio?Device, Blank, Blank. I added the Blank ones because this is obviously an error and i want to include all the info here.

I ran some sweeps regardless and came up with the attached files. I've attached a jpg capture of my 1/24 smoothed file. I tried to upload the test master file so you could delve futher but there appears to be a problem with GS.

Not sure what im looking at or if it even worked right...

[John White]

OK- So go to "System Preferences" under the apple icon in your headings (Top left corner) and then select "Line In" for the Input and for the Output select "Line Out" (?)
In this case you'll need a mixer or something to which you can run the lame little 1/8" jacks. Then from the mixer your normal XLR or 1/4" jacks. AND hopefully it has a power source for your mic if necessary. I went through the same thing and it sucks. It would be far easier to run the program through my normal DA converter.
Also, you probably don't need to "calibrate" since you are looking for relative levels within your own set up. At least that seems to be the poop.

[John White]

User DanDan is Mac savvy. He's usually on here daily. I'm not very good with REW other than the basic necessities.

[Brettbasic]

Originally Posted by squirreltrench

A couple of comments from a non-expert. One: use any mic. The difference in mic is nothing compared to the peaks and nulls the room creates. With a mic, you are talking 1 to 2 db difference maybe, and the room causes peaks and nulls that can be 20 db difference or even more.

Also, with the scale of your drawing, you've got your monitors not only up against the back wall, but also way wide into the corners. The thing about bringing the monitors away from the back wall and closer in, away from the corners, is that of course it will sound weak compared to having them in the corners... but that is relative. You want accuracy. Having said that, part of it does indeed depend on what you are used to. If you are used to a pounding bass, then don't pull them away from the wall or corners, because then you will have a tendency to add, add, add more bass to get it to where you think it should be, and then you bring it somewhere else, and boom, it's mud because you overcooked the low end.

I'd say the best thing is to find a studio friend near you, and bring a reference CD, where you are really familiar with the music. Include stuff you have mixed. Listen in another environment. I did this, and discovered that compared to my friend who is an accomplished mixer and masterer, I was missing just a touch on the very low end, so in my own set-up, I went from having my monitors about 1.5 feet from the back wall to about 6 inches off the back wall, and also added a sub. The sub volume is adjusted so that it's just barely there when added to the mains. Just a tiny bit of that extra thump on the kicks.

I went ahead and got the Behringer ECM8000.....

Regarding my placements and drawing... :-/ lol... The drawing is not scale.

My monitors are exactly (just measured them) 2 feet from either corner and about 6'' from the wall. I think your right about them being too close. I'd like to consider myself somewhat knowledgeable regarding rooms and treatments. I have read loads on GS over the years and have now gotten to a point where I have setup the treatments I mention on the other page... (for anyone else reading this, the link below was my original cry for help):

New help with treatment placements, pics included..

....and feel pretty happy with what treatments Ive done in my current room.
Superchunks is all corners, double ply traps, hung off the walls all along the room (in the proper places).

I think it sounds good in there but i am def. having some lo end dips, i can tell when i ref. my music in other places.

I think if I can get some help or confirmation that I have done a real test (attached here) I can then bring the stuff off the wall, run another test and see if my situation improves....Damn this stuff is complicated,huh? And I know this is basic stuff.... Ethan Winer etc... sites get really deep, hurts head.

Thank ya'll so much, Its amazing that people take the time to help each other here. Thank god.

[Brettbasic]

Originally Posted by John White

OK- So go to "System Preferences" under the apple icon in your headings (Top left corner) and then select "Line In" for the Input and for the Output select "Line Out" (?)
In this case you'll need a mixer or something to which you can run the lame little 1/8" jacks. Then from the mixer your normal XLR or 1/4" jacks. AND hopefully it has a power source for your mic if necessary. I went through the same thing and it sucks. It would be far easier to run the program through my normal DA converter.
Also, you probably don't need to "calibrate" since you are looking for relative levels within your own set up. At least that seems to be the poop.

Really appreciate your help!

So I go out of the 1/8 headphone port on the G5 to my mixer (own a 24 Ramsa) and then plug the mic into the mixer and send back to what exactly? Sorry if Im missing something, are you suggesting I take the DAW out of the loop?

[John White]

Yes, sorry. Take the DAW out of the loop. Again, total drag. So then the mic goes back to your mixer via whatever and then from the mixer to the input next to the headphone out jack (At least they are adjacent on my laptop.) I already had two of those 1/8" to 1/4" converters so I was one step closer.
This is how I started measurements before the DAW. I was convinced that I had got it to work with the Mackie Blackjack I bought, but I'm not so sure now as I've never gotten it to work since.

[Brettbasic]

Okay amazingly enough I had just enough cables and adapters to pull this off.

Attached is another screen shot. Anyone have any comments on it? If I'm not mistaken its level is low,no? The recording did not make it up to 0...maybe it doesn't matter as its freq. response is still there and I can tell you it was loud as hell when it did the sweep. Ouch.

Thanks

[John White]

It doesn't appear to be working correctly. Try to record something like your voice as well as play something through your monitors through whatever configuration you have in place.

[Brettbasic]

Im not sure I follow. Is the problem its too low? Perhaps I can raise the input vol...

When you say record myself through the monitors (along with the test tone) what am i trying to do?

Also, Im supposed to be running this test with both monitors on , correct?

Thx.

[John White]

In other words, record your voice through the mic as it's currently setup in order to make sure the chain is at least in order. Sure, see if you can simultaneously play and record over the system as well.
As for using both monitors, there is a sticky somewhere ( I guess where the stickies are) that explain the normal steps to both take measurements as well as to view. Typically, one monitor would be measured at a time.

[Brettbasic]

Gotcha....

[Brettbasic]

K. Here ya go, you were right I don't think the mic was on....

Look better?

[Brettbasic]

2nd try with my monitors off the front wall 12'' (was at 6''). Better?

[JohnPM]

G5 is a PowerPC machine I think, so you will probably have to tick the "Force big endian" box on the REW soundcard preferences. To make sure that is set correctly, use the REW signal generator to produce a sine wave and make sure it sounds clean - if it sounds like a buzz saw change the big endian setting. With OS X it is usually best to leave the REW input and output selections as default and make sure the interfaces you are using are set as the defaults in the Mac's audio/midi preferences.

[DanDan]

The G5 is PPC. I never achieved success with REW on PPC. But it works fine on my Intel Machines. I have found it best to use the onboard Line Out, Line In. Interfaces cause unnecessary confusion. Sometimes it is possible to do a halfway measure using the Interface for playback, and the Line Input.
DD

[John White]

Originally Posted by DanDan

Sometimes it is possible to do a halfway measure using the Interface for playback, and the Line Input.
DD

Good idea, except the "Sometimes" part. Is it randomly inconsistent?

[DanDan]

I am not fully sure John. I have the impression that playback seems to work in general and that 'the' problem has to do with input.
Perhaps JohnPM knows more about this.
DD