Spectrum analyzer?

I use and recommend SmaartLive (software on a PC) which is the industry standard for pro live sound work. In addition to RTA functions, it has real-time transfer function measurement . . . which is a much faster, more stable, and more accurate display mode than an RTA. Its FFT parameters include a FPPO (fixed-point-per-octave) setting, which greatly reduces the need to change FFT parameters to properly resolve the frequency domain of interest.

Phase and time-domain (impulse response) data are additional functions, and it can do so both with test signals or program material (music). It even has a good speaker-impedance testing function.

Hi, I think you are asking good questions and and you are headed in a good direction. There are probably a number of considerations but I think you can save some money and take a first pass with some PC-based software and a microphone. I've spent many years with hifi and several years ago after building my system to the max I got serious about figuring out room acoustics; the process convinced me that no matter how good your equipment is the room will be a huge part of the equation. If you start with some software and a microphone - and if you happen to get some equalizers so you can make the process interactive - you will get a very valuable sense for the challenge and importantance of room acoustics. After this first highly informative and relatively inexpensive pass at analyzing and correcting acoustics you might then decide to go on to room treatments or even a full room design - but I think you can learn a bunch with the PC software and a microphone; and while equalizers might not be the best or right long term solution, the ability to treat the signal (to perhaps a 1/3 octave level) and then see the results graphically on your computer and hear the results with your ears will add significantly to your knowledge and skill - which will help you make further decisions on how to best invest your time and money.

Check out these two older threads on audioasylum:

http://db.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.mpl?forum=speakers&n=177308&highlight=trueaudio&r=&session=

http://db.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.mpl?forum=speakers&n=178395&highlight=Yada&r=&session=

"the spectrum analyzer is useless is you cannot alter the anomalies of your room. In other words, the analyzer will show you the peaks, nulls in your room but thats it."

The RTA can only show you the frequency response in your room. It cannot identify variations in FR as peaks and nulls due to room modes since it cannot show you the room response with respect to time. Corrections based on RTA, only, are chancy.

Kal

Kr4...You say "Corrections based on RTA, only, are chancy."

Perhaps, but the $350 I bet on my first DEQ2496 has paid off better than any other expendature on my audio system.

As the saying goes "Don't let the search for perfection prevent the very good".