Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Question about RTA's

This is topic Question about RTA's in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Sam Hunter (Member # 1119) on 02-06-2003, 02:23 PM:

Being I will be needing an RTA soon my questions is this:
Do they make or can you get an RTA program for the PC and use your sound card as an RTA? Of course the Microphone will be the issue but may be close enough to work.
Thanks!

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 02-06-2003, 02:31 PM:

Spectra Plus is one and JBL has one as well

Posted by Aaron Sisemore (Member # 145) on 02-06-2003, 11:46 PM:

I will second Spectra Plus it's the RTA I use.

Whatever you use for a computer, make DAMNED sure it has CLEAN sound hardware. I had a laptop with a really BAD noise problem on the sound card (you couldn't hear it in the little speakers on the computer, but it came up as broadband garbage on the RTA display, rendering the RTA useless). There are 'precision reference' PCMCIA sound cards for laptops that may halp if you are stuck with a noisy machine.

-Aaron

Posted by Ray Derrick (Member # 1001) on 02-09-2003, 08:06 AM:

Better still, if you are using Spectra Plus or any other software based analyser, get a WaveTerminal U2A made by Egosys. It is a little box that plugs into the USB port and is an outboard version of a sound card that avoids all the noise generated within a PC or laptop. This device can do full 24-bit AtoD and DtoA conversions and is very good indeed.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 02-09-2003, 10:04 AM:

Ray,

Might you have a link for that company?

Steve

Posted by Jon Bartow (Member # 241) on 02-09-2003, 02:31 PM:

EGO Systems WaveTerminal

Posted by Sam Hunter (Member # 1119) on 02-09-2003, 05:58 PM:

I am trying Spectra Plus on my Laptop and my noise floor is running around -80Db across the band. Is this acceptable?

Posted by Aaron Sisemore (Member # 145) on 02-09-2003, 09:07 PM:

sounds like you have a noisy sound card, Sam. The laptop I am using (what's left of it) has a pretty quiet sound system in it (I get a few spikes in the 20-63 Hz range and that's about it).

You also might trying to run calibration with a mic and pink noise to see if the computer will automatically set its input level.

-Aaron

Posted by Ray Derrick (Member # 1001) on 02-10-2003, 12:28 AM:

Steve the link for Ego Systems is www.egosys.net They have distributors worldwide listed on their website. These guys make a whole range of top-end sound cards with up to 8 channel inputs, but the U2A and U24 have the advantage of being portable and external to the PC.

Posted by Sam Hunter (Member # 1119) on 02-21-2003, 01:00 PM:

Man, I checked on the price of Spectra Plus and like to have stroked out. That things expensive.
Here is the qoute:
Mr. Hunter,

Thank you for your interest in our spectral analysis software.

=================================================
SpectraPLUS version 2.32 pricing (valid through 3/31/03)
=================================================
SpectraPLUS - base analyzer (item 232A).................... $ 295

Option /02 - Dual Channel Processing Capability ...... $ 200
Option /03 - 3-D Surface Display ............................. $ 200
Option /04 - Color Spectrogram Display ................... $ 200
Option /10 - Recording and Post Processing Modes . $ 200
Option /30 - Signal Generator ................................. $ 200
Option /50 - Distortion Analysis .............................. $ 200

Special Value Package (item 232B):
SpectraPLUS - base analyzer plus any 3 options ..... $ 595

Full Package Price (item 232C):
SpectraPLUS - base analyzer plus all 6 options ....... $ 795

The base package provides single channel (mono), real time operation.
Options can be added at any time with a simple phone call. CD
and a printed users guide are included with all orders. We accept
VISA/MasterCard/AmericanExpress and purchase orders.

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 02-21-2003, 01:07 PM:

For what it does it is not out of line

Posted by Sam Hunter (Member # 1119) on 02-21-2003, 01:11 PM:

I just wish I hadn't installed it because it has a 30 day trail and all my equipment is not in yet and it will probably expire before I have a chance to use it. [Frown]

Posted by Greg Mueller (Member # 17) on 02-21-2003, 01:33 PM:

Sam
That's not that bad a price. The cheapest RTA I found was $1k. It was a stand alone one though, not a laptop one

Posted by Sam Hunter (Member # 1119) on 02-21-2003, 01:38 PM:

I will need this thing long enough to equalize my Cp50 and not use it again. Heck, my equalization may be close enough as it is. Still waiting on my amps and CAT150. Got all my test film as well as a nice Textronics 100mhz dt scope for my A chain alignment.

Posted by Greg Mueller (Member # 17) on 02-21-2003, 01:44 PM:

Sure, you say that now but I bet you a cookie that you play with stuff more than once.