Array microphones that are common and/or inexpensive

[Drew Neilson]

What array microphones are supported by REW's multiple simultaneous input monitoring and measuring or, if not actively supported, work with REW for that? I'm especially thinking about array microphones that people often own, such as game console cameras (Kinect for Xbox 360, Kinect for Xbox One, Playstation Camera, etc.), array microphones that are often built into Windows laptops and tablets (such as the Realtek array that is in my 2017 Surface Pro), and array microphones that are built into iOS and Android phones and tablets, if there is a way to create a signal pathway from the phone or tablet to the PC running REW? I can connect my Xbox One Kinect to my PC and my PC recognizes it as a microphone. I suppose that all of these microphone arrays would need calibration files, unless the microphones are acoustically perfect (which is probably impossible) or have been already calibrated and their calibration information has been loaded into their firmware, if that is possible.

 

[John Mulcahy]

Multi-input capture can be used with any audio device that offers multiple input channels. Built-in mics are unlikely to be suitable for measurement, not least due to the influence of the enclosure they are built into.

 

[Drew Neilson]

Multi-input capture can be used with any audio device that offers multiple input channels.

It occurred to me after I started this thread that even though my Surface Pro sees my Realtek and Kinect microphone arrays, it is possible that the individual microphones in each array might not be exposed to Windows and that the array is summed into a mono channel and exposed to Windows as a single input. I haven't looked into it, however.

Built-in mics are unlikely to be suitable for measurement, not least due to the influence of the enclosure they are built into.

That makes sense. The microphones in my Kinect probably aim forward in the same direction as the Kinect's camera (aimed at the gamer in front of their TV), and even if they are calibrated, they might not be as omnidirectional as my UMIK-1 due to their enclosure (the Kinect) and due to them possibly being aimed. My Kinect can pick up sound from around the room, but I doubt that it is as omnidirectional as my UMIK-1. I doubt that I'd get good measurement results from putting my Kinect onto a tripod, aiming it straight up, moving my MLP's chair out of the way, and putting the Kinect at ear level where I sit.

 

[Drew Neilson]

I'm just curious about alternatives to the UMIK-X that cost less--or that myself and other people might already own--and that work for REW's multi-input capture feature.

 

[Drew Neilson]

I suppose that I could use my UMIK-1 for REW's multi-input capture feature because it offers two input channels, but then I wouldn't be able to simultaneously take a timing reference measurement, which is a trade-off that would probably be bad.
Side note: in case it isn't clear by now, I haven't installed REW 5.2 yet. I only just downloaded it. I didn't find out about REW 5.2 until I searched the web for [+(script OR macro) Room EQ Wizard] this morning to find out if it is possible to create a script to make REW measure HDMI channel 1, then HDMI channel 2, and so on until it finishes measuring HDMI channel 8, all of it using one set of measurement preferences. HDMI channel 4 would be the sum of all of my subwoofers. Then, it would switch to my MiniDSP's inputs and measure my 3 subwoofers individually, using that same set of measurement preferences. Finally, it would save each measurement as a separate measurement within a measurement group, and each measurement would be named after the output source, so that I'd know which measurement was of the center speaker connected to my AVR, which measurement was of the subwoofer on MiniDSP output #2, etc.
Information about REW's multi-input capture feature was in the query's search results, and that's how I found out about REW 5.2. REW didn't give me an update notification. I have update notifications enabled in REW's settings, but not for beta versions. 5.2 is a release version, as far as I know, so I guess that you're not yet pushing out the notification for it.
In case I haven't thanked you yet for this wonderful program, thank you. I'm considering purchasing the upgrade to the Pro version after installing 5.2. Hopefully there will be a way to make the measurement process for 8 speakers and 3 subwoofers at multiple listening locations (multiple measurement positions) faster without having to spend several hundred dollars (USD) on a UMIK-X.

 

[John Mulcahy]

I suppose that I could use my UMIK-1 for REW's multi-input capture feature because it offers two input channels

It doesn't, the mic is mono, like other USB measurement mics, it just puts the same data on both channels.

I'll enable the update notification for the 5.20 release in a week or so.

 

[scott k]

As others have said, i really do not think that the built in mic on a laptop is a good choice for measurement purposes.. You can pick up a decent rta mic for under $100 that will be suitable for what you need to do as you are learning. On the other end you can look at Earth Works and drop $800, and if you really get into it they have a binaural stereo set up for $8000 +.