Looking for Advice for Taking Measurements with Vintage Audio Gear

ignis-fatuus

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Preamp, Processor or Receiver
Pioneer SA-7100
Front Speakers
Realistic Minumus 7W bookshelf speakers
So I've picked up a pair of Minimus 7W speakers on the cheap and I plan on using them as computer speakers driven by a Pioneer SA-7100 amplifier. Initially I was pretty impressed for how well they sound, but I got the sense that there wasn't a whole lot going on by way of a crossover. Opening them up I found that there is only a single cap and figured that I could do better by adding a appropriate crossover. I would like to do a little testing and after doing a little bit of research I found that Room EQ Wizard (REW) is just what I'm looking for--Extra points to REW for offering Linux support! Ultimately my plan is to test the speakers: 1st with a replaced capacitor (4.7uf/250v), 2nd with cheap commercial x-overs, and 3rd with custom-built x-overs down the line. If there is an interest I will post the results in a single thread.

I am still trying to get acquainted with the software interface and was wondering if there are others out there who might be able to advise me on a couple of things. I built my own simple mic using a small surface-mount package which can measure somewhere within the range of 20 to 25kHz--no, I can't calibrate it, but it's cheap and I hope will get me within the ballpark of what I am trying to do. I have a number of questions as I'm quite new to this:

1) Is there a way to calibrate my soundcard via the SA-7100 amp I'm using? I'm thinking of maybe creating a loop via Aux (in) and tape (out). Am I on the right track here?

2) At what distance should I set the mic? Should I place the speakers where they will live on my desk and take the measurement from the approximate space of where my head is to be situated?

3) Should I meter each speaker independently or both together?

4) Where should I put my level adjustments on my amplifier? For testing purposes, is it best to set everything at their default zeroed positions, maxed out, or at the settings I will likely use for listening purposes?

5) Is there any way for REW to crop out or account for the reflections created by the small space of my office?

6) Any other bits of advice?
 
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