Renting a miniDSP/UMIK for use with REW?

AudiocRaver

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Renting test equiipment is definitely a thing, more common witih big expensive gear that is only used sporadically. Have not head about test mics for rent. I'll keep my eyes pealed...
 

Josh K

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Thanks, good to know. I'm looking at some new gear now and would like to test everything some day.
 

Matthew J Poes

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May 14th is the day.
I am looking to have a miniDSP/UMIK here that day for testing stuff.
The mic is cheap enough you would be better off buying it. It wouldn’t be worth a company renting it, given the cost of the item. Once you factor in shipping both ways and making a little money it would be 1/3 or more of the cost of the item.

I’ve rented test equipment but it was high end lab grade test equipment. It was a terrible deal. Something like $150 a day for an NTi test unit. It turned out it was about the same price to have a local acoustic testing firm do the test for me, which I later did anyway.

These mics are so handy that it’s great to just own one. It can help with setup and tuning. I use mine weekly.
 

Josh K

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The miniDSP/UMIK is a $300 combo. It seems it would ship anywhere in the US for about $8 priority postage. ?
 

Matthew J Poes

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The miniDSP/UMIK is a $300 combo. It seems it would ship anywhere in the US for about $8 priority postage. ?

Hmm, can you explain what you are trying to do? I didn’t realize you wanted the dsp unit as well. I thought you were just giving the brand name.

For testing you don’t need a dsp device. Just the mic. Even if you want to test eq, that can be done with a laptop for free.
 

Josh K

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I wanted to use REW to output the test tones and collect the mic data to make a SPL graph. I would like to do it to on the systems in my living room, car (with RCA inputs), bedroom, and office. Depending on what the data reveals I would either adjust the equalizers or upgrade hardware.
 

Matthew J Poes

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I wanted to use REW to output the test tones and collect the mic data to make a SPL graph. I would like to do it to on the systems in my living room, car (with RCA inputs), bedroom, and office. Depending on what the data reveals I would either adjust the equalizers or upgrade hardware.

Ok then you only need a laptop and mic, and some associated cables. You don’t need a Minidsp EQ device. That is for applying eq.

The headphone output of the laptop or the hdmi out can be used to output the testone. The Mic you want is usb.

If it makes a difference the Dayton umm-6 is a little cheaper I believe.
 

Josh K

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I didn't realize the UMIK could plug direct into a computer and skip the dspmini. I guess I will go that route. Thanks.
 

Matthew J Poes

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I didn't realize the UMIK could plug direct into a computer and skip the dspmini. I guess I will go that route. Thanks.

I had a feeling that was the case. Glad we could help.

Just let us know if you have any more questions once you get the mic.
 
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