Setting Up for the first time

[Jonners59]

Hello all,
Bit new to all this. I had a go at setting up\my miniDSP 4x8 using REW and my wife's laptop and the miniDSP calibrated mic. Then all seemed to go horribly wrong so I am starting fresh. I have bought a new laptop and installed both the miniDSP software and also latest REW.

So stage 1: Is there ANYTHING I need to do to the laptop before I start? EG: calibrate it, install something, anything?

Stage 2: Will be asking the same of the REW software. Is there or are there any settings or things I need to change, boxes to tick before I start?

That's it thank you.

 

[Sonnie Parker]

Welcome to AV NIRVANA

As for as your laptop, if you want to measure anything other than your main front left and right speakers, I'd download FlexASIO and install it, then you can choose it within REW preferences.

As for REW itself... the following is about as good as it gets and almost a prerequisite if you've not worked with it previously: https://www.avnirvana.com/resources/getting-started-with-rew-a-step-by-step-guide.19/ (Download button in upper right corner).

 

[Jonners59]

Welcome to AV NIRVANA

Thank you.... :-)

As for as your laptop, if you want to measure anything other than your main front left and right speakers, I'd download FlexASIO and install it, then you can choose it within REW preferences.

Sorry, wasn't clear. The miniDSP is part of my stereo and acts as a crossover: one system going to tweeters/super tweeters, another to the main speakers, and another to the bass/subs... The source is fed into the miniDSP via a preamp (Quad 33). So the laptop is only used for testing and adjusting the miniDSP, not as a source. So before I start testing and adjusting - that will be my next set of questions, be prepared.... I want to make sure or understand if the laptop needs any calibration, and whether I need to make any changes to the REW software such as room dimensions or the like, the latter I think you have answered below.... I shall download the app you mentioned though, just in case I have misread your reply and it has what I am after.

Updated comment - noting some other comments in other topics, I have seen you say that there is no need to calibrate the Laptop, so I will now move to next stage, and entries and setting up that is required on the REW app itself. Again, any tips welcomed.

As for REW itself... the following is about as good as it gets and almost a prerequisite if you've not worked with it previously: avnirvana.com/resources/getting-started-with-rew-a-step-by-step-guide.19/ (Download button in upper right corner).

Thank you for this, I'll spend the day reading it, whilst also modifying my 3D printer.. Any other tips you may have are VERY welcomed.
Jonners

 

[Sonnie Parker]

Correct... shouldn't be any need to calibrate the soundcard in the laptop if using the UMIK-1 mic.

It's really all straight forward ... follow the details in the guide I linked and it will cover pretty much everything you need to know.

 

[Jonners59]

Correct... shouldn't be any need to calibrate the soundcard in the laptop if using the UMIK-1 mic.

It's really all straight forward ... follow the details in the guide I linked and it will cover pretty much everything you need to know.

Thank you... I'll let you know :-D

 

[Jonners59]

Morning,
I have started playing about and running some sweeps. But going back to the user guide, it is somewhat out of date in terms of REW - layout, and features, and also Windows, which makes it more confusing for us newbies. I THINK I am understanding what it is suggesting but never certain. So this is what I am starting to see and where I have queries.

I am struggling to find a setting that prevents clipping and also gives a realistic level. What am I supposed to adjust, I guess is the question. I put the mic on 9.9db, and the speaker (headphones) on 100%, and the stereo on 2 (it doesn't quite do 1). That seems to work, but is it correct and which is best to adjust?

Also noting the tweeters seem to drop off below 20k and bass/subs, begin below 70 hz, but these are all rated to 50khz and the bass at about 10Hz. All I can do is try and raise the gain a lot. Is this correct and typical? Should I be doing this?

I am also getting a very low output on the left channel and dropping off from 10k, yet when listening it sounds balanced. I am doing something very wrong

Your thoughts very welcomed, please.

 

[Jonners59]

OK, I think I know what the problem is with regards to the LEFT channel showing and producing awful outputs. Before I bought myself a laptop, I was using my wife's or son's laptops and stopped when I was getting odd responses. What was happening was the REW was measuring the laptop and not the stereo. And thinking back those graphs were the same as the one I am getting for the left channel. So assuming I am correct, how do I fix this?

Why is it measuring the left speaker of the laptop and not the stereo?
How do I get it to measure the whole system?
How do I get it to measure the Left channel?

In the graph above, that is the current whole system graph at 24 Oct smoothing, but also is identical to the Right channel, far too the same TBH, I would expect some variations, countered by the LEFT.

 

[Sonnie Parker]

Do you have an HDMI cable running from your laptop to an input on the back of your processor?

Do you have either ASIO4all or FlexASIO installed on your computer for use with REW?

You have to choose your processor as the playback device in your soundcard properties.

There is really no benefit in measuring the entire system... sub and left channel together ... then sub and right channel. Then if you want to measure center and surrounds you can.

 

[Jonners59]

Do you have an HDMI cable running from your laptop to an input on the back of your processor?

No. My preamp is a Quad 33 which then goes into a miniDSP 2x8 kit and then into the power amps. The laptop connects via a USB on the front of the miniDSP and via a 3.5 stereo jack in the Laptop headphone socket into a pair of RCAs on the Quad 33. The mic goes into the laptop via USB. Is this incorrect then?

Do you have either ASIO4all or FlexASIO installed on your computer for use with REW?

No, but just downloaded the ASIO4all and will install.

You have to choose your processor as the playback device in your soundcard properties.

OK, I assume that will become apparent when I have installed the ASIO4all

There is really no benefit in measuring the entire system... sub and left channel together ... then sub and right channel. Then if you want to measure center and surrounds you can.

Do I need to change anything in REW when I measure? Should I share screenshots of my REW settings and if so which pages?

Thanks for your patience and help.....

 

[Sonnie Parker]

I'm really not sure on the miniDSP and USB. Someone else may have to help you with that one, as I am not familiar with it.

You choose the processor in your soundcard properties on your laptop.

You may also want to post your REW settings in the REW help forum... actually, I'll move this thread to that forum, as John and some others can better assist.

 

[John Mulcahy]

Since you are measuring a stereo system you don't need ASIO, use the Java drivers.

When you measure the laptop becomes the source, your laptop's headphone output carrying the signal to the Quad. In the REW soundcard preferences select the output device and output that are your laptop, typically called Speakers or Headphones or similar, and select the channel (L or R or L+R) you want to measure. The sample rate should be set to 48 kHz, that is all the UMIK-1 supports.

The input device and input should be the UMIK-1. Input channel doesn't matter, both channels of the input carry the same signal.

 

[Jonners59]

Since you are measuring a stereo system you don't need ASIO, use the Java drivers.

When you measure the laptop becomes the source, your laptop's headphone output carrying the signal to the Quad. In the REW soundcard preferences select the output device and output that are your laptop, typically called Speakers or Headphones or similar, and select the channel (L or R or L+R) you want to measure. The sample rate should be set to 48 kHz, that is all the UMIK-1 supports.

The input device and input should be the UMIK-1. Input channel doesn't matter, both channels of the input carry the same signal.

THANK YOU.

I sorted the level too. I had a newsletter from miniDSP and it also had a link to an idiots guide to setting up their mic and REW.
Set Quad to #3 on volume which was a comfortable loud.
Set Generator to -20db and slowly moved it to -23db to get SPL Meter to read 75db
Put the -23db in to the Measure and then did a measuring sweep. Worked perfectly

I think I have it worked out now. I shall still post a few setup screen shots, always helps me if I try things again in a few months/years and get stuck, and may help others.

THIS was interesting...

select the channel (L or R or L+R) you want to measure

I always use the miniDSP EQ tool to either mute or I turn off the routing channels to get what I want to measure. But you are saying I should simply change the setting on the REW... Does it matter, or is it just a preference?

OH, also, noting the comment from Sonnie about posting settings, rather than do loads of screenshots, is there a simple setting save or config file? If so I could post mine here.

Best
Jon

 

[John Mulcahy]

Glad you sorted it out. If you mute channels in the system you'll need to set REW to output L+R. May be easier to select the channels in REW directly rather than muting, but either is fine.

 

[Jonners59]

Glad you sorted it out. If you mute channels in the system you'll need to set REW to output L+R. May be easier to select the channels in REW directly rather than muting, but either is fine.

Thank you.

Attached may help others. It is a simplified version of the setup. Doesn't cover all and everything. It got a link from miniDSP in their newsletter and made my own from it, which is attached. The main benefit from it was setting the levels. The rest need the REW user guide and your help