Introducing the SoundPro - EX (Extreme) Analyzer

It is with great excitement that I introduce you to the new SoundPro - EX. What started as a simple firmware update to the SP495 SoundPro concluded with an astounding number of significant engineering advancements. First and foremost was the unleashing of hidden digital signal processing power, resulting in the highest accuracy and resolution available today in a handheld audio analyzer. Plus, many new functions and features were added based upon customer suggestions, greatly improving the SoundPro's analyzing capabilities. These advances earned it a new name, the SoundPro - Extreme. This article introduces you to nine of the new SoundPro - EX features.

The most exciting improvement offered by the DSP horsepower boost is the increase from 1/12 octave to a full 1/30^th octave resolution FFT analyzer. The new advanced FFT analyzer now provides an analysis of acoustic energy in 300 different individual octave bands while providing averaged display updates in less than a second. This brings amazing resolution to the world of acoustic frequency response analyzing with the speed needed to visualize speaker/room treatment changes, parametric EQ adjustments and the like.

A second and equally important performance improvement essentially doubles the resolution of the Energy Time Graph (ETG). For example, the ETG breaks up the 16 mS (15 ft.) measurement range into approximately 225 individual increments resulting in resolution approaching 1 inch or 0.1 mS. A cursor and offset marker provide precision time/distance measurements between graphed measurement increment points. The added resolution provides added detail needed to pinpoint early speaker reflections, study initial time delay gaps (ITDG) to characterize room acoustics, accurately set A/V processor time delays, calibrate speaker time delays in sound reinforcement systems, and check PA speaker phasing. Longer ETG ranges to 960 mS provide room energy decay rate analyzing.

In addition, an Early Decay Time (EDT) measurement is a new addition to the ETG test function. Early Decay Time (EDT) is the initial time it takes for reverberant sound energy in a space to decay 10 dB from the level of the direct sound. Many acoustic engineers and designers feel that this initial time delay is of special importance and may be considered independently from the later decay period, referred to as the reverberation time for 60 dB of decay (RT60 or RT). The EDT is influenced by both the sound system and room characteristics while the RT is useful for describing the overall energy decay characteristics of the room.

Early decay time is important for several reasons. The early decay time greatly impacts the human perception of an acoustic space because a rapid initial decay is interpreted by the human ear as meaning the reverberation time is short. Furthermore, the clarity of music (or musical notes) is better articulated when previous notes have decayed by 10 dB or more prior to the arrival of the next note. Generally, the best sound clarity and articulation is achieved with a fast EDT. A slow EDT may indicate the presence of strong early reflections from low directivity loudspeakers placing high energy levels on the walls and ceiling. For these reasons, EDT is considered to be a more accurate gauge of acoustical quality than RT60 when analyzing a concert hall.

An innovative enhancement for analyzing room noise combines the RTA analyzer and an overlay of the noise criterion curves. You may recall that the Noise Criteria (NC) rating of a room is the number of the lowest curve that is not exceeded by any of the noise in the room. To determine an NC rating, the noise levels at eight different octave band frequencies are measured and compared to the Noise Criterion curves. An RTA plot of the sound level in each octave and an overlay of respective noise criterion curves provide an ideal visual of the room noise and its relative level in each band. The offending noise and limiting band, along with the results of noise reduction, are clearly seen on the RTA, making it an ideal tool for improving room NC performance when treating or minimizing room noise.

The introduction of a "memory averaging" function is new to both the RTA and FFT analyzing functions of the SP495. The memory averaging (MAv) function is selected in the averaging field of either function. This feature provides a means to produce a spatial averaged response of multiple listening positions. With pink noise introduced into the space, position the microphone at various listening positions and capture RTA/FFT responses at each position to a memory location. Select the MAv function and recall each of the captured memories to produce the spatial average. Using the MAv function provides you a quick, average spatial response of the room with very little effort or setup. However, for adjustment accuracy you'll want to use the Sencore MX399 Multiplexer.

Documenting the results of Speech Intelligibility STIPA and Multiband Decay Tests are now a reality with the addition of the Memory record fields to the STIPA and Multiband Decay Tests. The memory field section of the SoundPro-EX is contained at the bottom center section of the RTA, FFT, ETG, TDA, Amplitude Sweep, and AHT test screens. You may store up to 100 different test results to memory. The memory allows you to store test results for easy comparison of before and after room calibration and treatment. Furthermore, test results can be transported to the office for analysis or documentation.

The Auto Home Theater (AHT) tests, popular on other SoundPro models, are now an integral part of the SoundPro-EX as well. The Auto HT Tests provide automated measurements of a home theater. The SoundPro-EX is connected via a serial connection cable to the Sencore Digital Audio Generator, model DAG5161. The AHT tests differ from all other SoundPro-EX functions in that the RS232 Serial jack is used to automatically control the Sencore DAG5161 generator. Serial commands from the SoundPro-EX select the appropriate signals to correspond to the acoustic analyzing tests.

A series of automated tests are performed and results are automatically captured to memory locations. The Auto HT Tests fully automate the tedious process of selecting signals and manually analyzing SPL levels, polarity and delay times from each speaker. In addition, the AHT Tests document early reflections, system frequency response and ambient noise. The test data contained in the memory locations may be easily viewed to indicate the A/V receiver adjustments needed for proper level and delay adjustment. The memory-contained test data may be downloaded to the SoundPro Report Software on a PC for report creation.

The new Macros function enables a user to automatically store and play back a series of control knob increments, clicks and pauses. The Macros function basically remembers the exact sequence of menu or function selection steps, as performed by a user when configuring the SoundPro-EX for a desired test or series of tests. The step sequence may be recorded to one of 64 different Macro memory locations. Nicknamed the "Simon Says" function, once the macro is stored in memory, the step sequence can be recalled and played to duplicate the exact steps as recorded. A maximum of 256 steps may be contained in a Macro sequence. You can build simple test routines fast and easily without complicated computer programming and commands.

A new Memory Card Logging function provides a means to log data from real-time measurement functions to an SD memory card. The supported data logging functions are RTA, FFT, ETG, and the SPL meter. When logging is started and a supported function is running, each time the measurement screen is updated, a time-stamped data snapshot is saved to a RAM buffer. Functions may be mixed, and logging may be turned on or off without losing the contents of RAM. When desired, the contents of the RAM buffer can be stored to a file on the SD card. The file storage space required depends on the number of bytes in the data snapshot and the update rate. The FFT, for example, would consume approximately 9MB in 12 hours.

The SoundPro-EX is the "Extreme" performer! The SoundPro-EX stands poised to make easy work of analyzing an acoustic space and/or sound system and its components. If you're a serious audio acoustic designer, engineer or consultant, the SP495 SoundPro - EX offers you the analyzing features and horsepower you need. For more information on the new SP495 SoundPro-EX visit the Sencore website at www.Sencore.com or contact your area technical sales representative by calling 1-800-SEN-CORE (736-2673) or click this link for the Sencore website http://www.sencore.com.

1.800.736.2673 or 1.605.339.0100