DIY Audio Spectrum Analyzer, AFFORDABLE RTA!
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- Опубліковано 9 лип 2020
- In this video I show you how to build a simple and affordable RTA using parts you probably have laying around!
Amazon Affiliate Links*
Kicker LOC: amzn.to/2ALu7rl
Headphone Out to RCA adapter: amzn.to/3iJKOVg
Mic input adapter: amzn.to/3fgz9Lu
iPhone adapter: amzn.to/2WnK3Ib
Android adapter: amzn.to/3fjvCw7
Insulation Piercing Probes: amzn.to/38MX1DW
RTA microphone: amzn.to/3ei8nRB
Professional RTA: amzn.to/2BOUuxm
3.5mm patch cable: amzn.to/2W9zYOR
Parts Express Affiliate Links*
RTA microphone: bit.ly/3gENdii
Stinger LOC: bit.ly/3iNNAsB
Headphone Out to RCA adapter: bit.ly/2Zervf0
For detailed instructions from Kicker go to www.kicker.com/tech-papers and select "Building a simple RTA and testing speaker outputs." A quick google search for "kicker pink noise" will get you all of the test tracks you will ever need.
*As an affiliate/associate marketer I earn a small commission on qualified sales. - Авто та транспорт
Thanks for doing this. It's people like you that make it possible for weekend audio warriors like me to be able to dive deep into out hobby without forking out big bucks for professional gear that we don't need.
So far this is my favorite video of yours. Really informative and quality information.
You got that right, any rta is better than no rta. Shout out Kicker!!!!
I've got some home audio projects in the works, it'll be handy to have an RTA to measure the response of the passive crossovers.
Just found your and this video alone is worthy of a sub! Thanks for sharing this info, as I just purchased all necessary items for under $55. This is a hobby where I only install systems in my new cars or family/friends so I couldn't justify Audio Controls RTA option currently.
Awesome, I hope that you're able to put it to good use.
@@DIYAudioGuy Will definitely report back once I am done.
Well! This is why I have subscribed to your channel. To be honest, This is the 1st time I have heard of an RTA. I was into car audio in my late teens and early 20s and all we had or knew of was fairly basic. Deck, RCAs, amps, subs and dashboard EQs. As I have progressed rapidly in the past year I have learned so much more that has absolutely reignited the passion for car audio!!! Have a shed that I call my workshop and once I get it insulated I will have 1 side set up for wood working and the other or rest is all car audio, etc. Thank you!!!
That sounds awesome!
@@DIYAudioGuy I clicked on the @DiyAudioGuy for something I supposedly won? Lol, I never win anything, no seriously I don't! It took me to an unactive screen or something to that nature, I quickly exited!
@@kylebainter8595 That was not me!
@@DIYAudioGuy That is what I figured! I have great protection on all of my devices as everybody should! With that said, I think I am going to keep it simple for the car as far as a line out converter goes and get a LC2i Pro and call it good for that vehicle. When I reach the point in my build I will be going for obviously a much more advanced unit that will allow all RCAs and any sound processing through one unit. My task at hand is obtain that converter then build a box to house 2 SKAR VD12's that were in my girls car without taking up the whole trunk!!!! Never built an enclosure, but the one my buddy let me use briefly... Dang they came alive, but again it was a large SPL box. So I need to learn a build for them as I have the all the dimensions for em, but need to keep it simple so my focus stays on the truck monetarily!
@@kylebainter8595 I've had good luck with my 4 ch nvx converter w bass knob for a lot cheaper and they have one for 14 dollars as well...
I’ve used the audio tools app and it definitely gets you pointed in the right direction for very little money. I used the Dayton imm-6 and loaded the calibrated file although it didn’t seem to make much of a difference over the iPhone mic
I had a similar experience.
Sorry complete novice so maybe a silly question but does this mean that if you use the Dayton imm-6 mic and the tools app you don't need to make this RTA from LOC since they will do the same thing?
@@joebloggs4191 this setup will allow you to measure the signal. The imm-6 let's you measure the response of the speaker.
Speakers all have their own unique response curve, so even if the signal being sent to them is flat, the response you read from them will usually not be flat.
IMO, the response from the speaker is more important than the response from the amplifier, BUT if there is an issue with the response from the speaker, being able to see if that issue is coming through from the amp is nice.
@@brandonweigel6309 Ok, many thanks!
@@brandonweigel6309 thats what i was thinking 😂it don't make sense mannn😂but yea from the amp I agree
It good for beginners who want learn before invest expensive RTA equipment
Absolutely.
I just subscribed after seeing this video
I use an UMIK-1 calibrated USB microphone plugged into my laptop and run Room EQ Wizard software. Fast and easy.
I keep having trouble with REW, my laptop does not seem to like it.
@@DIYAudioGuy what kind of laptop? I have a Thinkpad Carbon X1 with a i7 6600u and 16 gigs of ram. Runs rock solid.
Have you tried different rcas? there's a big difference on how twisted pair and shielded rcas work dymore has a video explaining that, cause I'm sure the 3.5 jack has a ground for the noise to go and if there's not a place for it to go it will be picked up on the rcas, a ground loop isolator may fix that,dymore also has a video on line output converters, which output converters are better the Kicker one is in that video to also,there may be better options, I'm looking for a budget rta and this video helped alot I'll just get a Audiocontrol lc2i and go for a 3.5 to rca cable that's shielded and ground that shield to the ground on the lc2i which should kill that noise being the rcas and the ground are isolated Thanks Again
Yea, tons of variables that can throw off the results.
Have you ever tried to test an audio spectrum with pink or white noise (or maybe some sort of easy sweep generator? I've seen them as android apps) ? We've got a special ham radio application we are trying to set up so we know more about what a "repeater" sounds like. A "repeater" is a special fm radio on a mountain top that picks up weak fm radios and transmits them to the other side of the mountain for instance. The spectrum on some repeaters (especially ours) can be messed with to the point where you don't know what you've got. Its radio audio and every radio messes with the audio specrum (FM Pre-Emphasis and De-Emphasis). We have a volunteer group with special repeaters (ham radio) trying to fix the audio so every repeater sounds the same. The end gadget needs to be inexpensive, easy to replicate, and easy to power. We can't rely on our ears, sometimes you are in a building with fans and air conditioning and can't hear yourself think !
I usually use pink noise for this. I don't know anything about ham radio.
I built one of these a few months back and I'm using the same app with the same IMM6 mic. Loading the calibration file can be a bit tricky. I had to follow some hints by some reviews on Amazon and parts express. With the DIY RTA I have the same issue with noise using the same parts you did and a Samsung Galaxy A50. If you ever find a solution is love to know.
80/20 rule. One day I will be able to buy a real RTA. Untill then I am going to build a mount for this and live with the shortcomings.
I too have been interested about building one of these. Could you add a wire with a gator clip to the brown wire on the LOC...which I believe is a ground dump (noise reduction) and ground that gator clip to the car chassis? Maybe that would help remove some noise...
Let me get this right, If you want to check an aftermarket stereo with RCA preouts you can simply plug in your 3.5mm to rca into the headset buddy attenuator , other end into stereos rcas and run the app. If you want to check a factory stereo or any other radios you need to do the same but include a LOC to reduce the volume before going into the attenuator.
Yep
@@DIYAudioGuy Thanks. I like your simple to understand videos. 👍 I learn something new every time. I recommend them to others quite often too.
Did you say we can use the input signal wires off the head unit as a option?
That would be better!
Larry
Absolutely. You can do that.
Hi i need some help, I have an kenwood ddx4048bt with 2 sets of RCA (Front and rear/sub) I want to connect 2 amps (1 4 channel for speaker and a 2 channel for sub) but an missing an RCA from the radio, what can I do?
There are a lot of different ways you can do that. You can hook the four channel up to the front outputs and the subwoofer amp to the rear outputs. You won't be able to use the fader if you do it this way. Another option is to get a four-channel amp that has a pass through function on the RCA's. So it'll have a set of RCA outputs that you can run to the subwoofer amp.
Can you make a frequency spectrum analyzer full skall
You can make the screen larger by using a tablet, otherwise this thing is the entire spectrum from 20 to 20,000.
Will this need to be done before any gains are set on the amp? Reason i ask is, when i mess eith the EQ settings on HU it makes the music louder and lower volumes.
Set the gains first, then the crossovers, then EQ.
I don't understand that headset buddy as 1 end is 2.5mm and the other is 3.5 mm. I'd like to do this using my Iphone with the lightning cable. The lightning adapter you link to is 3.5 mm. What about the 2.5mm end? What am I missing? or does the headset buddy come with everything needed ? Please advise.
The one I have is the same size on both ends.
@@DIYAudioGuy OkThanks. That makes perfect sense. I ordered one.
Try solder it to an RCA jack? Or is it possible to use just the rca to 3.5 on a low level rca to see the signal only?
You need the adapter with the attenuator.
@@DIYAudioGuy okay so the attenuator and the RCA to 3.5 plugged into the Dayton Mic jack?
Thanks BTW this will help big time setting up my source unit.
@@UltraCon79 You're using the date and audio microphone you can just plug that right into the smartphone. No wires required. The rest of the setup is designed for tapping into speaker level outputs, like in a car. For that you need a line output converter, the RCA to 3.5 adapter, and the headset buddy adapter.
@@DIYAudioGuy yes I'm trying to tap into RCA outputs from my source unit in the car I want to see my signal RTA
@@UltraCon79 in that case you just need to go from RCA's into the headset buddy adapter. You might be able to go from the RCA's right into the phone, but I'm not sure.
I purchased the headset buddy and rca adapter to 3.5mm and also a 3.5 mm adapter to plug into my fire hd10 tablet. Problem is finding an app that will allow reading the signal and not just the sound the tablet's microphone picks up. If I disable the micrphone permission for the app the app will not function. The app i'm trying to use is RTA analyzer free version. Amazon app store has limited apps to download. I had no luck installing google play store on my tablet to try to get more app choices. Do you know how to get an app to function via the cable and not the internal microphone? is it just a matter of purchasing the full version of the app instead of using the free version? That would make sense but I don't want to buy an app just to find out it wont work. I know kicker recommends the Octave app but I cannot get that on my stupid tablet. All this technology is lame.
Please advise if you can.
I hate to hear that. I don't know of a work-around. Sorry.
What do you think about possibly using the headset buddy and connecting directly to a laptop and using Rew software?
I don’t know if I missed it, but what was the source? What did you play the pink noise through?
I used Bluetooth from phone.
DIY Audio Guy ok, I was just wondering if the source itself may have introduced the noise. I have a lc2i doing nothing, so I’m going to try this soon. I hope it may have better results seeing as it may be grounded and such, compared to the simpler loc. I’m missing the trrs though. So until then, great video, thanks again
@@carlosreset7501 My problem could be the cheap $10 head unit I'm using. My test bench has plenty of opportunities to introduce noise into the system. So it might not be a problem with the LOC or the TRRS adapter. There are just too many steps in the signal chain.
DIY Audio Guy well as per the kicker literature, Bluetooth should be last resort. Lol. Also, there looks like some roll off on the bass side in the full signal, so maybe the source is attenuating the signal itself, maybe at the higher side as you mentioned also. As you said, the noise could come from all the individual components, but also maybe from components themself. I mean, maybe the lc2i May have a better signal than a simple loc, and in turn it brings us back to your 20/80, 80/20 rule. 👍👍✌️
Even though kicker specifically said not to use Bluetooth that went ahead and did it anyways since everybody uses Bluetooth these days.I don't blame kicker at all for any of the flaws in this setup. I think that LOC is pretty solid.
Can I use an lc7i line output converter?
Yes, but only if you have one on hand. It would not be cost effective to buy one to use just for this.
@@DIYAudioGuy yes I do already have one. Whoo hoo...
cell phone mics are not calibrated maybe it will work on signal lvl
Good point, didn't think about that. The app I'm using can be calibrated. So that would probably fix the problem. I've never tried the calibration function. But I have loaded a calibration file for the IMM6.
line output converter itself not giving you flat signal and you should use cheap ones
The kicker LOC I am using works just fine.
With all the money This project would cost it would be cheaper just to buy a $35 Spectrum analyzer kit
The only thing I had to buy was the headset buddy adapter. Everything else was just stuff I had laying around.