I got one, you can use my measuring gear or I can do it for you. That's if you are in So. Cal.

 

I got one, you can use my measuring gear or I can do it for you. That's if you are in So. Cal.
[/quote]

Thanks for the offer; that would be so awesome! Unfortunately, I am all the way out in Texas.

I am planning to have a go at it with a netbook, external microphone, and ARTA (since I don't want to pay to use 1/24 octave TrueRTA once). I am currently still researching which microphone to purchase and trying to determine if a USB audio interface is really needed. I'm really trying to keep my cost down as anything close to $200 will put me close to an Alpine PXE-H660 (perfect for people with bad ears like me!).

Any thoughts on this approach?

 

I got one, you can use my measuring gear or I can do it for you. That's if you are in So. Cal.
[/quote]

Thanks for the offer; that would be so awesome! Unfortunately, I all the way out in Texas.

I am planning to have a go at it with a netbook, external microphone, and ARTA (since I don't want to pay to use 1/24 octave TrueRTA once). I am currently still researching which microphone to purchase and trying to determine if a USB audio interface is really needed. I'm really trying to keep my cost down as anything close to $200 will put me close to an Alpine PXE-H660 (perfect for people with bad ears like me!).

Any thoughts on this approach?
[/quote]

I'd say for car tuning there are only two choices. Either you get just a basic true RTA which can do 1/3 octave frequency response or the Dayton Omnimic setup which can do it all. The first should be under $100 and the latter $300.

The classic way of building a measurement setup is to buy everything separately. That really blows for car tuning. Your mic will need a pre-amp. The pre-amp needs to be pluged in so you have to be near an outlet. If you have a DC converter you risk pouting your samples with converter noise plus you really can't feed it power with the engine off for long. The second problem is that you will have way too many wires and separate computers to not get annoyed, especially in an S. Thirdly you have to set up the laptop software and Windows settings everytime which can take forever.

So with a simple handheld RTA you separate power sources, get rid of wires, and tune quickly. The problem is that it only gives you so much information. With an Omnimic you can do time alignment, harmonic distortion testing to set your crossovers, average rta responses, check decay, even rt60s. It's a complete measurement setup build by Praxis and the only component connecting to your laptop is the mic. Brilliant!

 

Wow, I am totally out of my element here. I am still leaning towards the Netbook based solution as a means of keeping the cost down. Using a Behringer ECM8000 Condenser Microphone Omni with a MXL MICMATEC XLR To USB Preamp would eliminate my power issues, but may introduce some noise if the power going to the USB port isn't great. I'll give it some more thought and make a move after the Thanksgiving holiday.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction!

 

Even more reason to use something ready to use out of the box, speaker testing software is built by nerds with very little interface help. I hope you have patience. I had an ECM 8000 to start, with WinMLS license, on an XP laptop, M-audio pre amp, M-audio full duplex audio card. BTW you need an audio card that can send and receive audio at the same time. Your headunit also better have a minijack input. $200 later, many months of learning and I could barely do a frequency response sweep. 1/4 samples would be shit do to my Monster converter crapping out. I broke two laptops over time and WinMLS requires contact to get a new code blah blah blah. Honestly, the Dayton omnimic is a blessing. You save your patience, time, and you get better, repeatable results. If you can't pony up the cash I'd say a basic handheld RTA is a good way to start.

 

At this point, finding a local shop with the right hardware is starting to sound like a good option!

 

sorry but i had to ask?does this 3.5'' tft lcd monitor actually fit with the door closing fine into the S.did you find any trouble installing this?thanks and sorry to reply to an old thread.

 

I'm probably a little late in the reply, but I would just get him some decent Alpine component speakers (6.5") and see if that is what he wants. I think he will appreciate the thought even if they aren't exactly what he wants. If he isn't too particular they will be a great upgrade from the stock units, and they only cost around $100 per pair shipped. Just put "Alpine component speakers" in an Ebay search to find them. I had some XS series in another car and they sounded great. If he is an audio nut he can still use them but he probably will want a new head unit and amplifier, which you can give the okay to purchase!

BT

 

Was looking through random pictures taken on my iphone recently and figured a few of them pertain to this thread...

found cheap substitute for dynamat at home depot & picked it up to do my doors (helped a bit with vibrations/noise)
Also, retrofitted some 6x8's (although they "fit in most 5x7 locations" so they're most likely 5x7's ) in the door.

before:


after:


Made a very tiny usb connector/extender so that my iphone can be plugged into the front usb port of my headunit, but the radio door can still be closed while it is plugged in. Also allowing me to hide the iphone cable..





Any my personal favorite... got tired of having only a crappy craftsman radio in the shop at work... so I rounded up some spare parts & threw this ghetto-fabulous beast together..

 

Mine is coming together ok..