Sonarworks sound ID with IK ARC measurement mic?

[MarkOne]

So I’m now ensconced in my new place. I don’t have a dedicated studio space any more but I don’t have a mortgage or a money pit of a big detached house any more either so on balance, sharing a general office/workroom/hobby room in our new flat with Mrs One is a good thing

I’ve put up some basic acoustic panels from studio spares behind the speakers and at the mirror points, but I’m in a 2m gap in the corner behind the door of a 3x5m room. I physically don’t have space for corner traps

In my new stripped down rig I’ve just got myself an Audient iD14 and that comes with a 6 month trial of sonarworks. Previously I had IKs ARC system, that came with an ARC measurement mic. But that has become incompatible with my M1 Mac. My question is, can I use its mic with Sonarworks?

I will be on the lookout for some cans to upgrade my AKG K240s, and maybe som smaller monitors than the Adam A7s, buy in the meantime, I’d like to see if the Sonarworks can help at least in the short term.

[Wonks]

If you have a calibration file for the mic, then you may be able to use it with Sonarworks, as long as the file format is compatible. Without it, you’re better off not using Sonarworks on the monitors.

Or you could buy a calibrated mic from Sonarworks, but then you’ve pretty much bought into it up-front.

[Drew Stephenson]

When you say you don't have space for corner traps, what about ceiling / wall corners? It's dead space in most rooms.

[MarkOne]

It's an idea Drew, for sure.

But realistically I will only be able to treat my end of the room, and only within the realms of keeping it looking more or less like a workroom/hobby-room/office. I'd probably be able to get away with something that looked like the primeacoustic cumulus triangle thingies, but not something that big (the space above the doorframe is only around 30cm) and I know that the physics means anything tiny enough to fit corners up there will be pretty ineffective

Also I might still have an issue with the aesthetics

[Drew Stephenson]

Also I might still have an issue with the aesthetics

I have frequently wondered if there might be a market for screen printed acoustic treatment. So instead of a big block of colour or white block, you had a copy of a classic piece of art instead.
Obviously your printing method would need to remain acoustically transparent but I'd have thought it should be possible.
But I don't know if it would make any difference to general levels of acceptability.

[Hugh Robjohns]

Several well known purveyors of acoustic panels already offer screen printing options and picture frame panels. For example:

https://gikacoustics.co.uk/product/acou ... nels-67mm/

https://acousticpanels.co.uk/product-ca ... ll-panels/

https://www.customaudiodirect.co.uk/pri ... -absorbers

[Drew Stephenson]

Well there we have it, there is a market!

[MarkOne]

So it turns out I had a bunch of IKs loyalty tokens from som previous purchases so I could upgrade my ARC plugin to V3 for negligible cost.

I’ll be calibrating my listening position, later so I’ll report back.

Yes I know fixing the room is the right way, but as I’ve said, this really isn’t an option above some panels behind and to the sides.

[MarkOne]

Just to close this thread off, I ran the ARC V3 calibration routine. (21 measurements with a fast upward sine sweep left and right. I don’t think the pet tortoises were very impressed)

Then it did it’s magic and I have a profile for the Adam A7 in their new home.

The new ARC 3 seems better than the V2 I had. At least it’s showing a better output curve that’s closer to flat than I used to get in the old room.

And having listened to a few reference tracks, I have to say I’m pretty happy.

It’s not like I can mix at any kind of volume any more (I suspect 76 dB SPL will be “annoy the people in other apartments loud” which, a, is just antisocial and b, actually contravening the lease conditions )

And there’s always headphones

[Drew Stephenson]

Basic room correction software* is only ever going to do so much anyway. It'll take down any peaks from standing waves, give you some boost from similar dips (but ya cannae fight the laws of physics captain), but it's not going to do anything in the time domain or do anything about flutter echoes or 'owt like that.
Might be an excuse to buy some really posh headphones?

* I have no idea about something like the Trinnov system.

[sonics]

Don't forget that the correction software will also deal with speaker frequency response variations. Use near-field monitors and you have less room to deal with (at most frequencies). If you can't go loud, then get closer to the speakers! Yes to the headphone upgrade, too.

I have been a complete convert to correction systems and never produce any music at all without them, both in my monitor path and for headphones. I consider them one of the greatest advances of the digital audio age. *HURRAH*