If you’re like me, you end up in situations where you need to trouble-shoot, verify or calibrate your audio stuff. If you have access to a tech shop with expensive scopes and waveform generators — life is great. If not, your most cost effective solution may be something portable. Here’s a list of portable test equipment that costs under $1,000.
If you are aware of any other tools that should be added, please let me know.
Portable Audio Tone Generators
For Under $1k
Horita PT3
Portable Tone Generator
http://www.horita.com/video.htm#PT3
Creates two tones (1k Hz & 10k Hz) via balanced or unbalanced output and has selectable line levels (+8dBu, +4dBu, -10dBV, +5dBV, -50dBu/V). Low battery indicator. 9 VDC.
List: $189, Retail: $155
Horita BSG-50
Video Sync Generator with Tone
http://www.horita.com/video.htm#Blackburst,_Sync,_Audio_Tone_Generators
Multiple output (BNC) video sync generator that also produces a 1k Hz tone at 0dBu via unbalanced RCA output.
Retail: $325 – 440
NTI Audio Minirator MR2
Analog Audio Signal Generator
http://www.nti-audio.com/Home/Products/Minstruments/MiniratorMR2/tabid/118/Default.aspx
Offers a full range of analog test signals for calibration, maintenance and repair of professional audio equipment. The signals include sine, pink noise, white noise, polarity, sweeps, chirps and delay.
Retail: $320 – 520
Videoquip Research Limited DSG-1
Digital/Analog Audio Signal Generator
http://www.videoquip.com/products/std/dsg-1.html
Provides both digital and balanced analog output signals. Output connectors are digital coaxial (RCA), digital optical, and AES3 on XLR. The XLR connector doubles as a balanced analog output when analog mode is selected. All outputs are simultaneously active. Front panel controls permit selection of Format (AES3, S/PDIF, or Analog), Sample Rate (32, 44.1, 48, or 96 kHz), Frequency, (100Hz, 400 Hz, 1 kHz, or full bandwidth sweep), and Level (-12, 16, -18, -20 for digital, +8, +4, 0, -10 for analog).
Retail: $930
Goldline TS-1
Oscillator & Audio Test Set
http://www.gold-line.com/testsets.htm
I’ve had personal experience with this unit. The controls are analog. I’ve found it difficult to get precise settings, especially the output level.
Retail: $480 – 530
Portable Analyzers
For Under $1k
NTI Audio Minilyzer ML1
Palm Sized Audio Analyzer
http://www.nti-audio.com/Home/Products/Minstruments/MinilyzerML1/tabid/80/Default.aspx
Level (in volts, dBu or dBV and the signal frequency), THD+N, Frequency Sweep, Polarity, Time Sweep, Scope, 1/3 Octave, vu/PPM, Induction Loop Measurements AFILS
Retail: $540 – 630
Goldline ASA10B
Audio Spectrum Analyzer
http://www.gold-line.com/asa10b.htm
Hand Held Calibrated 10 Band Single Octave Analyzer
Retail: $300
Goldline 30MP
1/3 Octave Audio Spectrum Analyzer
http://www.gold-line.com/30mp.htm
ISO 1/3 octave between 25Hz-20kHz. Reads in IEC A, C and Flat weighting. Mic input is XLR, 12Vdc phantom power. Line input is balanced 1.4″ jack, 10k ohm impedance.
Retail: $760 – 830
You may also consider using a laptop, tablet or handheld with an analyzer app, such as the Android RTA Pro Analyzer.
Portable Audio Testers
For Under $1k
Whirlwind AESQbox
AES/EBU Audio Line Tester
http://whirlwindusa.com/catalog/black-boxes-effects-and-dis/testers/aesqbox
Generate into or monitor from AES digital. Also doubles for A/D and D/A conversion and impedance transformer. Analog does not appear to be calibrated.
Retail: $460 – 480
Whirlwind Qbox
Audio Line Tester
http://whirlwindusa.com/catalog/black-boxes-effects-and-dis/testers/qbox
The Qbox includes a microphone, a speaker, a test tone generator, outputs for standard headphones, a 1/4″ jack for line-in or a 2k Ohm (telephone) earpiece out. 9 volt battery. “The Qbox 440Hz tone oscillator is intended to be used in pass/fail situations and is not designed to be used as a precise calibration tool.”
Retail: $180
Equipment on this page has been pinned to my Audio Test Equipment board.
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UPDATES Feb 2nd:
I was contacted by @chrisrouffer about a cost effective calibration he recently performed…
“I just set up a PA system, including EQ to meet the x-curve using tools that cost me less than $100. Sound is phenominal. The tools?
1) Behringer ECM8000 measurement mic – $60 – It is the same mic as other $700 measurement mics
2) True RTA Software – I bought the 31 band version for $35
I hooked the mic up to my laptop via my 2 channel USB interface and started measuring the room. I then tweaked the EQs for each of the mains (left, right, and center) so each one matched the large room x-curve (True RTA includes tone and pink noise generators). Once I had all three channels EQ’d I measured all three together and made a few final tweaks.”
I also heard from Davide Favargiotti. He wanted everyone to know about Syncheck, a great tool for time aligning picture and sound (film sound, game audio, ADR, etc.) List price: $495.
This month I started a new job at Soundelux DMG in Hollywood, an audio service provider to the videogame industry. When I was at DCV we collaborated with Soundelux on Epic Mickey and Kinect Disneyland Adventures.
I’m working in the Assets department, enjoying the opportunity to learn WaveLab and meeting a lot of talented people. It should be fun adding teleprompter functionality to their recording workstations, putting my experience building asset management systems to good use. I’ve been shown how to record actors performing for Motion Capture (MoCap), which is new to me. Whenever there is traditional Voiceover recording on the schedule I enjoy the familiarity of that.
I got to see the microphone closet and there are some real gems in there. Yes, as predicted I am working with microphones again. Good times.
People are going to be putting stuff on their conductive screens, not just gesturing. Perhaps this holiday season someone you know got AppMates, a combination of game app and physical cars that work together. If you haven’t already seen it, this video may make the concept more obvious.
I love how the headlights beam at night, the tires leave tracks in the dirt and other visual artifacts that the physical car makes when interacting with the app.
There are some interesting production implications that we can take from the video. First: if they make a new, physical car for the game it is expected to talk. So the cost of each toy includes audio production even though the app produces the sound. It’s not difficult to imagine a whole series of collectibles. As they release each new car the app will need to be updated with additional audio assets.
You may also have noticed that the characters talk to each other. Now if every character talks to every other character using their name, adding a new car means updating all of the dialog to include those new names. Luckily, it’s easier to update audio assets in one app than a collection of toy cars.
The marketing is pretty clever: the iPad app is free, you only pay for the toys. Sure, you can play without the cars — using a proxy instead — but it’s much more fun with the little cars, isnt it?
This page and more like it are part of my Game Audio board on Pinterest.
At the beginning of December I was invited to a recording session at the Eastwood Scoring Stage on the Warner Brothers Lot. This is a world class studio with a truly large format console and an enormous recording space.
At the helm: legendary recording engineer Armin Steiner, who was kind enough to answer a few questions I had about how he was recording that day. My first assumption was incorrect: I saw three microphones behind the conductor position and assumed they were the main stereo array. No, they were the left surround, right surround and the center mic was for the LFE.
On a break I walked through the room and noticed an interesting progression of players in the center. The first two rows were woodwinds, then a row of horns (or for the uninitiated “French” horns) then some baffles and percussion behind that. Why were the horns behind the woodwinds? The bell of a horn faces away from an audience (or conductor) and bounces off of the orchestra shell. In this case the horns bounced off of the hard baffles that separated the woods from the percussion — clever.
The vast majority of microphones were Sennheiser, but there were Neumann condenser mikes over the woodwinds that were either KM84s or KM184s. So I asked Armin and he said 84s. I prefer 84s, which Neumann no longer makes, so it was cool to see and hear them again.
It’s always a pleasure to experience top tier professionals in action. Being on the stage that day was a real treat.
This page and more like it are part of my Recording & Mixing Adventures board on Pinterest.
Click here to pin this page to your Pinterest board about Film Sound, Microphones, or Recording.
On December 2nd I got a call from my friend, Dr. Lincoln Hanks. He was asked to record the annual Christmas Concert at Pepperdine University and wanted to talk about techniques for using an A/B pair. The more we talked, the more I wanted to drive to Malibu and help. He was easily persuaded.
The University owns a lovely Focusrite ISA 828 front end for ProTools, 4 AKG 414 ULS mikes and a Rode NT4 stereo mic. I brought my AEA Decca Tree and Heavy Duty Mic Stand. We hoisted a pair of 414s in omni as the left and right mikes of the Decca Tree with the NT4 at the center position. The other two 414s (cardioid) were placed lower at the front of the stage as spot mikes.
Deciding the height and angle of the array was all about compromise. The higher the mikes, the more even the front to back volume ratio. But that put louder sources like brass at an unfair advantage. The lower the mikes the more front-heavy, giving the strings a better chance against the brass but risking that the choir in the back of the stage would get lost. We knew we needed spot mikes up front for some soloists, so they also doubled as string section spots. That meant we could raise the mikes higher and aim the array at the choir without too much fear of losing the strings.
No one told the violin soloist why there was a spot mic at the front of the stage, so it was a Christmas miracle when he played right into it. We could also hear the time delay between the spot mic and the main A/B pair. This is why spot mikes are delayed in time to match the main array… so spot mikes can be blended in without sounding unnatural.
I didn’t like the visual distraction of having all of those mikes front and center between the audience and performers, but at least one audience member who I spoke with during intermission thought it looked cool, which just goes to show you never can tell.
Here’s one selection from that performance: a medley of Christmas songs. Thanks for listening and happy holidays.
Check out this page and others like it on my Recording Adventures board.
Click here to pin this page to your Pinterest board about Microphones, Recording, or Mixing.
My tribute to the DCV in-house studio. It was my privilege to design and manage it.
Click an image to enlarge it
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- DCV Lobby
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- Phone in the lobby
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- Entryway: Mickey at the mic
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- The signature board
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- Pegboard cable management
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- Mounted dowels for cable management
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- Top drawer of the mic cabinet
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- Middle drawer of the mic cabinet
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- Wiring interface
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- Studio doorway
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- At work in Studio A
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- View from the Client’s Desk – goodies rule
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- Client’s Desk, goodies and patchbays
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- View from the Director’s Chair into iso booth 1
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- The mic collection
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- 44 ribbon mic with baffle behind
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- If one mic is good, three mikes are better
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- A pair of vintage RCA 10,001 ribbon microphones in wooden case
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- Final session with Russi Taylor
See the other tributes: People and Studio Construction.
I am fascinated by construction. It’s like a scan inside the structure to be. I’m always interested in how issues are addressed by others — especially acoustical — so I thought pics from our 2002 studio build might spark ideas for you. I love discussing these kinds of things so please feel free to leave comments and ask questions.
Click here and enjoy this tribute to: STUDIO CONSTRUCTION.
Don’t miss the previous tribute to the fantastic People I worked with, nor
the Studio Tour.
As I find out about other studio construction pics worth seeing I’ll list them below. Let me know.
Analogue Baby Studio, Liverpool
The Voice Recording Studio of Jordan Reynolds
Ditch Road Records, Simi Valley, CA
It’s no secret I love microphones or recording in the studio, but my greatest joy is working with wonderful people. So I begin my tribute to Disney Character Voices with a few pictures of some of the folks who’ve enriched my life over the past 16 years.
See these other tributes: Studio Construction, Studio Tour.
Click any image to enlarge
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- Andy Smith, Ethan and Jodi Friedericks
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- Andy Smith, Vanessa McGee, Bret Iwan and Renée Johnson
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- Susie Lum with Pluto
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- Ben Wegener and Ned Lott
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- Bryan Monroe, Jodi Friedericks, Tress MacNeille, Ethan Friedericks and Bruce Healey
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- Bryan Monroe in 3D
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- Corey Burton, Randy and Kari Coppinger
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- Renée, Ned, Rick, Susie, Jessi, me, Jen, Ethan, Ben, Vicki and Bryan
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- Ethan Friedericks, Susie Lum, Randy Coppinger, Vicki Rondou, Ben Wegener and Bryan Monroe
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- Ethan Friedericks with Pluto
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- Ethan Schreiber, Rick Dempsey and Jim Davey
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- Goodbye Party
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- Goodbye Party
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- Rick Dempsey at one of the smelliest places in New Zealand
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- Russi Taylor and Susan Corona
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- Randy Coppinger and Brian Kahanek at the Studio Open 2002
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- Vicki Rondou and Bill Komar
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- Vicki Rondou with Pluto
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- In the Studio with my dear, sweet friends Wayne Allwine and Russi Taylor
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- Tony Anselmo, Bill Farmer and Susanne Blakeslee
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- Ben Hoppe, Linda Larkin and Randy Coppinger in Studio
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- Rick Dempsey and Tony Anselmo
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- Tony Anselmo, Jennifer Hale, Kari and Randy Coppinger
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- Randy Coppinger, Vicki Rondou, Rick Dempsey, Bryan Monroe, Ben Hoppe and Ben Wegener
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- Ben Wegener, Ben Hoppe, Brian McKown, Renée Johnson and Randy Coppinger
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- Susan Ryan, Randy Coppinger and Renée Johnson
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- Ben Hoppe, Brian Kahanek, Susie Lum, Jason and Susan Ryan
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- Cathleen Flynn, Susan Ryan and Beth Santarpio
Here are some more pics with voice actors in the recording studio.
I hope you’ve enjoyed the VU meter photos. Yesteray’s meter was from an Ampex 350. Kudos to my friend Brian Carr for letting me snap a pic.
Our final installment is from a company that remade a classic compressor. That’s not a very good clue, but the meter’s from a very good compressor.
Tell us who makes the unit that features this meter in a comment below.
Updated 11/28 after no one correctly guessed. Mike Hiller was almost correct in guessing 1176LN except this meter is from a Purple Audio MC77, which is an updated (faster) remake.
Martech brought us the Day 4 meter on the MSS-10 microphone preamplifier. It’s a unit that impresses the eyes and the ears.
I’ll be honest — today’s is not a meter I had seen before until just recently, although the device has been around since the early days of tape recording.
It’s okay to guess. But if you know the answer, by all means leave a comment.
Randy Coppinger 
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