# REW with EMM-6, mackie mixer, and computer sound card



## Patzig (Oct 10, 2012)

Well, I'm new to REW and calibrating...so I have a few hardware questions. I plan on buying the EMM-6 Mic. I am aware that it needs phantom power. So I have a Mackie CR-1604 Mixer. I read the manual and it says it's capable from 20Hz to 20kHz (seems good enough to me). Then I would in theory connect the mixer back to the sound card. So I know that I can calibrate the emm-6 mic with the files that come with it, and calibrate the sound card with the straight line from In and Outs on the card, but how would I account for the errors in the mixer? Also, the mixer is around 8-10 years old. Would I be better off getting a USB pre-amp or something like that? Thank you.

EDIT: Another noob question: How does everyone actually do the calibration with 5.1 systems? I know that REW only records one channel at a time. So should you put that mono channel into your AV amp, and then run all speakers/subs on "mono"? Or run the test on every individual speaker?


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## Patzig (Oct 10, 2012)

Well now I found the new usb mic from miniDSP. Seems like a hard to beat deal. May have to go with that.


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## pathos (Mar 13, 2011)

Parts Express also has a new USB measurement microphone, the Dayton Audio UMM-6. It lists for $88.26.


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

Patzig said:


> Well, I'm new to REW and calibrating...so I have a few hardware questions. I plan on buying the EMM-6 Mic. I am aware that it needs phantom power. So I have a Mackie CR-1604 Mixer. I read the manual and it says it's capable from 20Hz to 20kHz (seems good enough to me). Then I would in theory connect the mixer back to the sound card. So I know that I can... calibrate the sound card with the straight line from In and Outs on the card, but how would I account for the errors in the mixer?


 Simple, just include the mixer in the connection scheme: Soundcard out to mixer input, mixer output to souncard input. Make sense? :T



> EDIT: Another noob question: How does everyone actually do the calibration with 5.1 systems? I know that REW only records one channel at a time. So should you put that mono channel into your AV amp, and then run all speakers/subs on "mono"? Or run the test on every individual speaker?


Depends on what you mean by “calibrate.” If you’re talking about setting the relative levels of all the speakers, you don’t need REW for that (although some people do use it). If you’re talking about getting frequency response readings of each speaker for the purpose of equalizing, then it’s best to measure them one at a time. With multiple subs however, it’s best to measure with them all operating and equalize them as a single “entity,” since that’s precisely the way you hear them.

Regards, 
Wayne


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## Patzig (Oct 10, 2012)

Great info Wayne, thank you.


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