# Equipment usable for both home & car audio tuning?



## coyote_5 (Mar 30, 2010)

Hi, I've been reading up on REW recently - my interest in that lies mainly in low frequency measurement. So I was ready to buy a CM-140 meter and a sound card when I started thinking about wanting to do more tuning on my car stereo as well (RTA). My guess (hope) is that I can get equipment that will crossover and be usable for both purposes.

Since for car audio I would be looking at a much wider spectrum of frequencies, I'm thinking I should go with a mic like the ECM8000 instead of a SPL meter. If I went with a M-Audio mobilepre soundcard, does that have the phantom power that the ECM8000 needs, so I would not need a separate preamp?


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## dyohn (Apr 17, 2008)

The M-Audio mobile pre will power the ECM8000. I use that exact setup with a laptop for RTA function in vehicles. I suggest you should purchase a good shock-mount mic stand as well.


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## Ricci (May 23, 2007)

I suggest a calibrated ECM8000. Keep in mind that you'll still need an SPL meter to set the levels with. Also bear in mind that the ECM is not meant for high volume measurements and distorts badly in the bass range once levels start exceeding about 110-115db.


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## dyohn (Apr 17, 2008)

Yes absolutely. You don't want to use the Behringer mic (or the Parts Express equivalent) for high SPL readings.


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## coyote_5 (Mar 30, 2010)

thanks for your responses. I'm a neophyte with all this so I was not expecting the last comments. I was not expecting that RTA'ing would require high SPL levels, I assumed it is along the lines of REW that tests at around 75db (I thought)..... is that not the case? Of course my understanding of REW could easily be flawed as well!!


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## Ricci (May 23, 2007)

The only reason that we mentioned the volume levels is because car audio was involved. A lot of the time the words car audio, bass and measurement means that the levels will be very loud and they want to get SPL readings. Just covering the bases. :bigsmile:


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## coyote_5 (Mar 30, 2010)

Ricci said:


> The only reason that we mentioned the volume levels is because car audio was involved. A lot of the time the words car audio, bass and measurement means that the levels will be very loud and they want to get SPL readings. Just covering the bases. :bigsmile:


LOL, thanks! I've spent enough time in auto audio forums to understand exactly where you're coming from on that. Unfortunately for my pocketbook I also just learned of the new JBL MS-8 processor which is _really_ interesting. 

Thanks again, I'm just going with the CM-140 and Mobilepre usb card to do some low frequency stuff for my home sub for now.


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