Just bought a Panasonic WM-61A mic what else do I need?

[Boscoe]

I just ordered one of THESE, just wondering what preamp I should use for it to go into my computer and what software I should use to measure the frequency response of speakers.

As well do I need to mount it in any particular way?

Thanks
Boscoe

[Speedskater]

Here is a start:

From the Linkwitz Lab
System Test

[h_a]

Ah, the nice Panasonics! I think there is even somewhere a calibration file for these on the forum, I'll have a look if I can find it.

Mighty Linkwitz has nice sketches, also the low distortion mod.

However, measuring frequency response in a room is entirely different level

[SY]

Originally Posted by h_a

However, measuring frequency response in a room is entirely different level

Indeed. These wonderful little mikes and modern software/soundcards enable the amateur to quickly acquire mountains of useless and invalid data. Anyone wanting to get good results will need to do some studying, and you can't do any better than Joe d'Appolito's "Testing Loudspeakers."

[Boscoe]

Ahh man!! I waned to wack a mic yo my computer play some tones a get a response curve!!

[Speedskater]

Boscoe, please re-read "SY's" post. Getting curves is easy. Getting useful and valid data is not!

[Boscoe]

Boscoe, please re-read "SY's" post. Getting curves is easy. Getting useful and valid data is not!

Yes I realise that So I couls measure the speakers but the results I got from it wouldn't be correct and if so why not?

[SY]

That's why you need to buy and read the book.

Until you understand the concepts of sampling, resolution, windowing (apodization), near field, phase unwrapping, truncation, time vs. frequency, and gating, what you're going to end up with is a bunch of messy curves that tell you more about your measurement errors than about the loudspeakers.

Here's link that will give you a flavor of a few of the issues, but really, if you want to do something useful, you need to go into much more depth and practice.
http://www.bksv.com/doc/bo0102.pdf

[davidsrsb]

Good article, I used to use a very expensive B&K test system for telephone handset measurement.
The WM61A is a pretty flat device, but works best if it is mounted on a wand of the same diameter and long enough to reduce reflections from the stand.