Clio Sudio Measurement Software

[Kral57]

I'm looking for a supplier for the CLIO 8 System Software for Windows by Audiomatica. I found a vendor for the Firewire Audio Interface, but not for the software to support it. Any suggestions?

[Gerrit Boers]

I just had a quick look at the Audiomatica site. All I could find are preliminary specifications for the Clio 8 system.

Do you have a link to the supplier? Any idea about the price?

[Kral57]

No, the only contact I have is the audiomatica.com site, the same one that you have. I downloaded the brochure on the Firewire Audio Interface, and it lists "CLIO 8 System Software for Windows..." as available software, but does not provide a link to this software. I'm going to send an e-mail to Audiomatica. Stand by for the results.

[Kral57]

The folks at Audiomatica were very prompt in answering my e-mail inquiry.
The US distributor of CLIO is E-Speakers. You can find their CLIO products at:
http://estore.websitepros.com/173675...?category=CLIO
For a complete list of distributors, go to:
http://www.audiomatica.com/distributors.htm

[Gerrit Boers]

Thanks,

Although it's a bit more expensive than the PCI version I think I will get one. The extended frequency range and the fact that this is a truly portable solution are well worth the money.
The additional S/PDIF output is also very handy for using/measuring other DAC's.

[Pjotr]

Duhh … $1,798.00 is about five to ten times the price paid for Arta + a good (firewire) 192 kHz soundcard. And you still need to buy a good calibrated microphone.

In the end you don’t get much more functionality. But if you can afford it, why not … it is a well established system.

Cheers

[Gerrit Boers]

Duhh … $1,798.00 is about five to ten times the price paid for Arta + a good (firewire) 192 kHz soundcard. And you still need to buy a good calibrated microphone.

True, but the Clio box is not just another FW interface. The inputs are designed for measurements (relais for switching sensitivity) and it has an autocalibration function built in.
There is also the option of having the complete system certified.

Just out of curiosity: How did you calibrate your system?

[Pjotr]

Hi Gerrit,

It depends on what you want to do with such a system. For me doing DIY-audio (speaker building and amp building) I am not interested in absolute values but mainly in making progress.

For that, a system that is flat in frequency and has an easy to use user interface suffice. Calibration is fairly easy. Just measure the output voltage of the soundcard with a good DVM at about 100 Hz for reference. Or you can take the values from the manual of your soundcard for 100% output level. I myself use ARTA + M-Audio Transit card for portable work and ARTA + Audiophile 192 for stationary work. I never had the feeling that I needed more. That is to say in fact I sometimes need more but the next step then is an AP system 2 or a sine oscillator up to 100 MHz and an oscilloscope.

Recently I bought this calibrated microphone and now fiddling a microphone amp for it together that has repeatable gain settings from 0 dB to 50 dB.

Sure the Clio system is a nice system, especially the balanced inputs/outputs. But nowadays there are many reasonable priced good soundcards available with that like the M-Audio Audiophile 192. My experience anyway with whatever system is: You can’t do without a soldering iron to tailor things to your specific needs.

Cheers

[JPV]

Originally posted by Pjotr
Hi Gerrit,

It depends on what you want to do with such a system. For me doing DIY-audio (speaker building and amp building) I am not interested in absolute values but mainly in making progress.

For that, a system that is flat in frequency and has an easy to use user interface suffice. Calibration is fairly easy. Just measure the output voltage of the soundcard with a good DVM at about 100 Hz for reference. Or you can take the values from the manual of your soundcard for 100% output level. I myself use ARTA + M-Audio Transit card for portable work and ARTA + Audiophile 192 for stationary work. I never had the feeling that I needed more. That is to say in fact I sometimes need more but the next step then is an AP system 2 or a sine oscillator up to 100 MHz and an oscilloscope.

Recently I bought this calibrated microphone and now fiddling a microphone amp for it together that has repeatable gain settings from 0 dB to 50 dB.

Sure the Clio system is a nice system, especially the balanced inputs/outputs. But nowadays there are many reasonable priced good soundcards available with that like the M-Audio Audiophile 192. My experience anyway with whatever system is: You can’t do without a soldering iron to tailor things to your specific needs.




Cheers

Hi Piotr,

I have read the ARTA site and was impressed.
I have a few questions because I am in the process of buying.

How do you compare Praxis and ARTA except price of course
What do you think of EMU 0202 usb sound card which is considered as a good buy by Praxis.
Are you pleased with your calibrated microphone. How would you compare it with ECM 40 suggested in ARTA website or the Girardin ones by Praxis. If your microphone has a panasonic capsule, is the fet transformation suggested by Linkwitz at www.linkwitzlab.com implemented

Thanks

Jean-Pierre

[ashok]

If the new Clio8 is like the old Clio then it's got automatic input level switching and you can connect high voltages without damaging the input circuit . I guess it has it's own ADC .

ARTA on the other hand will work with your sound card . The sound card input however will only handle voltages that is usually about 1 volt or max about 1.6 volts rms .

Voltages much higher than this will kill the input circuit. So you need to attach an input circuit that can do level switching and protect the sound card input from gross overloads.

How the plots can be labeled correctly when the voltages are switched is to be determined. But it IS a much cheaper solution . The price you pay is the effort taken on your part to solve the sound card input switching and protection.

However you must check out the measurement features in Clio8 and compare them to ARTA which is still evolving and hence got lots of potential. Give them feedback about what you think needs to be implemented or problems sorted out.