The basement is in limbo until we find a contractor who will actually call us back, but since we're still anticipating getting it done, I have a lot more to work out in how to treat the room, but before I go crazy on acoustical treatments, I figured I should invest in hardware and software to help me see how it looks at every step.

Is REW where it's at, or should I have other software on my list? Also, what are some good sources for calibrated microphones? I forget who among you have actually gone down this road. I can always peruse Home Theater Shack's forum, but I thought I should ask here, too. Either way, I'll let you know what I end up with. I suppose sound card is the other big question. I'm running Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit. I'll be using my main PC to run the software, since it is, and will be, hooked up to my home theater. A USB-based sound card is going to be the most convenient.

REW is da bomb.... Or so I've been told. I was looking to do the same thing, and everyone was steering me towards REW. I never went that direction (just going with Audyssey right now since it does everything for you, even if not 100% correct). Someday I will download REW, get a mic, and spend the time testing and calibrating manually.

I have used rew to measure speaker TS parameters and have bought most of what is required to use the frequency response portion of the software. I originally bought a behringer external sound card, but would like to get the tascam at some point. Thus far i have picked up a mxl mic-mate so i can hook the mike xlr to usb on my computer and provide phantom power for the mike. 25 ft of xlr cable and i picked up a behringer ecm 8000 mic with adapter for my camera stand. I get involved in so many things at times i end up not seeing things through to the end. Reading the graphs looks to be the difficult part though the forum seems to be quite helpfull. I also plan to get a spl meter though one is not required but does help with calibration. Last piece of the puzzle is a new laptop hopefully at christmas.

I suggest downloading rew and messing with it a bit and then read the forum's. Then dicide if the outlay of cash for the mic and sound card etc and investment in time will be worth it. I find things sound plenty fine just using audyssey.

richard

REW with a calibrated mic will do you nicely, no need to go elsewhere and/or pay more.

Thanks for the feedback, guys. I suppose I'll be digging into Home Theater Shack's forum when I have the spare change for the microphone and sound card.

Fine. Leave us for that Home Theater Shack Hussy!

Nobody will ever love you like your first forum.

You can't quit us.

Tom takes it to old-school blues lyric territory.

Nice.

I was going to play with the Stephen Stills lyric,
"If you can't be with the Regina you love, be with the forum your with."

Win!

CV REW is worth the effort just to get the bass right. There is a learning curve, but once you get things set up, it is dead simple to run whenever you make changes.

:::sigh::: I still have to run REW in my new place, never seems to be enough time any more.

Another great (and more portable) set of tools is the AudioTools suite from Studio Six Digital along with an iPhone and their iAudioInterface2 and a good condenser mic like a calibrated Behringer ECM8000 (If you search on google you can find calibrated ECM8000's that come with the files to load into AudioTools). This suite has pretty much everything a professional would need, so for the home or car it is more then enough. They are also a parter of one of my favourite companies in the Audio business (AudioControl) so you know you can't go wrong.