Quote Originally Posted by bfish View Post
There are some reports (from reliable sources) that WT2 may still be the preferred option;

WT-3 testing of 2204, Fs higher in sealed box???

Which brings up another point. Test results are only as good as the gear, the procedure, and the interpretation of the results. It's a real treat that DIYers can now get the info they need, but bad info is worse than no info.

For example, TS specs can vary widely depending on the position and securing method (or not) of the driver. Indoor acoustic tests will have all sorts of false data unless the software has "windowing" ability to catch only the direct sound and shut off before any reflected sound arrives, and the user must set the appropriate parameters based on mic placement and distance to reflective surfaces. There's plenty of bad data posted online to prove it. Bottom line, read the book and follow the instructions.
I was wondering about the reliability of test results when doing "in room" setups. It would seem that any reflections (or absorbtions) are going to foster inaccuracies. Hell, I'll get my buddy that used to eat his lunch in the Bose anechoic chamber to help me set up something, lol (as long as we don't end up with something Bose-like).

Quote Originally Posted by bfish View Post
I use an off-the shelf ECM-8000, but I preload the provided calibration file. There's certainly nothing wrong with calibration, every aspect of the hardware should be calibrated. You'll end up testing your testing system in order to trust it.

Integral phantom power can't be beat, especially for laptop/portable use.

USB 2.0 or Firewire ports offer the needed bandwidth.

The specs of your external card determine the resolution of your test. Pay close attention to the duplexing ability (simultaneous input/output), many units say "full duplex", but when you read the fine print, they only duplex at low to medium bit rates.
Great information, this is just the kind of things I need to know. Thanks!

Are there any sound cards that are better at testing than just doing audio? Or, are the sound cards that have a good set of DAC's good at both? I'm looking for cross-purposing or lack of that, here.