Smaart v7 vs. SysTune new Version?

[Mark DeArman]

We are putting together a demo system with an Avid MBOX. Currently we have a number of SMAART v5 licenses. Was wondering what thoughts were on either upgrading the SMAART system or changing to SysTune. I personally liked the early SysTune Demos I tried out. But for only 600$ the upgrade to the new SMAART system is pretty cheap. Any thoughts on either setup?

 

[Caleb Dueck]

Vanilla or chocolate?

They are both great.

 

[Arthur Skudra]

Re: Smaart v7 vs. SysTune new Version?

Do you want vanilla or chocolate ice cream for dessert?!?! Ketchup or gravy with your fries??

Both are excellent measurement platforms, with comparable features and accuracy, each with it's own unique "twist" on how it's accomplished. The end result is the same: you determine what needs to be measured, whether or not the data you're seeing displayed on the computer screen is valid, and then you make the decisions on the data provided by your measurement tools. So the choice becomes primarily *how* you arrive at the end result. Yep, more a matter of taste than anything.

Maybe some more detail from you on which computer platform you plan to use (Mac or Windows), how you plan to use the measurement tools, your workflow, how much and what kind of sound equipment you're measuring, how many mics are needed, what is your level of training/competency with dual channel FFT's, and what kinds of environments will you be measuring in? Budget? This kind of info would be helpful to those here who can offer advice and their opinions. In other words, what is important to you for measuring a sound system?

Full disclosure: I am an instructor for Smaart. I will admit I have my own biases.

 

[Rasmus Rosenberg]

Re: Smaart v7 vs. SysTune new Version?

+1 for what Athur and Caleb said.
Now if they could just merge Smaart, Systune,Sim, Wavecapture, Sat-live, Win-msl, Spectra foo etc in to one program.... It would be a lot easier..but then again proberly more expensive..

The only thing I have experienced is that for some one who has never seen and FFT analyzer (computer program) before, Smaart v7's more "steam lined" interface seems to make people more focused to what happens with the trace, than looking at what parameters are available to adjust. But once you have used either programs a couple of times, its not really an issue.
/R

 

[Mark DeArman]

Re: Smaart v7 vs. SysTune new Version?

Maybe some more detail from you on which computer platform you plan to use (Mac or Windows), how you plan to use the measurement tools, your workflow, how much and what kind of sound equipment you're measuring, how many mics are needed, what is your level of training/competency with dual channel FFT's, and what kinds of environments will you be measuring in? Budget? This kind of info would be helpful to those here who can offer advice and their opinions. In other words, what is important to you for measuring a sound system?

Well, currently we are using SMAART v5 on the Windows laptops which go out on demos of loudspeakers. They get used for general purpose loudspeaker measurements and tuning systems. They never get used with more than two microphones. Needs to generate pink noise and produce an RTA/Frequency Response. Support for overlays of the frequency response. It would be great if it could import guide curves also.

We have a different piece of software and hardware which does swept or stepped sine measurements for quasi-anechoic, impedance, and etc. where precise magnitude and phase information is important.

I was wondering about data export from both programs. I didn't see any mention of it in the PDF datasheets. I guess I should just download both the demos ;-)

Thanks for your reply,
Mark

 

[Arthur Skudra]

Re: Smaart v7 vs. SysTune new Version?

Seems your requirements are really straight forward, either program will do the job.

Yep, Smaart has the ability to import/export traces in Smaart's own format, as well as ASCII (which can be further massaged in Excel if you wish). Click on the "more" button on the bottom left, and you will see a menu window open with all kinds of different options (see attached screenshot). You can create your own guide curves using the same ASCII format that Smaart uses, and import them as traces that you can show/hide, or you can import them in and add them to your list of weighting curves available in the software. There is no limit on how many traces you store in the register (turns into a scrolling window once you get to the bottom), though showing that many traces on the screen simultaneously can be a bit crowded on the screen!

Let me know if you have any other questions, I'll do my best to answer them!

 

[Kip Conner]

Re: Smaart v7 vs. SysTune new Version?

When you say guide curve, do you mean having a curve to shoot for while you are EQ? I've always called them target curves and I create them by measuring the outputs of the processor first and then storing those. The other good thing about the capturing the guide curves is that it gives you an idea of the latency of the processor- which has a direct effect on the phase curve of the speaker. Not that it matters a ton since you can't correct that individual part of the system and all it seems to do is show the flaws in your DSP.

It sounds like for demoing purposes it comes down to which ever you think will A) show the data B) which one can you explain. I used get weirded out by early SpectraFoo version because I was looking at too much information.

I trade my .trf smaart files all the time with other v7 users

One thought- with Systune, does the license give you access to both a Mac and PC version?

 

[Mark DeArman]

Re: Smaart v7 vs. SysTune new Version?

When you say guide curve, do you mean having a curve to shoot for while you are EQ?

Yes, a target curve. I think I took the term 'Guide Curve' from LinearX. I was just wondering about the possibility of bringing in a curve from some other piece of software for comparison.

It sounds like for demoing purposes it comes down to which ever you think will A) show the data B) which one can you explain. I used get weirded out by early SpectraFoo version because I was looking at too much information.

SpectraFoo just isn't in the running, since all of our systems run Windows. Also, irregardless of features, I don't think it has a very professional look and feel.

I'm sure with both programs (Systune,SMAART) the people doing the demos meet criteria A and B. Since there aren't 10 posts in here about how the workflow in product X is so much better than product Y, the purchasing decision is going to come down to money and history. Since we have SMAART already, and there seems to be no screaming reason to switch, we'll just upgrade SMAART.