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Dayton OmniMic Precision Measurement System

240K views 2K replies 200 participants last post by  Archaea 
#1 ·
Looks like Dayton has made the move to come up with a very simple system for measuring, with a calibrated usb mic.


Seeing as I haven't had the best luck with REW on the hardware side I'm going to pick one of these up when they become avail. but it looks promising & simple from what I can see. Kal Rubinson stated he'll be getting one, I would imagine to put up against the XTZ unit.

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...number=390-790
http://www.parts-express.com/pdf/390-790b.pdf
User info / Manual - pdf download


Online Comprehensive Manual - http://www.parts-express.com/pdf/OmniMic/index.htm



Dayton OmniMic Precision Measurement System - Description Dayton Audio's OmniMic is a must-have for system integrators, acoustic engineers, and A/V installers. It was developed in collaboration with Liberty Instruments, inventors of the Praxis analysis tool. The OmniMic provides quick and accurate measurements that will reduce installation time, saving you both labor and money. Test signals may be initiated from the host computer, or from any audio CD player. System includes calibrated USB microphone, mic clip, software and test signal discs, 6 ft. USB cable, and carrying case. Compatible with Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7.
  • Extremely quick and easy to use with intuitive software—open the box, start testing in minutes
  • High quality calibrated USB microphone for accurate measurements
  • Developed in collaboration with Liberty Instruments, inventors of the Praxis Measurement System
  • Perfect for setting up home theater systems
  • Design and tune speaker systems and arrays
  • Optimized for use with Netbooks and Laptop computers to enhance portability
  • Compact, portable, accurate, affordable
  • For professionals and hobbyists
  • Compatible with Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7
Acoustic Measurements Just Got Easier!
Measurements include:
  • SPL meter with A, B, C, or no weighting
  • Spectrum analyzer, FFT, or RTA
  • Frequency response with phase and impulse response
  • Oscilloscope function to view complex waveforms
  • Harmonic distortion: 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th harmonics plus THD
  • RT60 reverberation: measures sound reflection
  • Bass decay function identifies room modes and helps determine proper subwoofer placement

 
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2
#53 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by LBDiver /forum/post/19571653


How about the mic capsule compared to the ECM8000/Dayton? Same, bit better, much better??

If a mic is professionally calibrated then its as good as any other professionally calibrated mic. Definitely as good as anything we will ever need.


Quote:
The idea of having a piece of software designed around a specific mic and eliminating the pre-amp (at least outboard/separate pre) via USB definitely sounds enticing just for ease of use. Hopefully they integrated self calibration in the software so you can just set it up, hit a button, it self adjusts levels and zero's and you're off to the races. If the precision is >/= an ECM and MobilePre setup I will probably abandon mine based on time/ease of setup alone. Not that it's hard, but the thought of pulling all the bits out and calibrating, just to measure a quick change or 2 = no measurements taken.

I would think it all comes calibrated, that is an important part of its selling point. NO one needs to do the startup calibrations.


I think this is a Bill Waslo design too (sorry If I go that wrong), he created Praxis and pretty well is known to make a very accurate product.
 
#54 ·
I think this product is perfectly positioned for enthusiast who has an interest in measurement but no patience for a more complicated systems. Case in point, one of our local theater club members invested in a calibrated mic, a sound card and downloaded REW. He fiddled with it for a couple of days in his home system and then brought it to one of our home theater meetings.


There was great interest of the group but the interest wained as he explained the steps he had to go through to 1) actually get it working and 2) do a measurement. There was great interest in measuring but limited interest in having to make the investment in time to get a similar rig up and working.


I'm interested in this product and have my CC ready once someone reviews the real thing.
 
#57 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Warpdrv /forum/post/19574315


I would think the laptops on board sound card. Out to the receiver via RCA

Warp,


So pretty much how it would be done in REW, which will work for me. I am interested in the bass section about decay. I hope these arrive before Christmas since all my other gifts are falling threw.


James
 
#58 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by exojam /forum/post/19573836


One thing I may have missed is how are the tones generated? I know in REW you can run the sweeps to get your information. With this setup would we be using the test tones from receiver or pre amp?


James

Didn't you guys get the New 2011 PE Catalog?


On page 168 in the description it says:

"Test signals may be initiated from the host computer, or from any audio CD player"
 
#59 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by LBDiver /forum/post/19571653


How about the mic capsule compared to the ECM8000/Dayton? Same, bit better, much better??
Quote:
Originally Posted by penngray /forum/post/19573643


If a mic is professionally calibrated then its as good as any other professionally calibrated mic. Definitely as good as anything we will ever need.

There are differences in mics, their preamps, and the housings. Some aspects are just better for durability, and other details can affect performance. The OmniMic is 1/4" diameter rather than ~1/2" like the Behringer/Dayton, and many of these cheaper mics won't fit into a stock 1/2" hole on a real calibrator. It's not the end of the world, but it is a difference.


The 1/4" mic will have much better off axis high frequency behavior which can be very useful in setting up multiple speakers in a home theater. Again this is not a deal breaker for the 1/2" options, but a nice feature and added flexibility.

Quote:
I think this is a Bill Waslo design too (sorry If I go that wrong), he created Praxis and pretty well is known to make a very accurate product.

This got my attention when I first saw the system and lends a lot of credibility IMO. Bill Waslo has developed measurement software and the hardware which has been in use for quite a few years. That is the sort of experience needed to make something polished enough for a much wider audience. Of course real use will see if that pans out to what is delivered.
 
#61 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by mjaudio /forum/post/19574727


Didn't you guys get the New 2011 PE Catalog?


On page 168 in the description it says:

"Test signals may be initiated from the host computer, or from any audio CD player"

MJ,


I did not get that catalog but thanks to you, that question is now answered.

I am over on PE's site reading through the thread on this to get some more info.


James
 
#62 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by penngray /forum/post/19573643


If a mic is professionally calibrated then its as good as any other professionally calibrated mic. Definitely as good as anything we will ever need.

To an extent, if the mic is accurate and repeatable across the full spectrum range in which you intend to use it. However the ECM8000 has been shown to be down in dB and has high distortion in the LF/ULF range, and also rises and then falls of steeply in the HF/UHF range. In these cases a cal file can only do so much. I think many want to be able to measure accurately down to 10-15hz, which the ECM capsule lacks the ability to do.

Quote:
Originally Posted by penngray /forum/post/19573643


I would think it all comes calibrated, that is an important part of its selling point. NO one needs to do the startup calibrations.


I think this is a Bill Waslo design too (sorry If I go that wrong), he created Praxis and pretty well is known to make a very accurate product.

Yes, the mics are reported to come with individual cal files. But I question whether the startup calibration/baseline adjustments will still need to be performed considering the software will still need to use the soundcard to send the test tones, and whether they have created an Automated mode. I was just thinking, unless the output is run directly into an amplifier, it will still leave a remaining outside control, the AVR volume. However a quick manual level adjustment there is a lot less than the current pre-amp procedure. Guess we'll have to wait and see.


Thanks for the info on the designer.



EDIT: had to take a call, in the meantime many have already commented and explained further. Thanks Mark for the additional info.
 
#63 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by mjaudio /forum/post/19574736


I wonder if we can get a group buy going on this?

I was thinking the same thing, I can try to organize this with PE, but I would imagine that without it first being out on the market, PE will likely want to see how sales of the unit will pan out to see what the market will bear...
 
#64 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by LBDiver /forum/post/19574986


To an extent, if the mic is accurate and repeatable across the full spectrum range in which you intend to use it. However the ECM8000 has been shown to be down in dB and has high distortion in the LF/ULF range, and also rises and then falls of steeply in the HF/UHF range. In these cases a cal file can only do so much. I think many want to be able to measure accurately down to 10-15hz, which the ECM capsule lacks the ability to do.

The ECM does measurements down below 10Hz well enough for many to create and posts plots. Mine is professionally calibrated from 5Hz to 20KHz, is it ultra accurate? I just have a file with numbers that used by measurements packages
All it has to be is consistent for DIY purposes. If its off by 5dB all the time @8Hz then the correction in the cal file will work.


I do not see this being any worst or much better then the ECM8000 which is used successfully already.
 
#65 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Warpdrv /forum/post/19575058


I was thinking the same thing, I can try to organize this with PE, but I would imagine that without it first being out on the market, PE will likely want to see how sales of the unit will pan out to see what the market will bear...

There is a "Request Large Quantities Quote" link in the produce page...
 
#66 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Warpdrv /forum/post/19575058


I was thinking the same thing, I can try to organize this with PE, but I would imagine that without it first being out on the market, PE will likely want to see how sales of the unit will pan out to see what the market will bear...

Since most here would be there main customer base I would think they would be open to a group buy. Get it into the hands of the people who would talk it up and the free advertising alone would make up for any group buy discount.


I am in if we can do a good group buy price. I think 25% off if we can get 10+ buyers is fair, what do you guys think? I know it sounds like a lot but lets start high and see what happens.
 
#68 ·
PE shipping prices to Canada suck. It would be cool if they just used USPS like monoprice does.
 
#73 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by penngray /forum/post/19580839


Im coming to Canada Next Monday and then Jan 5th
"Sir is that one of those new calibrated microphones or were you short changed at birth?"

 
#75 ·
After a quick reading of the document I can see we need a companion "Idiots guide" that walks one through the process of using the system.


For example, the SPL measurement option has weighting and damping type choices to make but no notes on which you should use and why. While this is probably well known and I use to know which weighting was best, I've forgotten.


Perhaps someone can develop some YouTube videos on the use of the system for common tasks.
 
#76 ·
This may easily have been a pre-release doc to give a rough idea of what the setup is all about.... I'm pretty confident that its a bit too early based on this document only how it will speak for itself... Its also evident that the "General Help and Information" is not included here.


1 thing for certain is that the Mic is calibrated as you plug in the numbers specific to that unit...
 
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