Beyond The Clap Test - Part 2: We Know What To Measure And Why-Here's How

In Part 1 of this series (November 2017), we looked beyond the simple evaluation of the “clap test” to identify more characteristics of good-sounding rooms than the simple reverb time it reveals, and began to discuss ways to evaluate the sound quality of a given room. We introduced the fantastic Room EQ Wizard software (henceforth REW, see roomeqwizard.com for details), going over many of the basic features included in the software. We talked about how to get the software working with your computer and sound system, its powerful signal generator functionality, and its Real-Time Analyzer (RTA). But these features are only the beginning! The real power of REW lies in its ability to measure and provide extraordinary detail on what the acoustics are doing in your room. Last time we did not get into this kind of room testing with REW, promising that it would come in the next part of this series. And here it is!