I think if you do I search on ROON and/or CA you will find explanations of how to proceed. I bought a simple $75 mic and downloaded the free REW software and after a bit of effort was able to do it. Once, I had the hang of it it took 15-20 min max. I found the following text on the CA forum:
Once you have set the level (by using left loudspeaker for instance) youāll have to keep it for all the different sweep measurements.
From a practical point of view I suggest to follow this procedure:
set the microphone at the sweet spot position
set the level using the left loudpseaker
perform the sweep measurement for this position & left loudspeaker and rename it L1
perform measurement for this position but right loudspeaker this time, rename it R1
move microphone to the next position & perform the measurements for right then left loudspeaker, name it R2 & L2
repeat the procedure for the others different positions (I recommend sweet spot + 4 others as a minimum)
save the bundle of measurements as a .mdat fil
Mind you, it sounds easier then it is if you have never done it. But, if I can figure it out you can too. There are also lots of much smarter folks then me who have tried to describe how to do it on the different forums.
Thanks @DJD, there actually is a great post @Magnus started:
It is even more elaborate than the link you posted (thanks for that). On the basis of that post, I purches a UMIK-1 and tried all the steps, to find my filter horrible. Which led me to the conclusion that I must have done the sweeps wrong, or something. So I put it aside for the time being, but must admit my curiosity is coming back when reading all these positive reviews about Thierryās filters.
I say give it a go! There are lots of opinions out there on subjects like do you leave the furniture in the room, do you put the mic at the speakers or straight up etcā¦and I havenāt a clue what is correct.
A couple points from my experience:
For my measurements I cleared the furniture, set the mic at tweeter height (I built a little stand out of wood), made a grid on the floor that had 9 spots (center spot being the sweet spot), each spot (of tape) was about 12" apart, pointed the mic to the center of each speaker, started at the first spot in the first row, then moved to the second spot in the first row, etc.
In REW you choose the left speaker - take a measurement - save it - then choose the right speaker - take a measurement - save it - then pick up the stand and move to the next spot, etcā¦
Iām curious as to others response to your question, but in general I rarely move too far from the sweet-spot as thatās where I critically listen to music. That being said I have moved away plenty of times from my sweet-spot and its not too bad at all, frankly I havenāt noticed. Iām sure this is why HAF recommends multiple measurements.
Guys, a quick update: Thierry from HAF has been using me as a guinea pig (I happily volunteeredš). He provided me with some software (not REW), making it easier ā at least for me ā to do measurements. Also, as already has been said many times here, his support is great.
We were almost in the process of finalising measurements, working towards creating a filter, but we both agreed it would be wise to wait until the large christmas tree leaves the small chamber. So the good news for non-techies like me: Thierry is working on a process to provide us with a smooth and easy process, and heās currently perfecting it.
As soon as I have some test files or a filter and done some listening, I will report back! Canāt wait for that christmas tree to leave the room already!
@koen
Wow this sounds awesome! Iād be more than happy to do another set of measurements using Thierryās beta tool for measurements. Iām currently using his āheadā x-talk filters(beta) and canāt imagine not listening without them. Iāve never been so enveloped in music. Itās so addicting. I wonder if he needs another āvolunteerā?
It does sound awesome, doesnāt it? I suggest you just ask him, I think he will be happy with the help. Heās not ready yet and needs to prepare a quick guide and all, perhaps he can use another guinea pig.
In fact, Iāve just advised him to join this forum, as thereās a lot of interest in HAF and a lot of Roon users with questions. Donāt know if he has the capacity and/or time to do this on top of his work, but I think it would actually save him some time, so both āsidesā would benefit.
Either way, meanwhile, my challenge is to think of a valid reason to declare our christmas tree a danger for our safety and get rid of it asap!
Email sent. Iām more than happy to help if I can. I do think an exact step-by-step guide from HAF would help in HAF adoption rates. I had familiarity with REW and taking measurements so it was easy for me, but like most people Iād love to send HAF the best measurements possible.
Great! I must confess itās the same for me. I have been intrigued for a while, but didnāt understand anything about it. @Magnus did an excellent effort with his thread and detailed REW instruction, but it was still too difficult for me.
Finally, with Thierryās step by step assistance, I am confident I will get there. Perhaps not āthereā as in the equivalent of a 25K treated room, but a noticeable and affordable inprovement for me. (Please note I still have to hear the first results, but Iām confident the results will be worth the effort.)
@koen
Well you are in for a treat. On first listen I thought something was wrong as Iāve never heard my system sound so good. I thought the bass had gone missing then I realized how it was masking all the detail from the other frequencies. On a good recording youāll be amazed at the Soundstage as well. I could go on, but its best if you experience it yourself
Hey Mark, Iām very curious. The thing is, my Heresyās are known for their rather light (but tight and punchy) bass. Iām not a basshead, but I hope bass doesnāt vanish completely. Either way, I think Iāll need to take some time to get used to the sound of the filters once theyāre here. Iām particularly looking forward to a more natural sound/balance and the ādisappearingā of my speakers. Canāt wait!
koen, the bass wonāt disappear. For me it just became more natural. For example when listening to Jazz the bass sounds like a real bass instrument. Lots of bass notes that were masked are now easy to pick out. It hard to explain but I think you just have to listen for yourself. Iām not a basshead either. I didnāt lose any bass itās just clearer and more accurate/natural if this makes sense. Perhaps others can explain it better than I
Thanks Mark, your explanation is clear enough for me Also, if the results would be anything near to what you describe, that would definitely be worth the money for me!
Now under Beta testing : binaural recording of room response (requires a special headset with microphones at ear level). This goes into the territory of the ā¬ā¬ā¬ā¬/ā¬ā¬ā¬ā¬ā¬ BACCH solutions, probably at a fraction of the cost. Good to see Thierry is still improving the technology.
If I didnāt know youāre enthusiastic about Thierryās filters, I would think this is a joke. Are you serious? If so, is the headset required for measurements only, or also for the applied filters to experience its effect?
No, not a joke Donāt expect Head Tracking though, and BACCH does it. But this is a much more expensive and software/hardware intensive solution, prices start at 5k$. Not the same target market https://www.theoretica.us/bacch4mac/
NB: the headset is only needed once for measurements. Again, I havenāt tried it yet, and I am unsure that Thierry will actually propose it if he believes the performance doesnāt really have business potentialā¦
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