REW approach - high level

[Cintaku]

I purchased ECM 8000 microphone (without calibration file) and UM2U-Phoria pre-amp and REW software. Great. Following are fundamental questions:

1 - If you use XLR connector for microphone and you need to connect INPUT (XLR) & OUTPUT (1/4" TRS) I assume this is done by XLR/TRS1/4" patch cable because you must use connectors that eventually will use ECM 8000 microphone and output connected to speakers.
Correct?

2 - The self-calibration you perform with INPUT/OUTPUT connected via a patch cable (XLR/TRS1/4) is producing a curve that saves into a file.

a - That corrects computer, pre-amp and sound cards - correct?

b - Once you have this system self-calibration file where do you put it? I fear that saving it into documents or desktop is not going for the software to use it.

3 - If I do not have mic calibration file once you set SPL levels of speakers and mic you move to measurement. This measurement curve will show how things are affected not just by room but also by:
- mic lack of calibration info (although ECM 8000 is very flat)
- HIFI stereo system
- speakers characteristics

Correct?

 

[John Mulcahy]

1 - If you use XLR connector for microphone and you need to connect INPUT (XLR) & OUTPUT (1/4" TRS) I assume this is done by XLR/TRS1/4" patch cable because you must use connectors that eventually will use ECM 8000 microphone and output connected to speakers.
Correct?

That kind of combined XLR/TRS connector usually has both connected in parallel, so you can use an XLR or a TRS at the mic end for the loopback.

2 - The self-calibration you perform with INPUT/OUTPUT connected via a patch cable (XLR/TRS1/4) is producing a curve that saves into a file.

a - That corrects computer, pre-amp and sound cards - correct?

Yes, it corrects everything inside the loop. Most interfaces are sufficiently flat and have enough low and high frequency extension not to need correction, but doing the loopback measurement is a good way to check whether there is any monitoring active, which would make measurements invalid.

b - Once you have this system self-calibration file where do you put it? I fear that saving it into documents or desktop is not going for the software to use it.

You can put the file anywhere you prefer as long as your user account can access it.

3 - If I do not have mic calibration file once you set SPL levels of speakers and mic you move to measurement. This measurement curve will show how things are affected not just by room but also by:
- mic lack of calibration info (although ECM 800 is very flat)
- HIFI stereo system
- speakers characteristics

Correct?

Correct.