Spectrum Analysis Assignment

This lesson was undertaken as part of my Sound Reinforcement class, and we were tasked with using a Real Time Spectrum Analyzer and  a calibrated measuring microphone to capture the sound of the PA system in its "raw" state without any equalization. We then inspected the frequency analysis, and used corrective equalization, via a graphic EQ on the front of house, to even out the frequency response by boosting frequencies that being lost and cutting back frequencies that were too prominent, giving us a flatter overall response.
 

This was the reading that we got from the analyzer after testing the PA system with pink noise and music and having the microphone in the centre of the room. This showed us that the bands 25Hz and 31.5Hz were lacking a little compared to other frequencies, and also that the frequencies from 40Hz to around 500Hz had quite a boost to them.

We then used the graphic equalizer on the front of house to introduce corrective equalization to the system. We started with the bass frequencies, which the analyzer had told us had been lower in level, and gave 25Hz and 31.5Hz a very small boost. We also cut the 40Hz band by around 6 dB, since the analyzer had shown us that it had previously been quite high in level. This trend was carried on, using the EQ to boost frequency bands that were too quiet, or cutting the ones which were too loud, in order to get a flatter sounding system.

After we had equalized the PA system according to the analyzer, we wanted to go back and try equalizing it using a piece of music that we all new well, and changing the sound using that. In the end, we felt that tuning the system according to the piece of music that we all new gave us a better sounding PA system, and was quicker and easier to do.