[LAU] OT - impulse response recording

[fons at kokkinizita.net]

On Fri, Jan 28, 2011 at 01:40:00AM -0500, Michal Seta wrote:

> A friend of mine would like to record some impulse response of various
> spaces.  I don't know the details nor the ultimate goal of this undertaking
> but the problem was about the bst equipment for such recordings.  I know a
> loud signal is needed (she has a starter gun for that purpose) but unclear
> about what kind of microphones should be used.  Any tips?  Ideas?
> experiences?

Starter guns, electric sparks, exploding balloons or preservatives,
etc. are not the best way to do this. You get a much more accurate
result and a much better S/N ratio using a sine sweep and deconvolution
instead. Aliki (available on my website) can do this. See
<http://www.kokkinizita.net/papers/aliki.pdf> for an introduction.
The actual application does not have all the features explained in
the paper but it will do the basic IR measurement.

As for the microphones, this depends on the intended use of the 
IR. For acoustic analysis you'd use a measurement mic, for reverb 
whatever mic type provides the format you require.

Ciao,

-- 
FA

There are three of them, and Alleline.