Phonic PAA6

[jaightaylor]

I work at a higher education institution and we're currently considering the purchase of a Phonic PAA6 as an alternative to upgrading our aging SMAARTlive license.

I was just wondering if anyone had any opinions (pro OR con!) on the PAA6 and if there's anything one should look out for.

Thanks!

--Jason

 

[museav]

How do you plan to use it? As far as I know, the PAA6 does not perform transfer function or impulse response measurements or a number of things that Smaart, SysTune or some other common analysis programs support. Even some simpler potential uses such as using one of the PAA6's integrated mics to measure frequency response in the room and comparing that to the console output response may not be as easy as expected since the manual seems to indicate that you can select either the mic inputs or the line inputs for the two channels but not one of each, thus apparently requiring an external mic and preamp for such a measurement. So for many people using Smaart a PAA6 would not be a practical replacement. However, if you are using Smaart primarily as an RTA then the PAA6 could be a viable option.

 

[jaightaylor]

Largely as an RTA and DB meter. Polarity testing is also handy as there are a few old systems about that may or may not be in phase.

The THD+N feature is also appealing as we have a large quantity of older signal processing that is becoming suspect.

Thanks for the reply!

 

[rwhealey]

If you just need the RTA and dB meter, why not an iTouch/phone/pad with the FFT app? Studio Six Digital is coming out with a measurement interface and I hear they're working on some sort of SMAART for iTouch

 

[museav]

Largely as an RTA and DB meter.

It should serve that purpose, although I am not sure how accurate the included mics, response time (slow/fast) or band filtering is, but if you are not looking for regulatory or research/lab use these may not matter to you.

Polarity testing is also handy as there are a few old systems about that may or may not be in phase.

Polarity and phase are two different things, polarity is a basic amplitude relationship and for sound systems is usually electronics or wiring related. Relative phase is time related and in sound systems usually positional or processing related. Phase is also frequency dependent, two sources will be in or out of polarity at all frequencies but may be in phase at one frequency and out of phase by varying amounts at other frequencies. This sounds like semantics but the point is that the PAA6 may be helpful for verifying polarity in sound systems but I'm not sure it is the proper tool if you are wanting to address phase as it relates to audio system tuning.

The Studio Six Digital apps are interesting. Supposedly the iAudioInterface, which is required for the THD+N measurement app and the planned SmaartMobile app, is to start shipping in less than two weeks, although it was originally scheduled for release last year and is not compatible with the iPad (so apparently Andrew is back to the drawing board on something new before the product is even released). With Studio Six Digital having to deal with iPad compatibility issues along with getting the iAudioInterface and iProMic out and Rational Acoustics having recently released Smaart 7 and working hard to keep up with the initial rush of orders and related problems, I would not be surprised to see the SmaartMobile app get delayed from the planned mid 2010 release, perhaps even into next year.

Faber Acoustical and True Audio also offer several iPhone/iPod acoustics and audio measurement related apps.

 

[avkid]

SMAART is nowhere near the same thing as a Phonic PAA6.
I suggest you call Rational Acoustics and see what kind of discounts are available for a license upgrade.


Rational Acoustics
241 H Church Street
Putnam, CT 06260
Ph: 860-928-7828