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[Dan Fowler]

I'm trying to put together a kit with all of the meters and testers that I could possibly use when installing a sound system.  This is what I'm thinking of buying so far...  Any suggestions or comments?

Signal Generator - Minirator MR1
Signal Monitor/Tester - Qbox (whirlwind)
Cable Tester - MCT-7 (whirlwind)
Multimeter - Audio Toolbox
Direct Box - DIRECT-JT(whirlwind)
Sound Level Meter - 33-3050 (Radio Shack)
Software - Smaart

Any suggestions on a microphone to hook up with the computer?

Thanks

[Don Goguen]

All of our techs and field managers have Z meters.  Comes in very handy for service calls and install where you are adding onto an existing system.

I also like the Qbox and would avoid the Minirator if you can get by with only a 400 hz tone.

I have been stuck with the Audio Toolbox in the last 2 locations I have worked and would prefer Smaart but I lost the argument both times.  The argument against has been that not everyone will be able to use Smaart. The Audio Toolbox here at my new job sits in the tech cabinet because no one knows how to use it but me.  So much for that argument.  I have offered to train the techs but no takers.  My new boss has agreed to put Smaart into next years budget including training. Yeh!

[Ivan Beaver]

The following totally suits all my needs for installation and troubleshooting:

Audio toolbox-It includes almost all of you basic functions-probably the most used itme in my toolbox, and proper adaptor cables.

VOM (the audio toolbox can be used to measure DC up to 50V in a pinch and you can interpolate the AC voltage from the scope function)

Cable tracer

Headphones



For system alignment I use both Smaart and TEF as needed.


I don't know why you would need all the meters you have listed-as the audio toolbox (contractors software) includes almost all of the functions of the other boxes.

[Austin Parker]

Not all to sure as to why you would need all of those tools. It seems to me like a few of them could be replaced with SMAART, namely the signal generator and SPL meter. I once looked at the Minurator. I was compairing it to the IVIE 33 (?) and SMAART, but in the end, landed with SMAART.

[Rick Johnston]

You might also include the lowly telephone toner, buttset and inductance wand. Very helpful if the paging comes from a telephone interface.

[Craig Leerman]

 
Get a FOX and HOUND type cable tracer. Handy for finding lines in a bundle.

Also, an AC breaker finder (similar to the above, you plug the sender into an outlet, and run the finder along the breaker box to figure out which outlet is where) will pay for itself in one use!  Handy to figure out which outlets are wired to which breakers by yourself.

And a voltage tic. It tells you when a wire is live.

[Lee Salter]

I would add an impedance meter to that list.  I've been using a TOA ZM-104 for years.

Lee

[Michael 'Bink' Knowles]

Lee Salter wrote on Sat, 29 October 2005 05:15

I would add an impedance meter to that list.  I've been using a TOA ZM-104 for years. Lee

It's fine for when you only need 1kHz impedance but the Terrasonde Toolbox products offer tones from 20Hz to 16k (after you pay a bit more to unlock the firmware feature.)

-Bink

[Tom Young]

Bink -

The TOA impedance meter (like the Sennheiser) measures at several ISO octave frequencies. 250-8kHz, if my memory serves me.

The being said, I agree that the ATB provides much more useful impedance measurement by virtue of its impedance versus frequency graph and the ability to store the measurements plus plot them in Terralink. Terralink files may also be emailed to other Terralink users. Impedance may be measured at 1-octave or 1/3-octave bands. The ATB also provides a 1-octave or 1/3-octave point-by-point measurement (non-graphical).

Be aware, however, that there is a 4500-ohm limit to the impedance measurements from an ATB. This is due to the current (amperage) limitations of the ATB test signal. (I just discovered this recently) This should not be a limitation with most loudspeaker and cable measurements. It will be a problem for some transformers.  

[Tom Manchester]

we've been asking the boss at work for these for quite some time. To bad they are so expensive



http://www.extron.com/product/product.asp?id=vtg300&subt ype=44