Loudspeaker Measuring Tools

There is a wide range of measuring tools available to check out your loudspeakers:

a) Use of a PC with sound card and free / affordable / medium priced software

b) Simple devices like the Hifish Controller (for room acoustics measuring)

c)Affordable measuring systems with hardware (PC card, microphone) like e.g. Clio lite

d) Professional systems like Clio by Audiomatica, highly recommendable and the lowest priced in this category
  Interesting for commercial use: Clio.

Most measuring attempts fail because:
1) The measuring system is not set-up properly (contact problems),
2) By mistake the room acoustics are measured, instead of the loudspeaker.

Are you an electronics student or you have plenty of time, know how to check out a measuring system and understand the term Fourier transformation, then we recommend solution a) using programmes like Audiot or Audua (available on the Internet).

If you are unsure what or how much to measure or if you would rather like to measure the room acoustics we suggest b). Should you want to develop loudspeakers we recommend a), c) or d).

We have found a reasonably priced solution in section d) which we would like to introduce to you: Clio by Audiomatica.

Clio 12
Clio Pocket

Clio: A professional Measuring System

This measuring system is absolutely fascinating. Even professional loudspeaker manufacturers think that way. To familiarise yourself with Clio we give you some details.

Both Clio hardware measuring systems consist of a switch controller/measuring box:

Clio V12

Descriptions and manuals as downloadable PDF files:

Clio V12 and additional options:
- Clio 12, PDF manual  
- Clio 12, PDF description  
Quality control for speakers production or power amplifier:
- QC Box 5, PDF manual  
- QC Box 5, PDF description  
Accessories:
- microphone (PDF)  
- microphone amplifier (PDF)
and if you don't have a main amp the amplifier

A downloadable demo version (V7) is also available
Please give us a call if you have questions or don't understand something.

On our tools page you'll find some examples Clio and its use:
Thiele+Small parameters, frequency response measuring ...

Clio Pocket - for you if you want a professional system for a low price.
Clio Pocket 2.0
provides:
- the CP-01 Audio Interface
- the CLIO Pocket CD with software and drivers
- the Microphone MIC-02
- an USB 2.0 cable
- a RCA to RCA 2.7m long microphone cable
- a RCA to alligators impedance cable
- with distortion measurements

more details to Clio Pocket

EUR 649,00 excl. VAT: € 545.38 / $ 578.10
.. or the Firewire version Clio with 192 kHz sampling rate, 24 bit conversion
Clio 12 (FW-01 interface, cable, software) PDF short description   PDF instruction manual
 
EUR 2239,00 excl. VAT: € 1881.51 / $ 1994.40
matching Clio 01 measuring microphone (with case, adapter and cable) the PDF microphone description EUR 275,00 excl. VAT: € 231.09 / $ 244.96
extremely accurate: Clio 01 with frequency calibration of microphone with correction CD EUR 329,00 excl. VAT: € 276.47 / $ 293.06
for limited space: the short microphone 02 (with case, adapter and cable) the PDF microphone description EUR 275,00 excl. VAT: € 231.09 / $ 244.96
extremely accurate: Clio 02 with frequency calibration of microphone with correction CD EUR 366,00 excl. VAT: € 307.56 / $ 326.02
extremely short microphone 03, 7 cm (with case, adapter and cable) EUR 275,00 excl. VAT: € 231.09 / $ 244.96
extremely accurate: Clio 03 with frequency calibration of microphone with correction CD EUR 366,00 excl. VAT: € 307.56 / $ 326.02
or Clio microphone 01 Lite (without accessories: RCA audio cable...) EUR 169,00 excl. VAT: € 142.02 / $ 150.54
or Clio microphone 02 Lite (without accessories: RCA audio cable...) EUR 169,00 excl. VAT: € 142.02 / $ 150.54
or Clio microphone 03 Lite (without accessories: RCA audio cable...) EUR 169,00 excl. VAT: € 142.02 / $ 150.54
.. and a main amplifier of your choice with minimum 20 Hz-20 kHz
Clio amplifier QCBOX 5, 4 inputs, 50W output, the PDF description the PDF instruction manual EUR 551,00 excl. VAT: € 463.03 / $ 490.81
Clio upgrade from Clio Standard to Clio QC
quality control for loudspeaker production, the PDF instruction manual  
on request

.. further accessories ...
 
Front panel for FW-Switch Box + amplifier for 19 inch rack mount EUR 105,00 excl. VAT: € 88.24 / $ 93.53
Front panel for standard Switch Box (Clio 8) + amplifier for 19 inch rack mount EUR 105,00 excl. VAT: € 88.24 / $ 93.53
Upgrade from Clio 8 Lite to Clio Standard on request
Clio microphone cable 2.40 metre length EUR 25,80 excl. VAT: € 21.68 / $ 22.98

also available from Clio: accelerometer, microphone pre-amp, foot switch, certificate, spare cards

Test Tone CD by HiFish

HiFish Audio Test-CD Audio Test CD for loudspeaker and room acoustics measuring. The CD contains 99 tracks, among them are:
Sine waves from 20 Hz to 20 kHz
1/3 octave noise 0.1-12.5 kHz
10 different octave band noise
29 different 1/3 octave band noise
With this tool your CD player turns into a high quality signal generator, making it a low price measuring device.

HiFish Audio Test-CD ACD   Price EUR 15,00 excl. VAT: € 12.61 / $ 13.36

Audio Controller AC by HiFish

HiFish Audio Controller With the help of the supplied CD (available also standalone) the Audio Controller permits the measuring of frequency response, room reverberation etc. The controller acts like the standard remote control of your CD player (will work with most remotes).

Every home-made speaker may be optimised (not designed and developed). Even the sound of purchased speakers, may be improved on, since this system is capable of measuring the influence of bookshelves, wing chairs, damping carpets etc.

Well, if this is not enough, there will be additions to the system that may be integrated into your current hi-fi, enabling an analysis without dismantling your speakers. A programmable crossover and a high-end pre-amp have been announced already.

The technology is not yet available for 64-bit systems and is not available for Windows 10.

Price the same as just the measuring CD (ACD)! EUR 200,00 excl. VAT: € 168.07 / $ 178.15
4 micro batteries to go with EUR 2,96 excl. VAT: € 2.49 / $ 2.64
Or if you want to use 4 rechargeable batteries EUR 12,90 excl. VAT: € 10.84 / $ 11.49
matching RS-232 cable for connection to your PC   EUR 9,90 excl. VAT: € 8.32 / $ 8.82

Summary of review in Hobby HiFi 2/2001:
"A terrific gadget, this Audio Controller by HiFish: sound level measuring is done in a jiffy and with the use of the test CD even extensive frequency response tests and room acoustics analysis are performed without a hitch. The accurate calibration of a home cinema system is as easy as the determination of the ideal positioning of the speakers and establishing the hot spot. It's a useful tool in setting-up Helmholtz absorbers (so-called bass traps) and crossover networks. Short and sweet: a tool too good to miss in a hi-fi home. "

Docking Station
A docking station is also available now. The station generates the test signals itself, thus replacing the CD player. The station's frequency response is 16 Hz to 20 kHz and is able to generate single tones, sine sweeps and stepped tone bursts.
Price EUR 195,00 excl. VAT: € 163.87 / $ 173.70

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