Category: UserGuide

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Overview

The Real Time Analyzer (RTA) is a multi-channel analyzer for audio signals. It provides time and frequency domain analysis tools to measure RMS or peak levels, frequencies, THD, delays, magnitude, and phase responses. A built-in signal generator provides sine tones, sweeps, and pulses and various noise signals. Using a file player recorded signals can be analyzed.

Related Topics

For more details about steps and configuration, you can refer video explaining Step-by-Step Real-Time Analyzer Walkthrough.

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Settings

Below are the settings available for configuration in the Real-Time Analyzer.

When the RTA or Measurement Module is opened, the main window title bar is updated with status information including sound card and analyzer settings information such as

  • Selected HOST API
  • Selected device
  • Sample rate
  • Block length
  • FFT length
  • Analyzer mode
  • FFT window
  • Averaging
  • Banding

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Integrated Virtual Process (IVP)

Integrated Virtual Process (IVP) refers to the use of virtualization technology to create a seamless and interconnected environment for analyzing various audio signal processes. It involves following operations.

  • Generating virtual signals
  • Connecting Plugin Host
  • Utilizing Mimo Convolver
  • Analyzing audio signal
  • Utilizing Probe Points

For more details, you can refer video explaining Integrated Virtual Process (IVP)/RTA process in Global Tuning Tool.

You can start Integrated Virtual Processing by clicking the “Analyzer” or Play button.

Integrated Virtual Processing is a combination of the following options.

  • Generator: Used to start/stop generator.
  • Plugin Host: Used to start/stop plugin host
  • Mimo Convolver: Used to start/ stop mimo convolver.
  • Analyzer: Used to start/ stop analyzer.
  • LinkMode:  The Link Mode feature allows you to establish a connection between the measurements in the upper and lower graphs on the RTA screen. This connection enables you to perform trace capture and other operations simultaneously on both graphs.

To enable Link Mode, you need to configure the Analyzer settings mode option to Average.

On clicking Link Mode, you will be presented with an option to provide the name of the charts from the below window. Once the linking is activated, any operation performed on the Traces in the upper graph will be reflected in the lower graph. The upper graph will refer to Average Channel 1 and the lower graph will refer to Average Channel 2.

Related Topics

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Analysing Audio Signal

This section explains how to configure for basic measurement and analyse RTA without Soundcard Signal.

Configure Basic Measurement

Steps to configure basic measurement for analyzing audio signal.

  1. On the IVP RTA tab, click on the Advanced or Advanced Settings. This opens RTA Settings window.

  2. On the RTA Setting window, select the Sound Card tab, and then select the “Sound In device” that is connected to a microphone for channel 1 + 2.
  3. Switch to the Analyzer tab, click on the Source for Channel-1, and select SoundIn1 from the context menu.
  4. When you have finished configuration, click Done to close the Setting dialogue box.
  5. On the ribbon bar, click on Analyzer. The RTA graph now displays the incoming microphone signal in the time domain.
  6. In order to display the spectrum of the signal, click on the Analyzer Settings in the ribbon bar. This opens the Analyzer Setting window.
  7. On the Analyzer Settings window, set the Mode to Spectrum from the drop-down list.

The graph now displays the spectrum of the incoming microphone signal.

As only one channel is active, the lower graph has been minimized by dragging the middle line and placing it at the bottom of the window.

Analyse RTA without Soundcard Signal

In order to test RTA without a soundcard signal, the test signal generator can be connected directly to the analyzer.

  1. On the Analyzer Settings window, click on Advanced Settings. This opens RTA Settings window.
  2. On Analyzer tab, click on the “Source” for Channel-1, and select Generator 1 from the context menu.
    A screenshot of a computer Description automatically generated with medium confidence
  3. When you have finished configuration, click Done to close the Setting dialogue box.
  4. On the ribbon bar, click on Generator, and click on Analyzer or “Play” button. The RTA graph now displays the spectrum of a 1 kHz sine signal.
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Real Time Data View

The ribbon bar provides a quick view of real-time measurements for RMS, THD, True Peak, Peak-Frequency, and THD+N. By default, the tool selects two channels for this display, and you can view the live data of two channels simultaneously. If you want to monitor a different channel, you can easily select it from the options available on the ribbon bar.

When using a average mode, it will load average channels by default; otherwise, it will pick the first channels that are listed on the analyzer.

RMS Values will provide the selected weighting indication (A B C D).

The Weighting is displayed on the ribbon bar when configured in Advanced Settings. Go to Advanced Settings > Analyzer > Freq Weight RMS to activate weighting.

There are five live data columns available for selection:

  • RMS
  • THD
  • True Peak
  • Peak-Frequency
  • THD+N
  • Delay

For example, for the 1 kHz sine wave, the live ribbon with peak trace enabled and graph will look as follows:

CPU Load

In the RTA graph view, the CPU load provided by Audio Engine is displayed in percentage (up to 2 decimals). This will be shown in different colors based on the level as below.

  • Normal: 0-70 (Green color)
  • Medium: 71-95 (Yellow color)
  • High: Greater than 96 (Red color)

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Rate Control

The Rate Control audio object controls the rate at which control signals can pass through the object. This is implemented by blocking the controls for a duration that is specified as a tuning parameter.

Rate control Properties

Below table describes the audio object properties and functionalities.

Properties Description
Number of controls Enter the number of control inputs.

The number of control outputs is always 2. The index of the pin (which receives the first control signal) is sent out on the left output pin first and then the control signal itself is sent on the right output pin.

  • Range: 1 to 255
  • Data type: xFloat32
  • Default: 1
Display Name Display name of the Rate control audio object in signal flow design. It can be changed based on the intended usage of the object.

Mode

There are currently no modes available for the Rate control audio object.

Additional parameters

There are no additional parameters available for the Rate control audio object.

Tuning Parameters

There are blocking times associated with each control input pin which could be changed as a tuning parameter.

Parameter Description Data Type Range Default Unit
BlockingTime Time for which any new control signal is blocked xFloat32 0 – 60 0 seconds

Control Interface

The object supports configurable number of control inputs ranging from 1 to 255. The default number of control input is 1. The objects supports two control outputs.

Native Panel

Rate control audio object does not support a native panel.

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Overview

This guide explores a comprehensive library of audio algorithms from Harman. It includes over 90 algorithms that can be used to create new, flexible audio processing units (Compound Audio Objects). These CAOs can be fine-tuned, protected with passwords, and shared as easily as any individual audio object.

The audio objects are categorized into the following groups in the GTT.

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Control Generator

The Control Generator audio object allows to generate a constant control value at a specified time.

Control Generator Properties

Below table describes the audio object properties and functionalities.

Properties Description
# of  Control outputs Enter the number of control outputs.
In Single control mode, the number of control outputs is configurable between 1 to 255.
In Multi control mode, the number of control outputs is the same as the number of control inputs.

  • Range: 1 to 255 (Min – 1 and Max – 255)
  • By default, the number of output channels is set to 1.
Display Name Display the name of the Control Generator audio object in signal flow design. It can be changed based on the intended usage of the object.
Object Mode This audio object can be configured in two operation modes.

  • Single control
  • Multi control

Mode

The object operates in one of the following two modes:

Mode Description
Single control In this mode, the object has a single control input and configurable control outputs ranging from 1 to 255.
It has a single set of tuning parameters that decide the functioning of all control outputs. Based on the Control value and Trigger time configured, which is applied to all the control outputs,  the constant control value is sent out every “n” seconds i.e. trigger time configured.
If its value is 0 the control value is sent out just once.

This is the default mode.
Multi control This audio object can be configured with control channels ranging from 1 to 255.
The number of control inputs will be equal to the control outputs. The object has a separate set of tuning parameters that decide the functioning of each control output. Control value and Trigger time can be configured separately for each control output.
The default number of control channels shall be 1.

The control input in both modes is triggered only and the value at the control output is set by the Control value tuning parameter.

Additional parameters

There are no additional parameters available for the Control Generator audio object.

Tuning Parameters

The following are the paraments that can be tuned from GTT.

Parameter Description Data Type Range Default Unit
Control Value The value which is sent out to the control output. Setting this value will send the constant control value out. xFloat32 Min: single precision float minimum -3.402823 x 10^38

Max: single precision float maximum 3.402823  x 10^38

 0.0f NA
Trigger time It is the rate at which the control value is sent on the control output.

Setting this tuning parameter shall send the constant control value out. If its value is 0 the control value is sent out just once. If its value is greater than 0, let’s say a value of N, the control value shall be sent out every N seconds.

 xFloat32 0 – 600 0.0f seconds

Control Interface

The Single-control mode has a single control input and configurable control outputs. The control outputs are configured using the “# of Control outputs” property.  The control output value ranges from 1 to 255.

By default, control input and control output is 1.

The Multi-control mode has configurable control outputs. The control outputs are configured using the “# of Control outputs” property.  The control output value ranges from 1 to 255.
The number of control inputs is equal to the control outputs.

Native Panel

The Control Generator audio object does not support a native panel.

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Lookup Table (LUT) Panel

The LUT object supports native panel.  Double-click on the LUT object to open the native panel and set the values accordingly.

  • Redo/Undo: The redo and undo functions enable you to rollback or repeat the modifications made to panel cell values, units, minimums, and maximums.
  • Customizable Axis Label: The customizable axis label allows you to change the axis label name. Double-clicking on the axis label will show a textbox where you can change the axis label name.
  • Offset: An offset value is a number added or subtracted from selected cells.
  • Export: Using the export option, you can export the currently opened LUT tab data into .csv format.

Only tuning data will be exported. Unit Type, Min, and Max values will not be part of the export.

  • Import: You can import LUT data into the application using a .csv file. This feature allows you to reuse exported files or import externally computed data.
    The file must follow the validation rules below before import.

    • The file must be in .csv format.
    • The file must contain the same number of rows and columns as the currently opened LUT tab.
    • The first column must represent the Axis, and its values should be in ascending order.
    • All cell values in the file must be within the defined unit’s minimum and maximum limits. Once the import is successful, the Undo button will be enabled, allowing you to revert the import operation if necessary.
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Fader Matrix

The FaderMatrix audio object is used to calculate the weighted output based on a combination of input audio where the weighting factors are provided as control input.

Use Case: The FaderMatrix takes in a configurable number of input, output and control channels. Each output of this object is a weighted sum of all the input channels where weighting factors can be tuned from control inputs.

Fader Matrix Properties

Below table describes about the FaderMatrix audio object properties and functionality.

Properties Description
# of Audio In Number of input channels.

  • Range: 1 to 64
  • Default: 2
# of Audio Out Number of output channels.

  • Range: 1 to 64
  • Default: 2
# of Elements Number of Control Inputs.

  • Range: 0 to 64
  • Default: 0
Display Name Display the name of the FaderMatrix audio object in signal flow design. It can be changed based on the intended usage of the object.

Mode

There are no modes available for FaderMatrix audio object.

Additional Parameters

The FaderMatrix audio object can be configured with the following additional parameter:

Parameters Description
Gain Type The audio object has an additional configuration ‘Gain Type’ to specify the weighting factors scale.

  • 0 – Linear [default]: Weights are configurable in a linear scale in the range of -100 to 100.
  • 1 – Logarithmic: Weights are configurable in a logarithmic scale in the range between -128 to 40 dB.

Tuning Parameters

The FaderMatrix audio object has one control index tuning parameter for each input channel that will used to compute the output of each channel. Thus, there will be NumInputs * NumOutputs control indices (tuning parameters).

When the control index is set to zero, none of the control inputs will be used and this particular input will not be considered for computation of that particular output

Parameter Description Range Unit
Control Index Index of the control input for selecting weight factor for each input and output combination. 0 to NumElements None

Control Interface

The FaderMatrix control is triggered whenever a control message is addressed to the audio object. The FaderMatrix audio object has configurable control input pins for weighting factors.

Parameter Description Gain Type Data Type Range Default Unit
Weighting Factor Weight factor for each input and output combination. Linear Float -100 to 100 0 None
Logarithmic Float -128 to 40 -128 dB

Native Panel

The Fader Matrix AO supports native panel called Fader Matrix Panel. The rows and columns of Fader Matrix panel is determined by the number of Audio inputs and Audio outputs configured. For more details, refer to the Fader Matrix Panel.