REW is free software for room acoustic measurement, loudspeaker measurement and audio device measurement. The audio measurement and analysis features of REW help you optimize the acoustics of your listening room, studio or home theater and find the best locations for your speakers, subwoofers and listening position. It includes tools for generating audio test signals; measuring SPL and impedance; measuring frequency and impulse responses; measuring distortion; generating phase, group delay and spectral decay plots, waterfalls, spectrograms and energy-time curves; generating real time analyzer (RTA) plots; calculating reverberation times; calculating Thiele-Small parameters; determining the frequencies and decay times of modal resonances; displaying equalizer responses and automatically adjusting the settings of parametric equalizers to counter the effects of room modes and adjust responses to match a target curve.
Setting up REW (Room EQ Wizard) involves several steps, and here's a detailed summary to help you get started:
1. Download and Install REW:
- Visit the official REW website at https://www.roomeqwizard.com/ and navigate to the "Downloads" section.
- Choose the appropriate version for your operating system (Windows, macOS, or Linux) and download the installer.
- Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions to install REW on your computer.
2. Connect the Measurement Equipment:
- To use REW, you'll need a calibrated measurement microphone and an audio interface connected to your computer.
- Connect your measurement microphone to the audio interface using an appropriate cable.
- Connect the audio interface to your computer via USB or other suitable connection.
3. Set Up the Audio Interface:
- Ensure that your audio interface is properly connected and recognized by your computer's operating system.
- Configure the audio interface as the default input/output device in your computer's audio settings.
4. Launch REW and Configure Audio Preferences:
- Launch the REW software on your computer.
- Go to the "Preferences" or "Settings" menu within REW.
- In the audio preferences, select your audio interface as the input/output device.
- Set the desired sample rate and bit depth for your audio interface (typically 44.1 kHz and 24-bit).
- Save the changes and close the preferences window.
5. Calibrate the Measurement Microphone:
- It's essential to calibrate your measurement microphone to ensure accurate measurements.
- Follow the instructions provided with your measurement microphone to perform the calibration process.
- Typically, this involves connecting the microphone to the audio interface and running a calibration file or following a specific calibration procedure.
6. Set Up the Measurement Configuration:
- Before taking measurements, you need to configure the measurement settings in REW.
- Go to the "Measurement" menu in REW and choose "Preferences" or "Settings."
- Set the measurement preferences according to your requirements, such as measurement range, windowing options, and signal generator settings.
- Save the changes and close the preferences window.
7. Position the Measurement Microphone:
- Place the measurement microphone at the desired listening position within your room.
- Ensure that the microphone is properly positioned and oriented according to the manufacturer's guidelines or best practices for measurement.
8. Take Room Measurements:
- In REW, go to the "Measure" menu and choose "Start Measurement."
- Follow the on-screen instructions to set up the measurement parameters, such as measurement type (e.g., frequency response, waterfall, etc.) and frequency range.
- Begin the measurement process and let REW generate the test signals while capturing the room response through the measurement microphone.
- Repeat the measurement process at multiple locations within the room to gather comprehensive data.
9. Analyze and Interpret Measurement Results:
- Once the measurements are completed, REW will display the measurement results in various graphical formats.
- Analyze the measurement graphs, such as frequency response, impulse response, waterfall plots, etc., to assess the room's acoustic characteristics and potential issues.
- Identify peaks, dips, resonances, and other anomalies in the frequency response graph and take note of any significant findings.
10. Apply Room EQ and Fine-tune:
- Based on the analysis of the measurement results, you can apply room equalization to correct the room's acoustic issues.
- REW provides various equalization options, such as parametric EQ, graphic EQ, and filters.
- Use the EQ tools within REW or export the equalization settings to a compatible device or software (e.g., digital signal processor or
audio software) for implementation.
- Make adjustments to the equalization settings, measure again, and iteratively fine-tune until you achieve the desired acoustic response within your room.
Remember, this is a summarized overview of the setup process. For more detailed instructions and specific guidance, it's highly recommended to refer to the official REW website, user manual, and resources available on the REW forums (https://www.avnirvana.com/forums/rew-forum.3/).
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