Real-time analyzer
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A real-time analyzer (RTA) is a professional audio device that measures and displays the frequency spectrum of an audio signal; a
Types
There are generally two types of RTAs:
- RTAs employing analog signal processing, and
- RTAs employing digital signal processing (DSP).
The main difference between the two types is that the analog RTAs use a series of hardwired, analog bandpass filters to break the signal into frequency bands prior to measuring it. Digital RTAs use digital sampling technology and microprocessor-based digital signal processing to perform necessary calculations, such as fast Fourier transforms, to perform the measurements and thus do not need analog hardware filters to isolate each frequency band. The digital approach to signal analysis generally yields much higher accuracy and resolution and thus most RTAs currently in production use digital signal processing technology.[1] Digital signal processing is more cost effective.
Professional use
RTAs are often used by sound engineers and by acousticians installing audio systems in all kinds of listening spaces: Venues, home theatres, cars etc. The parameters that can be measured are the spectral aspects of sound reproduction caused by effects like resonances and constructive and destructive
See also
- Architectural acoustics
- Audio signal processing
- Auditory scene analysis incl. 3D-sound perception, localization
- Real-time computing
- Signal separation
- Sound localization
- Spectrum analyzer
- Timbre