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CARA - Room Acoustic Software

We're very much not into doing sales-pitch type posts, but after reading through several threads in this forum, we realized that questions regarding software for room acoustics were frequent enough that if we tried to answer every thread, we'd *really* feel obnoxious!

So... the lesser of two evils

CARA is a comprehensive room acoustic modelling package designed and developed by German physicist: Dr. Ulrich Thomanek. Dr. Thomanek worked with ELAC GmbH for many years and used computer models to bring their loudspeakers to be the number two in Germany.

He started ELAC Technische Software as a spinoff dedicated to his computer programs associated with loudspeaker modelling and room acoustics. CARA 2.0 is the product.

Rather than get into too many details here, I'll send you to www.cara.de where they have lots of information regarding CARA and a walkthrough. The site is in both English and German.

Early last year, Rhintek became the US representative for ETS and CARA. We have a strong background in software development, but are relatively new to the high-end audio industry. Our website is: www.rhintek.com

Thanks for your time, I'll probably be lurking around here on occasion as it looks like this forum is a good place for me to gain more understanding.

Kristin VanVranken,
Rhintek Incorporated
kristin3e25
psychicanimal
1,738 posts
 
Sean, Emilio was unique...his clubs were just amazing. His EQ curves did not look at all like you describe (maybe cause he claimed doing it on acid). EQ was set and covered with plexiglass. Too bad he died at an early age of an inmune defficiency...

Take the message, release the pigeon...
vn101606
73 posts
 
I have a pair of Dunlavy SC-VIs, some very high-end equipment and and a large but complex room.
I got this great accoustic simulation/optimization program CARA 2.0, but even though this program comes with a bunch of speaker models, it has no Dunlavy SC-VI model.

I have created a simple SC-VI model but it is VERY far from the frequency response of the Dunlavy SC-VI. I sent an e-mail to Dunlavy a couple of months ago asking them to make a correct model, but Dunlavy never responded.

Can somebody get Dunlavy to make this simulation model? It should not take much time and would be great given that these speakers are very sensitive to positioning and this great program does speaker position optimization IF you have a good model of the speaker.

Alternatively, does somebody have a CARA 2.0 model for the Dunlavy SC-VI that is close to the correct frenquency response? Please e-mail to vpnogueira@yahoo.com.

Thanks,

Vicente
mgmeyersff74
1 posts
 
Would I give Cara all the dimensions and positions, and then have it tell me what I get?
Or, would I give Cara all the dimensions and peices of furniture, etc, and then have it tell me where to put things?

I could give Cara a pile of scenarios for what I would try, but I would rather start by rearranging my room to suit what Cara says is best.
Then, to be able to relocate one piece at a time and see what Cara says about that, since, I don't doubt it would give me something unlivable.
Otherwise, it sounds like quite a long haul, where I have to keep inputting arrangements and wait for the best results.
kr4ef94
208 posts
 
"Would I give Cara all the dimensions and positions, and then have it tell me what I get? Or, would I give Cara all the dimensions and peices of furniture, etc, and then have it tell me where to put things?"

The former. OTOH, you can restrict the pieces, limiting it to speakers and room dimensions/materials and get an optimum placement. Then you can add each piece of furniture, testing for best positioning.

In the long run, an intermediate strategy is preferred where only the essential furniture is included. Then you can study the 3D graphs to see what places are good/bad for the other stuff.

Easy? No but it works better than actually moving furniture and trying to remember if it sounds better or worse.
bstan1274
1 posts
 
2 questions and some comments:

1) Does CARA include speaker info for the Dynaduio Contour 2.8 tower?

2) Will the soon to be released 2.1 software version (due the middle of 12/01) be a free upgrade to those that purchase version 2.0?

I use a software based (MLS) impulse response system (ETF5 $150) with a calibrated microphone.

This system provides amazing results (impulse response, frequency response, waterfall charts) for analysis and recording of my changes. It also does so in pseudo-real-time i.e. I can make changes and watch them appear as frequency graphs on the screen 4 seconds later.

CARA sounds like the perfect companion for me.
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