Initial Configuration and Setup in Smaart: Best Practices for Sound Engineers
Your First Smaart Setup: A Practical Guide to Gear Selection and Initial Configuration
As a certified Smaart instructor, I’m often asked about the best way to get started with Smaart setup, whether it’s choosing the right version, picking reliable hardware, or walking through that first measurement without frustration. This guide combines the essentials of hardware selection, software configuration, and a straightforward workflow to help you build a trustworthy measurement rig from day one. Whether you’re aligning a live PA, just checking IEMs, or verifying installed systems, a solid initial setup is the foundation for accurate, repeatable results.
Step 1: Choose the Right Smaart Version for Your Work
Before buying gear, decide what type of measurements you’ll primarily do. This determines which edition of Smaart you need:
Frequency response and phase alignment (system tuning, EQ, crossover alignment)
Impulse Response (room acoustics, reverberation time, speech intelligibility)
SPL logging (full history, LEQ, compliance)
If you need Impulse Response (aka Room Acoustics) or comprehensive SPL logging, go for Smaart v9 ST (Suite). For just frequency/phase work, Smaart v9 RT or Smaaart LE will suffice (they have limited SPL features). Take a moment to think about your gigs, many engineers start with RT or LE and upgrade later when they discover the power of the Impulse Response (IR) or SPL modes.
Step 2: Selecting Your Measurement Hardware for your Smaart setup
Measurement Microphone
You need an omnidirectional condenser microphone with a flat frequency response to go with your Smaart setup, no coloration, so you measure what’s really there, not what the mic adds. Funny enough these type of microphones do not need to be super expensive. Our most modestly priced option is the RTA-420 for around 100 Euros, the most expensive mic we carry is the MELLab T-60 for roughly 6 times that price. Most users go for something in between, like the MELLab MYc-3 or the TX-3 kit.
Key considerations:
Maximum SPL handling: For accurate high-level measurements and proper SPL work, choose a mic rated for at least 135–140 dB SPL (e.g., Earthworks M30, dbx RTA-M, or similar). Many pros keep one high-SPL mic in their Smaart setup for high SPL work and less expensive / lower-SPLmics for “risky” microphone positions. When leavening a mic in audience areas to check for delay line performance can have a higher risk for being damaged or stolen.
Always use a calibrated mic when possible, individual calibration files improve accuracy, especially above 10 kHz. However, you also need an …
Acoustic Calibrator to check the gain of the signal path, so SPL readings are accurate. A calibrated mic alone does not give you a correct SPL reading. Remember that fat old gain knob on the sound-card?!?
A Real-World Perspective on Calibrators for Live Sound Measurements
Acoustic calibrators come in many shapes, sizes, and standards, designed for a wide range of applications. Here’s the good news for us live sound engineers: our needs are relatively straightforward. We don’t require high-end, laboratory-grade calibrators that meet the strictest standards. A simple, reliable model like the iSEMcon SC-1 or the AZ 8930 is more than sufficient for in-field verification, ensuring your measurement chain is consistent before a gig or system tune.
The catch? If you’re ever in a situation where documentation matters (e.g., legal disputes, compliance audits, or client requirements), you’ll need a valid calibration certificate, typically no older than one year. Renewing that certificate means sending the unit to an accredited test house or the manufacturer.
Factor in 3–6 weeks (or longer) for shipping both ways, processing, and return, plus customs handling, calibration fees, and potential repairs, and you’re easily looking at €50–€80 or more. That’s often approaching (or exceeding) the price of a brand-new basic calibrator from reputable Far East manufacturers.
That’s why we’ve chosen to stock models like the AZ 8930: high-quality, affordable, and purpose-built for live sound work. In most cases, buying a new one is simply cheaper, faster, and more practical than recalibrating an older unit. You get fresh performance, no downtime, and peace of mind without the hassle.
We source our AZ 8930 from reliable European partners who ensure fast availability, even handling direct fulfilment when needed, so you always get a fresh, ready-to-use unit without delays.
If compliance-grade certification is critical for your workflow, we can always discuss options, just get in touch!
Audio Interface (Sound Card) for your Smaart setup
Your Smaart setup needs at least two input channels for transfer function measurements (reference + measurement). Choose a reliable, low-latency USB or Thunderbolt interface with stable drivers:
Avoid built-in laptop sound cards, they add noise, latency, and instability. Look for phantom power (for the mic) and solid ASIO (Windows) or Core Audio (Mac) performance.
Cables & Accessories
Quality balanced XLR cables
Y-splitter or insert cable to tap the reference signal
Adapters as needed
Best practice: Keep your measurement rig independent of the console whenever possible. This gives you an objective view of the entire system. (console out = reference)
Step 3: Initial Software Configuration for a good Smaart setup
Install and Launch
Download the latest version from Rational Acoustics.
Use a dedicated laptop with plenty of processing power. Close unnecessary apps during measurements. Read our article about the minimum system requirements.
On first launch, Smaart will guide you through I/O setup. Choose 48 kHz sample rate (standard for most work).
Configure Inputs and Outputs
Go to I/O Config.
Assign output channels for the signal generator (pink noise is ideal).
Set Input 1 as Reference (pre-system signal) and Input 2 as Measurement (mic).
Smaart v9 creates the Spectrum (RTA) single channel FFT for you, but you have to define the dual channel measurements (TF – Transfer Function) measurement engines.
Set Proper Levels
Run pink noise through a clean path (bypass all processing initially).
Adjust gains so both reference and measurement inputs peak around -12 to -6 dBFS (“green to yellow” zone).
Never clip. Clipped data becomes useless.
For SPL work, you need to calibrate (gain) your signal chain. Don´tb touch the gain afterwards … or even better use a sound-card supporting gain tracking.
Step 4: A Simple Everyday Workflow
Here’s the fastest path from “gear connected” to “trustworthy measurement”:
Connect Hardware
Mic → Interface Input 2
Signal generator output → splitter → one leg back to Interface Input 1 (reference), other leg to system input
Start with RTA
Confirm signal path and tonal balance. Use RTA to verify everything is passing signal correctly.
Switch to Transfer Function
Start pink noise.
Run the Delay Finder to time-align reference and measurement channels.
Check coherence. Aim for 70%+ across most of the spectrum. Low coherence means move the mic, increase level, or reduce background noise.
Interpret the Data
Magnitude: Your EQ roadmap
Phase: Timing and driver alignment
Make broad corrections first, re-measure after every change.
Verify and Save
Always listen critically after data-driven adjustments. Smaart shows reality, but your ears make the final call.
Save traces, snapshots, and I/O configurations as templates for recurring gigs.
Final Tips for Reliable Results
Measure in controlled conditions when setting up. Quiet environment, minimal reflections.
Start with a blank slate: flat EQ, no limiting/compression in the path.
High coherence = trustworthy data. If it’s low, fix the measurement conditions before trusting the trace.
Invest time in proper setup; it saves hours during tuning.
Smaart is incredibly powerful, yet the core workflow is straightforward once your rig is dialed in. This guide keeps things practical. There’s deep physics behind everything, but in daily work, you focus on clean setup and reliable data.
Smaart is excellent on its own, but most users find they get much more out of it after some structured training. That’s where our seminars come in. At TZ Audio we run practical seminars, both online and in-venue. We offer seminar-only or full “all you need packages” including software & hardware. It’s simply the fastest way to become comfortable and confident with the measuring a sound system.
If you’re in Norway, Sweden, Denmark or Iceland – or elsewhere – we offer is online seminars and traveling to Norway is a valid option too of course. We’re here if you have any questions about the software or upcoming seminars.
