Knowledge Base

Smaart v9 (Suite and SPL editions) includes a built-in SPL reporting system that allows engineers to export standardized PDF reports directly from logged measurement data. These reports are designed to document compliance, summarize exposure, and clearly present limit exceedances without requiring external data processing.

The Path to Mastery: Why Smaart is a Career-Long Investment As we conclude this series, it’s worth stepping back. Smaart v9 is more than just a software license; it is… Read more: Conclusion: Building Your Career with Smaart Mastery

Smooth it Out: When to use 1/48th vs. 1/3 Octave Trace Smoothing is a visual filter. It doesn’t change the data, just how it’s displayed. In Smaart, choosing the right… Read more: Using Trace Smoothing for Clarity

Reader Q&A: “Is Smaart overkill for my home studio?” Question: “I’m building a small mix room. Should I use Smaart or just stick to a cheaper ‘Room EQ’ app?” The… Read more: Q&A: Smaart for Home Studio Calibration

Organisation for Professionals: The New Data Library Smaart v9.2 introduced a massive update to how we store measurements. If you are still digging through Windows Explorer to find your traces,… Read more: Managing Data with the v9 Data Library

The Mix Engineer’s Guide: Smaart as a Creative Tool Many mixers think Smaart is only for the system tech. “I have ears, I don’t need a screen,” is a common… Read more: Smaart v9 for the Mix Engineer: Improving Your Workflow

The “Golden Trace”: Your Show-Time Insurance Before the doors open and the room fills with people, you need a Reference Snapshot. This is the “Golden Trace”—the sound of the empty… Read more: Quick “Golden Trace” Snapshots

Regulations may make headlines, but the bigger risk for sound engineers, venues, and promoters is civil liability. Best Defence: SPL Logging

Since upgrading to v9.3, you may have noticed a new checkbox option in the I-O Config menu: Smaart Loopback. You may have also noticed that the Generator device no longer… Read more: Smaart Loopback: The New Generator

Sustainability in professional audio isn’t just about energy-efficient lights or quieter amps. It’s about thinking ahead…

Is it Pushing or Pulling? Verifying Polarity Before you spend an hour EQing, you must ensure your drivers are all moving in the same direction. A single “out-of-phase” (inverted polarity)… Read more: Tip: Phase Polarity Verification

Back to School: Smaart Late Summer Seminar in Kristiansand As the summer festival season winds down, it’s time to sharpen your skills for the winter install and corporate season. There… Read more: August Event Preview: Smaart Training Sessions

After hours of tuning, your Data Bar can overflow with generically named traces like “Trace 1,” “Trace 2,” or “New Trace.” What a Nightmare.

Mastering the Stimulus: Why Your Noise Choice Matters The “Pink Noise” button is the most clicked feature in Smaart, but are you using the right kind of noise? Smaart v9… Read more: Signal Generator Techniques

Learn why system measurement is essential for accurate, reliable sound in any venue…

Managing Complexity: The Multi-Spectrum View When you start multiple Spectrum measurement engines in Smaart v9, the Multi-Spectrum View provides a way to look at all of them at once. Instead of trying to interpret… Read more: Tip: Using the Multi-Spectrum View

The evolution of dual-channel FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) audio analyzers has significantly advanced the fields of acoustics, sound system design, and live audio engineering…

Wireless for Measurement: Things to Consider In the world of measurement, there are many options for wireless transmission. These can be incredibly useful, especially in larger venues where you’d need… Read more: Wireless measurement mics for Smaart

One of the key strengths of Smaart’s transfer function measurement is its source-independent approach.

The “Delay Finder” finds the Peak Arrival (the loudest part of the impulse). However, subwoofers have very narrow bandwidth and often have significant internal latency due to DSP and cabinet design.

Aligning subwoofers to mains is one of the main reasons many sound engineers invest in Smaart—it’s an excellent tool for the job.

Silent rooms are lovely in theory. In practice: AC hums, crews shout, caterers drop forks. Don’t despair—you can still get clean data.

With Smaart v9’s built-in Webviewer, you can view SPL meters, history, and alarms from any device connected to the same network.

Critically, if an audience member later alleges hearing damage, documented measurements become your strongest defense….

One of the most common questions: Should I use an external audio interface or the console’s built-in USB/Dante/MADI card to connect Smaart?

A well-aligned PA system doesn’t just sound better — it reduces noise pollution, prevents wasted energy, and highlights the role of technicians as responsible professionals.

Calibrating your measurement microphone input at concert-level volumes (using a 114 dB calibrator) is a best practice …

Smaart RTA Mobile App for Android will be available starting on Monday, April 20th in Open Testing on the Google Play Store.

Immersive Audio: Measuring a 360-Degree Sound Field With immersive systems such as L-ISA (L-Acoustics), d&b Soundscape, and Meyer Sound Spacemap Go now widely deployed on tours and installations, traditional left/right measurement approaches are no… Read more: Immersive Audio Measurements

In modern festival and outdoor mixing, you are no longer mixing just for the song or the crowd in front of you — you are mixing to a Leq (Equivalent Continuous Sound Level).

Once you move beyond loudspeaker tuning and start analysing the room itself, you enter …

Log your SPL. Your log proves you acted responsibly — ringing ears likely came from somewhere else.

Smaart v9 makes SPL logging accurate, adaptable, and efficient, letting engineers focus on the show while maintaining a complete record of sound levels.

The market for measurement interfaces is shifting away from bulky all-in-one boxes toward modular, high-speed USB-C and Dante-enabled preamps.

Today, on April 1, 2026, TZ Audio proudly announces a groundbreaking milestone: we’ve officially signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Norwegian innovators behind LipSyncBROADCAST™. This partnership fuses TZ Audio’s… Read more: TZ Audio joins forces with LipSyncBROADCAST™

Do not take a photo of your screen. Seriously—your client doesn’t need a Polaroid from 1983. Use Capture Screen (Alt + C on Windows, Shift + Command + 3 on Mac) and get a crisp, high-res image instead.

Freakish academic language here. So what does his actually mean IRL when tuning a system on a gig?…

Church Sound: long decay times, high ceilings, and stone surfaces that seem determined to make every whispered word sound like a foghorn.

Guidelines: Characteristics of an Unsuitable Audio Measurement System

Virtual Production: Smaart Should Be on Your Set LED volumes like those on The Mandalorian are now standard in high-end film and TV. Stunning visuals—but a nightmare for dialogue. Hard panels create… Read more: Smaart in Virtual Production

If an RTA is a snapshot of your sound, the Energy Time Curve (ETC) is its radar…

Is it better to move one microphone around the room, or to deploy several microphones and measure them simultaneously? Well ….

We all experienced this. One adds low-end EQ to the kick drum channel, but nothing seems to happen when you stepp out pf the center FOH and moves little to the side.

Averaging in Smaart serves the same core purpose in both modes — to reduce noise, stabilize the display, and reveal the underlying signal trend — but …

IR measurements are often avoided during setup because they are assumed to be time-consuming…

For transfer function measurements, there are two commonly referred-to options for temporal averaging of magnitude data: Polar and Complex…

How to use the Coherence curve effectively in your project. The coherence curve is maybe the most underrated metric in Smaart. Everybody, or at the least the once having studied… Read more: Coherence curve practical use

Riksteatret søker lydtekniker i fast stilling Riksteatret søker en erfaren og engasjert lydtekniker i fast stilling. Stillingen innebærer turnévirksomhet med inntil 120 dager per år. Vi ønsker oss en kollega… Read more: Riksteatret søker lydtekniker i fast stilling

Calibration Pitfalls: Is Your 94dB Actually 94dB? The calibrator must form a completely airtight seal ….

In professional live sound engineering, particularly in touring and festival environments, a mobile measurement system using Smaart must prioritise rapid deployment, …

Coherence measures how closely the measurement signal (what your microphone captures) matches the reference signal (the direct input from the console)….

We have anew office – You are very welcome to visit.

Software platforms like Smaart employ dual-FFT analysis to compute the transfer function in real time. This involves two Fast Fourier Transforms: one reference signal and one measurement signal

The Real-Time Analyzer (RTA) is one of the most powerful yet frequently misunderstood tools in a sound engineer’s arsenal. At first glance, it appears deceptively simple …

This 2-hour, hands-on training is designed for venue managers, administrative staff, technicians, and engineers who want to master SPL measurement and logging in real-world scenarios.

One of the defining characteristics of TZ AUDIO Norway’s In-Venue Smaart Z2H seminars is where the training takes place.

The Smaart Z2H Seminar @Audiv in Bucharest took sound engineers from foundational measurement concepts into real-world system-tuning mastery.

Our Smaart Z2H (Zero to Hero) Seminar in Bucharest is almost sold out. Momentum continues with the Smaart Z2H Seminar in Oslo this May, which is also filling up quickly. TZ Audio is also expanding its educational offerings with online seminars. The first online seminar series will start in March…

Smaart is the world’s most expensive cable tester—and it’s worth every penny when the show is about to start. If you aren’t getting signal, don’t panic…

Smaart in Small venues. Clubs are often harder to tune than arenas. Why?

In a concert environment, your mic might be hit with 130dB or more…

Smaart setup for sound engineers: choose the right v9 version, hardware, initial configuration, and follow a simple workflow…

In a world of high-definition line arrays and digital consoles, why do we still look at a Real-Time Analyzer (RTA)?

A practical guide to Smaart input calibration using SPL calibrators. Ensure reliable SPL, Leq, and exposure measurements in live sound work.

AI is a tool for data processing, not decision making. It can help you clean up your measurement, but it can’t tell you why the room feels the way it does.

As we kick off another busy year of live events in Norway, SPL monitoring remains a key requirement for most concerts and festivals.

Explore Smaart v9 Suite, the flagship audio measurement software from Rational Acoustics. Dive into its Real-Time, Impulse Response, and SPL modes…

We honour the scientists and engineers who laid the foundations of acoustics, audio measurement, and electronics.

iSEMcon microphone alternatives are essential for professionals who require immediate acoustic measurement solutions. Some iSEMcon microphone models have long delivery times, …

NEW for 2026 – The MELLab T‑60 is a next‑generation measurement microphone featuring a flat free‑field response up to 60 kHz and up to 150 dB SPL …

Learn about Smaart Bundles offered by TZ Audio Norway — curated combinations of Smaart software licences and professional measurement tools …

Discover how to get started with 10EaZy and Smaart in just a few steps: plug in your pre‑calibrated 10EaZy unit…

In the December 2025 update, 10EaZy (by SG Audio) advances to version 2.9 — offering Windows 11 driver support, automatic removal of outdated drivers, improved log-file management and a new beta JSON-server …

Learn how to optimize Smaart measurements with compander-free wireless systems…

Discover the best audio interfaces for Smaart in 2025. This ranked guide compares entry-level, mid-range, and professional interfaces, highlighting features like phantom power, driver stability, and multichannel support to help you choose the perfect interface for your measurement rig.

The Norwegian audio community continues to raise the bar for professional standards. Following two intensive Smaart Operator courses held this spring—one in Oslo in May and one in Hammerfest in June…

It’s not every day that a world-class audio training event makes its way to the far north of Norway—but this past week, the town of Hammerfest played host to a… Read more: Smaart on the edge … of the world

This week, 15 aspiring Smaart operators from across Norway and Sweden have gathered at the Riksteatret in Oslo to take part in an intensive training course in sound system measurement… Read more: 15 New Smaart Operators in Training at Riksteatret, Oslo

Thomas snakker med Oddgeir Løvold, lydtekniker til Vassendgutane. Oddgeir deltok i Smaart seminar ledet av Thomas Züllich og er certified Smaart operator. Mer informasjon om SMAART og lyd seminarer –… Read more: Interview med Oddgeir Løvold, lydtekniker til Vassendgutane

Press Release   For Immediate Release  Smaart Operator Fundamentals & Application Practicums Course at Riksteatret in Oslo May 20–23, 2025 Oslo, Norway — Sound engineers, technicians, and audio enthusiasts will… Read more: Smaart Operator Fundamentals & Application Practicums Course at Riksteatret in Oslo May 20–23, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Experience the Midnight Sun at the Smaart System Engineering Bootcamp in Hammerfest, the World’s Northernmost Town! Hammerfest, Norway – June 3-6, 2025 – This summer, the northernmost… Read more: Experience the Midnight Sun at the Smaart System Engineering Bootcamp in Hammerfest, the World’s Northernmost Town!

Timișoara, Romania – October 10, 2024 – The System Engineering Bootcamp & Smaart Software training, an intensive four-day system engineering training event, has successfully concluded in Timișoara. Hosted by FITT… Read more: Press Release: Successful Completion of Smaart Bootcamp in Timișoara

Join us in celebrating the success of those who have passed the Smaart Operator Certification. Your hard work and dedication have paid off—well done! October 2024 Joachim Venbergetjoachim@venberget.noDrammen, Norway Ștefan… Read more: Congratulations to Our Newest Smaart Operator Certification Achievers!

Are you ready to elevate your audio engineering skills? This October, Timisoara becomes the epicenter of professional audio training with the highly anticipated Smaart Bootcamp. Designed for sound engineers, audio… Read more: Join the Ultimate Smaart Bootcamp in Timisoara, Romania!

Harstad Kulturhus recently hosted a vibrant and enriching Smaart Bootcamp, which concluded with resounding success! The event, held over four intensive days, saw five dedicated students come together to deepen… Read more: Smaart Bootcamp at Harstad Kulturhus: A Resounding Success!

In simple terms, I purchase the software from Rational Acoustics and distribute it under my own company, which is now called TZ Audio. While we work closely as partners with my suppliers, I am a distributor, not an extension of any company I represent and distribute the products of.

Smaart Bootcamp in Harstad announced!

A Personal Message from Thomas Züllich – Over the past months I have been made aware that several copycat websites and email senders have begun using my name, my initials (“TZ”), and variations of the TZ Audio brand in attempts to mislead people—especially content creators and small businesses.

Acoustic Engineering, Sound Optimization, SMAART BootCamp, Reykjavik Events,Harpa Venue, Acoustic Analysis.

We would like to extend our congratulations to those who successfully cleared the SMAART Operator Level 1 exam. October 2023 September 2023 May 2023 April 2023 To locate individuals who… Read more: Congratulations to the Smaart Operator certification!!!

Konsertsystemer, a renowned sound company in Norway, recently held a smaart class in their state-of-the-art recording studio, Studio A. For those unfamiliar, smaart is an acronym for “Sound Measurement Acoustical… Read more: Smaart Operator Fundamentals class at Konsertsystemer, Oslo

Are you looking to upskill your audio engineering knowledge and gain certification in just four days? You had to look no further than the Smaart Operator Fundamentals and Operator Application… Read more: report – Smaart bootcamp – April 11. to 14. 2023 – Riksteater, Oslo, Norway

The Smaart class taught by Thomas Züllich was a valuable opportunity for audio engineers to enhance their skills and knowledge.

In honor of Rational Acoustics’ 15th anniversary, we are offering 15% off of Smaart new license purchases from April 1 through April 15.No Joke! April 1 is here. In the past Rational… Read more: Rational Acoustics 15 Years

Timis County Youth Foundation, Timișoara, Romania in Timișoara, Romania was buzzing with excitement as 12 students gathered for the Smaart class taught by Thomas Züllich from March 20th to 23rd,… Read more: report – Smaart class – March 20. to 23. 2023 – Timis County Youth Foundation, Timișoara, Romania

AUGUST 29, 2022 We are excited to announce that the official release date for Smaart v9 has been set for Tuesday, September 27, 2022. Check out the Smaart v9 Info Page for more… Read more: Smaart v9 Release Date Announced

The course is split in two parts: 3-day Smaart Operator Fundamentals 2-day Smaart Operator Advanced Class 16 students maximum per class The classes start at 9:30 and are finished by… Read more: coming up – Smaart class mega session – September 12. to 16. 2022 – Steinkjer, Norway

and another one in the box. 9 eager engineers sat through 4 intense days of Smaart training. First a 3 day operator class followed by a full day of practice… Read more: report – PORSGRUNN, Ælvespeilet – Smaart class – may 2022

12 eager sound engineers from all over Norway, Sweden & Lithuania came and spent 4 days learning how to optimise a sound system with Smaart. Henrik Gjøsæter, Kolbjørn Lysol, Fredrik… Read more: report – SMART Class, OSLO, Riksteatret, April 2022

[envira-gallery id=’4668′] 18 engineers came to learn how to use Smaart properly. The class was held at Musikhuset Aarhus in the “Rytmisk sal”, so we had full access to a… Read more: report – Smaart class – Musikhuset Aarhus April 2022