There are more and more software solutions showing up on the market. Here’s a guideline what you should try to avoid – if you call yourself a pro that is.
Professional audio engineering requires measurement systems that provide accurate, transparent, and reproducible data. A system becomes unsuitable when it obscures critical processing details or limits user control over fundamental parameters such as windowing, FFT size, averaging, or coherence evaluation. Without this transparency, engineers cannot fully understand how measurements are generated, which undermines confidence, traceability, and the ability to reproduce results.
A system is also inappropriate if it pre-interprets or filters data before presenting it. Measurement and decision-making should remain separate: engineers must observe raw data, assess its validity, and decide on adjustments. When a system effectively makes interpretive decisions for the user, it risks encouraging misguided actions, particularly in complex acoustic environments.
Another key limitation arises when a system misrepresents acoustic artifacts such as reflections, comb filtering, or environmental interference. Presenting processed outputs as stable or actionable without exposing underlying causes can lead to corrections that degrade rather than improve system performance. Professional engineers need tools that allow them to evaluate artifacts critically and take appropriate, informed actions.
Finally, a suitable measurement system must allow full diagnostic flexibility and adhere to principles of traceability and reproducibility. Systems that restrict parameter control, limit analysis options, or prioritize workflow speed over documented measurement integrity are inappropriate for professional use. In professional practice, engineers must retain responsibility for all tuning decisions, and measurement tools must support this responsibility rather than obscure it.
Guidelines: Characteristics of an Unsuitable Audio Measurement System
A measurement system is unsuitable for professional audio engineering if it exhibits any of the following:
- Lack of transparency – Critical processing steps, such as FFT size, windowing, averaging, and coherence evaluation, are hidden or automated without explanation.
- Pre-interpreted data – The system filters, smooths, or weights results before presentation, making decisions for the user rather than exposing raw data.
- Misrepresentation of artifacts – Reflections, comb filtering, or environmental interference appear stable or actionable without revealing their true cause, leading to potentially incorrect adjustments.
- Limited diagnostic control – Engineers cannot manipulate parameters, isolate frequency ranges, or test hypotheses, reducing the ability to troubleshoot complex system behaviors.
- Non-compliance with measurement standards – The system lacks traceability, reproducibility, and verifiable procedures, shifting responsibility from the engineer to the software.
Summary: Professional measurement tools must provide transparent, controllable, and verifiable data. Any system that obscures processing, pre-interprets results, misrepresents artifacts, limits analysis, or compromises measurement integrity is unsuitable for professional practice. Engineers must retain full responsibility for all tuning and corrective decisions.
TZ’s car analogy: A auto-correcting analyser is like having a speedometer in your car which decides on your speed based on some phoney math. You need to take all parameters, like road conditions, traffic situation etc. into account. A measurement tool is just a measurement tool, nothing more. Good luck with the automatic speedometer …
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.
Thanks for reading!