Accordo is an all-new, proprietary tuning algorithm created by Elettromedia Research and Development. It uses a groundbreaking and innovative approach to perform automatic time delay adjustments, output level calibration and channel EQ settings.
6.1 HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS
The preparation for using Accordo is the same as for when you’re tuning a system manually.
- You will need either a USB measurement microphone (for example Dayton Audio UMM-6 or comparable)
Figure 1: Dayton Audio UMM-6.
- or as alternative an XLR measurement microphone paired through an XLR cable with a USB Audio Interface (such as a Behringer ECM8000 and a UM2 or comparable).
Figure 2: Behringer ECM8000 microphone, Behringer UM2 USB audio interface, and an XLR cable to connect them
Note: We recommend you have two powered USB extensions. This lets you position the PC outside the cabin during the Accordo process.
- Connecting a source of clean 12V DC to the vehicle battery will maintain it during the Accordo process and the listening process that follows. The Accordo process itself does not take much time, and it will not deplete a healthy battery - but often the vehicle battery is already partially depleted because of the installation of the system.
- Accordo generates its own test tones, so no downloads or CDs are required.
6.2 PRELIMINARY CHECKS BEFORE USING ACCORDO
6.2.1 Confirm your Input Signal
Figure 2: All-Pass Filter viewed on the input RTA.
You might wonder why we might need to confirm the signal if Accordo generates its own test tones. The reason is, as soon as Accordo is finished, you’re going to listen to music from the source unit - so there’s little reason to perform the Accordo process until we’re confident that we’re ready.
With both aftermarket and OEM sources, we should confirm that left and right are connected correctly, and front, rear, and sub channels are correctly assigned.
With OEM sources, we should go one step further, and confirm phase and time alignment among the signals. If we detect an all-pass filter, we should correct for it before proceeding.
The same goes for Input delays, we should correct for it before proceeding.
Please, use the electrical RTA analysis available in bitDrive for this operation (Watch Episode 4 of the Youtube tutorials).
Figure 3: Delay viewed on the input RTA.
If phase and time are aligned, we can proceed to the next step.
6.2.2 Enter the Crossover Points
Figure 4: Crossover Points displayed in List Mode.
Basic crossover points are automatically entered by the Configuration Wizard.
If you didn’t run the Configuration Wizard, make sure that you have entered manually the crossover
points before proceeding.
Best results are achieved by using the optimal crossover points for the speakers you’ve installed.
6.2.3 Quality Control test on the outputs
Figure 5: Using the Solo button.
Use the solo button, play each speaker one at a time, and confirm the proper speaker is playing in the vehicle.
Correct any connection errors before proceeding.
For more detail on these first three steps, see tutorial Video tutorial - Episode 5.
6.2.4 Set up your microphone
Follow the instructions for the microphone you’re using. A microphone stand is recommended for best results
Figure 6: Microphone in a stand.
Accordo can be used with the microphone in a horizontal, angled, or vertical orientation, but the angled and vertical orientation require a mic stand.
Figure 7: a microphone at 0° horizontal.
Figure 8: a microphone at 45° angle.
Figure 9: a microphone at 90° vertical.
Note: in many cases a vertical orientation delivers the best results.
Connect the microphone (or the audio interface) to the PC, either directly, or using a powered USB extension.
Figure 10: Connecting the USB Microphone.
Accordo will perform two measurement sessions using the microphone. While the PC can be inside the vehicle cabin during these measurements, the user should be outside the vehicle while the measurements are taken.
Important: The extensions allow both the user and the PC to be located outside the vehicle.
Figure 11: Connecting USB extensions.
Once the microphone is connected to the PC, select it under “Audio Settings”. It is essential that you do this before you begin the Accordo process.
Figure 12: Set the microphone input in bitDrive Audio settings.
6.2.5 bit Drive setup
Select the Desired Listening Position you’ll be using with Accordo, and select the desired Memory for Accordo to overwrite.
Figure 13: Select the desired listening position on the car image.
Figure 14: Select the desired memory where to perform Accordo.
You don’t need to disable the Final Tuning EQ if it enabled, Accordo will bypass the Final Tuning EQ for the entire routine of measurements and calculations. At the end of the routine, Final Tuning EQ will be restored.
You’re ready to use Accordo!
6.3 RUN ACCORDO
Click on the Wizard Icon and select the Accordo Wizard.
Figure 15: Run Accordo from the Wizard panel.
Figure 16: initial Accordo page.
1. START
Read the instructions to make sure you are ready to run Accordo. You should have already performed all of the listed preparation shown on this screen, and you should be ready to go.
Click Start.
After you click Start, Accordo will perform some initial preparations, which will take a few seconds.
2. SETTINGS
Select the operation that you want Accordo to perform, and press Next.
Note: by default, Accordo is going to adjust the Level, the Delay, and EQ and Phase.
Any of those can be deselected here, if you like.
Figure 17: Accordo operation settings.
3. OUTPUT
this screen will show you if any channels are muted or soloed. Confirm that all the listed channels are properly defined, and press Next.
Figure 18: Output channel check.
4. TARGET CURVE
Select a predefined Target Curve (this window will pop out if you selected Auto level alignment or Auto EQ or both), or you can create a new one.
Figure 19: Initial Target Curve Screen.
Note: we will select a predefined Target Curve in this example
Figure 20: Select another target curve from the scroll down list.
You can also use the parametric 11-band EQ to modify your target curve, then save it in your laptop for future use.
Figure 21: modify the target curve with the parametric EQ.
5. OUTPUT LEVEL CALIBRATION
In this window it is asked to set:
- delay time before starting the microphone calibration.
- Desired subwoofer volume to be used for Accordo.
Figure 22: set delay time and desired sub volume.
Press Next, and make sure to exit the vehicle and close the doors before the delay time expires.
Figure 23: countdown starts.
The following operation is needed to make sure that the microphone can capture a proper signal. Please, raise the Master volume slider until the virtual LED becomes green.
Note: se if the LED is still red after reaching 0dB level, press CTRL and increase the volume further (maximum setale is +6dB).
Figure 24: Level Adjustment Initial Screen.
Figure 25: Level Adjustment Final Screen.
Note: see chapter 4. TROUBLESHOOTING in case you have any doubt for this operation.
6. ACCORDO
At this stage, each speaker in the vehicle is being measured individually, and Accordo will process the data. This step will take less than one minute.
Figure 31: Measurement Screen.
Note: If you notice any loud noise occurring during the measurement process or if you open either the doors or the trunk by mistake, press Back and repeat the measurement.
Note: if any measurement error is detected by Accordo, press Back and check the proper connection of the speakers.
Figure 32: Processing Screen.
At this point, the measurements are concluded and the calculations are being performed.
Figure 33: Processing Complete.
7. FINISH
Now Accordo is complete. It’s a good idea to save to your desktop, and finalize to your device, at this point.
Figure 34: Final Accordo Screen.
Many any desired adjustments to the tonality of the system using the Final Tuning EQ. If you want to do any fine tuning using the individual output channel equalizers, there are several bands left available for use on each output channel.
That’s it!
6.4 TROUBLESHOOTING
1. Microphone settings in Windows pc
- Some USB microphones must be adjusted in Windows settings.
- If Accordo reads “SIGNAL HIGH” at this step, with the slider set at low level, you can go into Windows and turn down the mic level as shown below.
Figure 35: signal high with slider at minimum level.
Figure 36: Low Mic Level on Windows settings.
If Accordo reads “SIGNAL LOW” at this step, with the slider set at high level, like this, you must go into Windows and turn up the mic level as shown below.
Figure 37: Signal low with slider at maximum level.
Figure 38: Higher Mic Level on Windows settings.
Figure 39: Raised mic level on Windows settings.
2. Compatibility with Maestro AR
As of bit Drive 2.0, Accordo is not compatible with Maestro AR.
3. Use of bit Tune microphone with Accordo.
The bit Tune HSM microphone can be used with Accordo by following these steps:
1. bit_Tune_SW-3.1.1.0 must be installed in your laptop (bit Tune - webpage)
2. The HSM microphone or LPM microphone must be connected to the bit Tune and placed in the listening position as shown below
3. the relative calibration file (available with bit_Tune_SW-3.1.1.0 as per picture below) must be loaded as Microphone calibration file in the bit Drive Audio settings.
4. Select the WASAPI drivers as Input Device in the bit Drive Audio settings..
5. bit Tune SW must be opened and running with acoustic RTA active while using its microphones in bit Drive, both for Acoustic RTA or ACCORDO runs in bit Drive.
Note: with HSM microphone, only the front mic (#3) will be used for both RTA and ACCORDO.
4. What happens if Final Tuning or Bass Boost of Superbass functions were enabled before
running Accordo?
The Accordo measurement routine automatically bypasses any setting of Final Tuning, or Bass Boost or Superbass (these two are available with AF M1.7 bit).
At the end of the Accordo Wizard, bitDrive will act as follows:
- Final Tuning will be restored as it was before running Accordo.
- Bass Boost and/or Superbass will remain disabled. If you wish to enable them back, please do it manually.
5. Accordo warns about problem in the calculation of time delays and these are all left to 0 ms value.
This indicates that either the background noise is too high for the microphone measure or the Subwoofer response was not cleanly detected.
Please, try to repeat the procedure by doing one of these changes:
- in the Output Level Calibration increase the slider level up to +6dB
- in the Output Level Calibration set the desired subwoofer volume to 0 dB
- if steps 1. or 2. do not solve, try to close Accordo window and change the Subwoofer crossover from LowPass to Flat. Perform Accordo with this setting and at the end of the procedure proceed to restore the Subwoofer crossover to LowPass.
6. Accordo did not EQ the subwoofer channel
This is intended in the Accordo processing, since the wavelengths involved are very long (making the measurement problematic) and the sonic improvement from EQing the subwoofer is very small.
Many manual-tuning approaches also leave the subwoofer unequalized. As with all
the other output channels, the subwoofer channel output EQs can be used for fine tuning
the sound if desired.
7. Windows Audio tips
Audison’s Bit Drive software runs on Windows PCs, and it can use microphones connected to those Windows PCs. In some cases, the default settings on a given Windows PC must be changed.
Windows Settings and Windows Control Panel
Windows Settings is a simplified version of the Windows Control Panel, but for advanced audio settings, access Control Panel -> Sound and check the Properties for individual Input Devices. (In Settings, type “Control Panel” in the search bar).
Audio Input Devices
A USB microphone has a built-in USB soundcard. XLR microphones require an external USB sound card. Either way, that sound card appears in Windows as an “Input Device” whenever it is connected to a USB port. Another Input Device is Audison Link. This appears in Windows only when bit Drive software is connected to an Audison processor via USB cable (it is not present when bit Drive software is operated in Offline mode).
Windows can enable and disable individual Input Devices. Make sure that the microphone/sound card you are using is enabled. Also make sure Audison Link is always enabled as an Input Device (disabling Audison Link will disable the Input RTA and also disable the Accordo Wizard).
Levels of Input Devices
If the Input Device level in Windows is set too low, this causes the Acoustic RTA to read low, and Accordo may not be able to detect signal properly. This can prevent the user from getting a green light in the initial calibration step - a red light would be displayed, with a text notification that insufficient signal has been detected. If the Input Device level is too high, Accordo may show a green light at the beginning of the calibration step (while the level control is still set to -24dB), or a red light may be displayed with a text notification that the level is too high. You may need to try a few times to find the right setting for your PC and your microphone.
Note: In the screenshot below, the Microphone level MUST be turned up. Also, the MUTE icons on the right must not show a red slash (indicating that the microphone is muted)
AGC and Enhanced Audio
Finally, Windows sometimes offers “AGC” or “Enhanced Audio Functions” for Input Devices. These can be seen in Control Panel, under Properties, Custom, or Properties, Advanced. Whenever AGC or Enhanced Audio Functions are offered, make sure they are disabled for both the microphone/sound card you are using and for Audison Link.