AcoustiTools for iOS: Using AR to solve live sound problems

22 Feb 2019 by Lasse Eilers | Approximate reading time: 2 Minutes

Acoustic Masterminds Acoustitools Main View · Source: Acoustic Masterminds / YouTube

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The Acoustic Masterminds Acoustitools app for iOS mobile devices is now available on the App Store. It uses the augmented reality (AR) capabilities of recent Apple devices to deliver a variety of diagnostic tools for improving live sound. Could this be a Swiss Army knife for dealing with live sound problems?

Acoustitools contains four separate diagnostic modules, which can be displayed simultaneously. According to Acoustic Masterminds, the idea is that you can view all four modules at once in any given location within the venue, and decide which one to interact with to achieve the desired results.

Improve live sound using augmented reality

The most innovative of the four modules is arguably the AR Spatial module, which lets you tag locations and calculate volume levels using augmented reality (AR). If this really works as advertised, it could make speaker placement and audio syncing much easier, especially in those out-of-the-ordinary locations. Acoustic Masterminds claims that Acoustitools will map sound level variations from tagged speakers to your current position. It can also calculate delay timing automatically. All of this is supposed to work in real time. Imagine pointing your mobile device at tagged points in the room, and being able to instantly tell the volume in those locations. Not too shabby.

: Acoustitools can display sound levels using AR · Source: Acoustic Masterminds / YouTube

: Acoustitools is designed to help with speaker placement and delay calculations · Source: Acoustic Masterminds / YouTube

: The PEQ is available through in-app-purchase · Source: Acoustic Masterminds / YouTube

Furthermore, the app contains a dB meter with many selectable display options, and a real-time analyzer (RTA). Lastly, there’s a Diagnostic Parametric Equalizer (PEQ), which is available through in-app-purchase. According to Acoustic Masterminds, it automatically recommends corrective EQ settings in real time to deal with problematic frequencies.

We’re not sure if the app will really give you “superpowers”, as Acoustic Masterminds says. But it does look like it could become a valuable tool for any live sound engineer—especially those who somehow keep finding themselves in treacherous venues that present all sorts of sonic pitfalls.

Acoustic Masterminds Acoustitools is now available on the Apple App Store for a price of 17.99 US dollars. It is compatible with iPhone 6s or newer, iPad 5th generation or newer, and any iPad Pro, all running at least iOS 11.