Main features include a sophisticated sound level meter with LEQ mode and Noise Dosimeter. The Real Time Analyser and FFT Analyser produce graphic displays with variable frequency modes, filters, and averaging times among their many on-board options.
Other analysis tools include Energy Time graphs, Reverb Decay time (RT60) and sound study graphs. Signal generator, level/frequency meter, signal/noise ratio, sweep (by amplitude, impedance and sine wave) and distortion meter fill the test section, while System Tools address the needs of the contractor/installer, with Rasti and %Alcons measurements among the most useful. Comprehensive is the word, and this is only a partial list of what's available within this machine.
Access to all these and many other functions is via a single large thumb-wheel, rotation of which travels a cursor through a menu display (on the LCD screen) through Test, Tools, Utilities and other functions; a single press down on the wheel 'grabs' a cursor'ed section, producing a sub-menu to the options available in each function.
Settings for specific test or analysis tools are then similarly accessed and modified to suit. While that all sounds rather a mouthful, the navigation system of the Toolbox is, in fact, extremely simple to learn, highly intuitive and easy to use (even a lowly scribe such as myself was able to master, and understand it in five minutes).
The viewing screen is - despite an increase over the original Audio Toolbox - still quite small, making it more than adequate to view operations, if not accurately to see with absolute finesse all readings. That said PC and Mac serial interface cables are included with the AT Plus, and transferring Toolbox memories to your computer is a cinch. Terra Sonde has also created a separate software-based application called TerraLink which allows for real-time display of the RTA, FFT, SPL Meter and Energy-Time Graph on most laptop or desktop computers. It also serves as a plotting platform for all Toolbox memories, and the contractor or installer can print out client-ready reports as well, directly from TerraLink. The sheer breadth of the Toolbox's abilities make this a worthy addition to the audio engineer's armoury.
Steve Moles
