RTA Target Generator
House Curves & RTA Target Generator
In a car cabin, a ruler-flat acoustic measurement sounds weak, harsh, and thin to the human ear. Road noise drowns out low frequencies, and small vehicle interiors naturally boost sub-bass via cabin gain. A House Curve is a target frequency response that compensates for these real-world acoustics to deliver warm, balanced, and fatigue-free sound.
Target Profile Generator
Smooth low-end boost tapering to flat midrange with gentle treble roll-off. Ideal for daily drivers battling road noise.
Frequency Response Preview
| Frequency | dB Offset | Visual |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Hz | +8.5 dB | |
| 31.5 Hz | +7.5 dB | |
| 50 Hz | +6.5 dB | |
| 80 Hz | +4.5 dB | |
| 125 Hz | +2.5 dB | |
| 250 Hz | +1.0 dB | |
| 500 Hz | 0.0 dB | |
| 1 kHz | 0.0 dB | |
| 2 kHz | -0.5 dB | |
| 4 kHz | -1.5 dB | |
| 8 kHz | -2.5 dB | |
| 12.5 kHz | -3.0 dB | |
| 16 kHz | -3.5 dB |
REW .txt format: compatible with Room EQ Wizard, HolmImpulse, ARTA. | CSV format: compatible with Helix/Audiotec Fischer, AudioControl, Dayton DSP-408.
How to Use
Select Your Curve
Choose a profile based on your listening goals — Daily SQ for road noise compensation, Harman for a warm consumer-friendly sound, or Competition SQ for a critical, near-flat reference.
Export & Load into REW
Download the .txt file and load it as your target curve in Room EQ Wizard via Preferences → Analysis → Target Curves. The .csv is for direct DSP import (Helix, AudioControl, Dayton DSP-408).
Match Your RTA
Measure each speaker/channel and adjust your DSP Parametric EQ bands until the acoustic RTA response overlays the target line. Work band by band, starting at the low end.
Why Not Aim for Flat?
Most DSP tuners start with a goal of acoustic flatness — and that is the right engineering starting point. But a perfectly flat in-car measurement is not the end goal; it is the baseline from which a house curve is applied.
Human hearing is non-linear. At typical car audio SPLs, the ear's sensitivity to bass drops relative to midrange (the equal-loudness contours described by Fletcher-Munson). A house curve restores the perception of balanced frequency weight that your ear expects at reference listening level.
Road noise and tyre roar in a moving vehicle typically produce 60–70 dB of masking noise below 200 Hz. The low-frequency boost in Daily SQ and Harman curves compensates for this psychoacoustic masking, ensuring bass remains audible and impactful at highway speeds without clipping the amplifier.
The treble roll-off built into most house curves counteracts the ear's fatigue from reflections and standing waves common in glass-and-metal cabin environments, where high-frequency energy accumulates from every reflective surface.
Profile Reference
Daily SQ (Street/Road Noise Offset)
Smooth low-end boost tapering to flat midrange with gentle treble roll-off. Ideal for daily drivers battling road noise.
Harman Car Target
Fun, warm curve with elevated sub-bass shelf, flat mids, and natural high-frequency roll-off based on Harman research.
Audiofrog Curve (Andy Wehmeyer)
Balanced, smooth curve optimized for one-seat staging with cabin gain compensation and psychoacoustic treble roll-off.
Competition SQ (IASCA/EMMA)
Moderate bass lift, exceptionally flat midrange, minimal top-end attenuation. Designed for critical evaluation in quiet environments.
Basshead / Demo Target
Massive low-end boost for high-output sub systems, tapering sharply to flat midrange. Not recommended for critical listening.