Phonic PAA3 User manual

User's Manual
Manual del Usuario
PA A3

English
PA A3
Personal Audio Analayzer
Analizador Personal de Audio
ENGLISH .........................................I
ESPAÑOL .....................................II
APPENDIX .....................................III
V1.6 07/27/2017

English
INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................1
FEATURES........................................................................................1
CONTROLS AND DISPLAY..............................................................................................3
GETTING STARTED.................................................................................................5
OPERATING TIPS...................................................................................................5
AUDIO ANALYSIS FUNCTIONS........................................................................6
RTA - Accoustic............................................................................................6
SPL Meter....................................................................................6
RT60..............................................................................................7
RTA - Electrical Signal......................................................................................8
Level Meter..............................................................................................................9
MEMORY...........................................................................................9
Store............................................................................................................9
Recall............................................................................................10
Average...................................................................................10
EQ Setting............................................................................................10
SETTINGS................................................................................................11
Weighting......................................................................................11
Level Range...................................................................................12
Max Level............................................................................................12
Peak Hold...................................................................................................................12
Response Time....................................................................................................12
Calibration.....................................................................................................12
PHASE CHECK.....................................................................................................13
GENERATOR...................................................................................................13
POWER.......................................................................................................13
SIMULTANEOUS OPERATION WITH DESKTOP..................................................15
SPECIFICATIONS.........................................................................................................17
APPENDIX
DIMENSIONS......................................................................................................1
Phonic reserves the right to improve or alter any information within this document without prior notice.
CONTENTS
USER'S MANUAL

RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE
NE PAS OUVRIR
1. Read these instructions.
2. Keep these instructions.
3. Heed all warnings.
4. Follow all instructions.
5. Do not use this apparatus near water.
6. Clean only with dry cloth.
7. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in
accordance with the manufacture’s instructions.
9.
Do not install near any heat sources such
as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other
heat.
10.
Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized
or grounding plug. A polarized plug has two
blades with one wider than the other. A grounding
plug has two blades and a third grounding prong.
The wide blade or the third prong is provided for
your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement
of the obsolete outlet.
11.
Protect the power cord from being walked on or
pinched particularly at the plugs, convenience
receptacles, and at the point where they exit from
the apparatus.
12.
the manufacturer.
13.
Use only with the cart, stand, tripod,
manufacturer, or sold with the
apparatus. When a cart or rack is
used, use caution when moving the
cart/apparatus combination to avoid
injury from tip-over.
14.
Unplug the apparatus during lightning storms or
when unused for long periods of time.
15.
Servicing is required when the apparatus has
been damaged in any way, such as power supply
cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled
or objects have fallen into the apparatus has been
exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate
normally, or has been dropped.
8.
No naked flame sources, such as lighted candles,
should be placed on the apparatus.
Class 2 Wiring for all other TERMINALS provided
the audio output power exceeds 10 W per channel
under normal operating conditions or the apparatus
is intended to be installed or interconnected in the
field by a SKILLED PERSON.
17.
18.
Use this apparatus in moderate climates.
16.
building-in space such as a book case or similar
unit, and remain a well ventilation conditions at
open site. The ventilation should not be impeded
by covering the ventilation openings with items
such as newspaper, table-cloths, curtains, etc.
19. WARNING: The mains plug/appliance coupler is
used as disconnect device, the disconnect device
shall remain readily operable.
20. This apparatus is for professional use only.
21. WARNING:
shock, do not expose this apparatus to rain or
moisture. The apparatus shall not be exposed to
liquids, such as vases, shall not be placed on
apparatus.
22.
an equilateral triangle is intended to alert
the user to the presence of non-insulated
“dangerous voltage” within the product’s
magnitude to constitute a risk of electric
shock.
Warning: To reduce the risk of electric shock, do
not remove cover (or back) as there are no user-
personnel.
The exclamation point within an equilateral
triangle is intended to alert the user to
the presence of important operating and
maintenance instructions in the literature
accompanying the appliance.
23. Protective earthing terminals. The
apparatus should be connected to a
mains socket outlet with a protective
earthing connection.
ATTENTION
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN!
TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK,
DO NOT REMOVE COVER AS THERE ARE NO
USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER
SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

1
PAA3
English
INTRODUCTION
Thank you for purchasing the Phonic PAA3 Personal
Audio Assistant, a highly accurate audio analyzer that sits
comfortably in the palm of your hand, and features all the
tools you need to set up any audio system.
With 31-band real-time spectrum analysis, Sound Pres-
sure Level and dBu / dBV / line voltage measurement, EQ
setting, phase checking, and reverb time analyzation, the
PAA3 is the ideal companion for all sound engineers. This
personal audio assistant is battery powered (4 AA size),
with a built in microphone, and XLR inputs and outputs,
ensuring all audio analyzing situations are possible. With
the PAA3, you will conquer the accoustics of all environ-
ments with precision and ease.
Phonic understands the importance of sound reproduction
management. We know that as a professional, your main
concern is sound quality. Consequently, with an audio tool
like the PAA3, you expect a precise ruler to obtain proper
measurements and guarantee the best possible quality of
sound that any professional would expect. Phonic, there-
fore, took the utmost of care in ensuring the PAA3 is an
extremely accurate and e󰀨ective means for you to gather
all the useful data to determine what your set up needs.
To help you familiarize yourself with the PAA3, this manual
includes instructions on every function listed in the main
menu and sub-menus. It is recommended that you take
the time to have a read of it, before you store it in an easily
accessible place, in case it’s needed in future.
FEATURES
● Palm Sized Audio Analyzer
● 31-band Real Time Spectrum Analyzer
● Built-in calibrated measurement microphone
● Sound Pressure Level Meter from 30 dB to 130 dB
● Line signal measurement displayed in dBu, dBV, or
Voltage
● A, C weighting or at
● 3 level range selection for dB SPL and line signal
● Line signal measuring range:
dBu = -50 ~ +40dBu
dBV= -52 ~ +38dBV
Volts = 5mV ~ +80V
● Maximum level and peak hold display
● 4 standard response times: 35 ms, 125 ms (F), 250 ms
(M), 1 sec (S)
● 10 memories for measurement, and 6 for average
calculation
● 31-band EQ setting level display (boost/cut)
● 160 x 160 graphic display with backlight and contrast
adjustment
● Phase checker
● SPL meter Calibration through sound level calibrator
(eg: B & K Type 4231)
● Reverb Time (RT60) Analyzer
● Noise generator with pink noise, 1 kHz and polarity test
signal, balanced output
● USB communication port, for simultaneous operation
through laptop or PC
● Low power consumption for up to 7 hours continuous
operation with 4 AA size alkaline batteries (adapter
power supply operation available. When power is used
from adapter, it automatically cuts o󰀨 battery power)
● 3 power modes: (1) Power saving mode: Auto O󰀨- when
none of the buttons has been pressed for 15 minutes
(2) Manual O󰀨 (3) O󰀨
● XLR input and output sockets

2
PAA3
English
INSIDE THE GIFT BOX
1 x PAA3 Unit
4 x AA Size Batteries
1 x AC Power Adaptor
1 x USB Cable
1 x Leather Case
1 x 3/8” and 5/8” Microphone Stand Adaptors
1 x Easy Manual
● 4 x AA Size Batteries ●Power Adaptor
●USB Cable ●Microphone Stand Adaptors

3
PAA3
English
CONTROLS AND DISPLAY
1. LCD Display
160 x 160 graphic LCD screen provides clear and
large display.
2. Power / Backlight Button
Before turning the power on, please ensure the
POWER LOCK switch (at the rear of the PAA3) is
set to the “ON” position. Pressing the Power button
for 2 seconds will the power of the PAA3 on. After the
power is on, this button allows users to turn the LCD
backlight on and o󰀨. Holding the button for about 3
seconds will initiate the PAA3’s shutdown sequence,
saving all stored memories of the PAA3.
3. Right / Down Button
Press this button to scroll down or to the right
of the currently selected option.
4. Left / Up Button
Press this button to scroll up or to the left of the
currently selected option.
5. Enter Button
Press this button to move from Real Time Spectrum
Analyzer (RTA) display to the PAA3’s function menu.
After moving the cursor to a desired function in the
menu by the right/down or left/up buttons, press the
enter button to select.
6. Jog Control
Jog control, on the left-hand side of this unit, provides
users with a hassle free method of scrolling menus
and selecting options with a single hand. Simply
rotate to scroll up and down menus and push the
wheel inwards to select (to either enter a sub menu
or nalize a setting). Alternately, the three function
buttons (the afore-mentioned buttons 3 to 5) may also
be used to scroll options and nalize selections.
7. 6V DC Power Input
This port is used to connect the included 6V AC to
DC converter. When adapter is plugged in, the battery
power will be replaced by the adaptor, allowing users
to use the PAA3 without fear of running out of power.
Use the adapter provided along with the PAA3 only,
as to avoid damaging the device. Please note that
this will not charge batteries placed into the PAA3’s
batery compartment.
8. USB Port
This USB connector is for the addition of the provided
USB cable, to be connect the PAA3 to any desktop
or notebook computer with a USB port. Please see
the Simultaneous Operation With Desktop Computer
section for more information.
1
2
34
5
6
7
8

4
PAA3
English
9
10
15
11
14
12
13
9. Male XLR Socket (Line Output)
Through this XLR male connector, users can send out
three built-in audio test signals: pink noise,1 kHz tone,
and the polarity signal. The output level is balanced
-10dBu under a 6V DV power supply.
10. Female XLR Socket (Line Input)
This port allows you to send balanced, linelevel input
to the PAA3. This signal input allows you to measure
signals in dBu, dBV or AC voltage for balanced
and unbalanced signals. It is particularly useful for
checking the phase of a connections.
11. Contrast Control
By adjusting this control, users can change the
contrast of the PAA3’s LCD screen to better adapt
the device to di󰀨erent lighting conditions.
12. Power Lock
Set this switch to the “ON” position before turning on
the PAA3. You can set to the “OFF” position to prevent
accidental powering up of the PAA3 when the unit is
not in use. It is recommended that users move this
switch to the o󰀨 position when the PAA3 will not be
used for a long period of time. Provided that the shut
down procedure was followed correctly, turning this
switch o󰀨 after saving your settings will not cause the
loss of any data.
13. Built-in Microphone
Turn this accurate built-in Omni-directional mic to
operation position (stands 45 degrees) by pressing
the axis base. Always press the axis base before
rotating the mic, as it is locked into place. If you
attempt to rotate the mic without pushing in rst, you
could very well damage your PAA3.
14. Stand Mount
A stand mount is located on the back for connection
to a tripod or any other stand that has a standard #6
- 20 connecting screw, often found on camera tripods.
Also included is a stand adapter, allowing the PAA3
to be mounted on microphone stands as well.
15. Battery Compartment
The PAA3 requires four AA batteries for operation.
Under normal conditions, the PAA3 can last for up to
seven hours of continuous operation with the use of
Duracell alkaline batteries.

5
PAA3
English
GETTING STARTED
1. Open the battery compartment and insert four AA
batteries, ensuring the positive and negative ends
are correctly aligned. You may simply opt to use the
6V DC power adaptor. To do so, plug the DC-head
of the power adaptor to the PAA3, and the wallwart
power connector into a suitable AC power source.
ATTENTION: Use the adapter provided along with the
PAA3 only, as to avoid damaging the PAA3. When
connecting the adaptor, ensure the power of the PAA3
is o󰀨. Sudden unplugging of the adaptor power may
cause the system to crash.
2. Push the axis base to release the PAA3’s built in
microphone. To best measure audio properties, turn
the microphone until it sits at a suitable angle. The
mic will lock into place at around 45 degrees.
3. Set the power switch (on the rear of the PAA3) to the
“ON” position.
4. Press and hold the power button (on the front) for
approximately three seconds to turn the power of the
PAA3 on.
5. A startup screen will appear for about 10 seconds,
then the real time spectrum analyzer will appear on
the screen. Above the RTA, users will note the level
range, weighting type, maximum sound pressure
level, frequency range and SPL meter.
6. If a backlight is needed, simply press the power /
backlight button. Press again to turn the backlight
o󰀨.
7. Use the ENTER button to bring up the main PAA3
menu, then the UP / RIGHT and DOWN / LEFT
buttons to navigate through the various options. Press
the ENTER button to enter the main menu and use
the UP / RIGHT and DOWN / LEFT buttons to select
a function. Then press ENTER again to activate the
highlight function or to enter into the submenus.
The user may also use the jog control to activate all
functions.
OPERATING TIPS:
1. All functions can be activated by using the ENTER,
LEFT / UP and DOWN / RIGHT buttons, or by the jog
control. It is recommended to use these three buttons
when taking low SPL measurements.
2. Pressing the ENTER button when the ESC (escape)
is highlighted in most of the function menus will allow
you to exit the main menu or sub-menus.
3. Press and hold the ENTER button or jog control for
2 seconds in most of the function menus to return to
the real time spectrum analyzer.
4. When in RTA mode, holding the jog control or the
ENTER button for 2 seconds will automatically jump
to the Sound Pressure Level or Signal Level meters.
5. Always turn o󰀨 the power by going to the POWER
menu. Select OFF if you wish to save the measurement
data and function setting into the memory of the PAA3.
You may also simply hold the power / backlight button
for 2.5 seconds.
6. It is not recommended to continue using PAA3 for any
measurement when the battery is low. Always have
extra batteries or the 6VDC power adaptor ready to
ensure the accuracy of measurements.
7. When any result is above the level range, the
measurement is still accurate unless a CLIPPING
warning appears in the LEVEL box while taking the
measurement. When clipping occurs, reset the level
range.
8. To refresh the maximum SPL display, press both the
left and right buttons simultaneously.
9. Turn on backlight only when the level range is set at
70~130 dB SPL or -20~+40 dBu. A noise will occur
when turning on the backlight and it may a󰀨ect the
result of measurements in the lower range.
10. While taking measurements, hold the right button and
press enter to immediately jump immediately to the
STORE page.
When the battery is low, a blinking - and very aptly titled -
“BATTERY LOW” icon will appear in the WEIGHT box, and
remain on screen for the last 3 minutes of battery life. Low
quality batteries may cause the PAA3 to shutdown without
warning. An enlarged, blinking battery icon will appear in
the center of the LCD screen if the user starts the PAA3
with insu󰀩cient battery power.
Quick Shutdown: Simply press the Power Button down for
around 2.5 seconds and the shutdown procedure will be
initiated automatically. This can save you valuable minutes
while on the job!

6
PAA3
English
AUDIO ANALYSIS FUNCTIONS
The following section contains information concerning
acoustic analysis, and illustrates how to use the PAA3 to
measure various properties of your audio.
RTA (Real Time Analyzer) - Accoustic
This function analyzes the audio received through either the
built-in mic or Line In connection, divided into 31-bands at
1/3 octave intervals, and displays the relevent information
on a bar graph that shows the decible level of each band
of sound from 20 Hz to 20 kHz in four di󰀨erent response
times (35 ms, 125 ms, 250 ms, and 1 sec) and in three
weighting types (A weighting, C weighting and Flat). For
more info on response times and weighting, please consult
the appropriate sections.
Procedure：
1. After the start up sequence of the PAA3 is complete,
the real time analyzer will appear on the LCD screen.
2. Go to the SETTING menu to set the appropriate
weighting, level range, response time, or other
relevant properties.
3. Select VALUE from the main menu to enter RTA
mode.
4. Press ENTER to freeze measurement data. Press
ENTER again on the highlighted VALUE to view the
value of each center frequency.
5. Use the LEFT/UP and RIGHT/ DOWN buttons or
simply scroll the JOG control to view the level of dB
SPL in real-time for the center frequency of all 31
bands. The default readout is the ALL FREQUENCY
level.
Beneath you will nd two readouts: the numbers in the
left column display the frequency while the numbers
in the right column display the frequency levels. The
graphic shown indicates that the user has set the
level range at 50~110 SPL, A weighting. The max
level during the time of measurement is 105.5 dB,
The user is reading at 1 kHz, which has a dB SPL
of 102.8. If you would like to store the measurement
data in the memory of PAA3, go to the STORE menu.
Users can save the measured spectrum data into
one of the ten memories. Please refer to MEMORY/
STORE for more information.
6. Scroll through the various values located in the ‘Hz’
box until you come to a ashing ESC. Press enter to
exit RTA mode.
SPL (Sound Pressure Level) Meter
This feature of the PAA3 gives users an accurate
measurement of the overall “loudness” of their sound,
measured in decibels (dB). This is a true RMS-measurement,
using standard display time average, and standard A, C,
and Flat weightings.
Procedure：
1. Enter the SPL/LINE menu and set the measurement
unit to SPL.
2. You may select a range level, weighting, response
time or a maximum level by going into the SETTINGS
menu, then onto the appropriate menus. The selected
values of these options will be displayed above the
RTA on the PAA3’s default screen.
RANGE
50 ~110 SPL
WEIGHT MAX
A99.2

7
PAA3
English
3. On the main RTA display, hold the ENTER button for
approximately 2 seconds to activate the SPL screen.
Press the ENTER button once to exit.
NB. You can easily refresh the Max SPL value by holding
both the ← left and → right keys simultaneously for at
least one second.
RT60 (Reverb Time Analyzing)
The RT60 function of the PAA3 is easy enough to
understand: it is basically the time it takes for a signal to
drop 60 dB. Getting the average of many di󰀨erent RT60
calculations from around a room allows users to get an idea
as to how much absorption or reection of audio the room
provides. Depending on your needs, you may wish to have
a high or low RT60 measurement. For example, for public
speaking, an RT60 measurement of less than 1 second
is preferable, as to have a clear, concise voice conveyed
to the audience. With choirs or instrumental music, an
RT60 measurement of greater than 1.5 seconds may be
appropriate. It all depends on your needs.
Measuring Reverb Time:
1. Press enter to open the main menu and select “RT60.”
2. Simply click “RUN” to get your RT60 reading.
3. The PAA3 will wait for a signal greater than 30 dB
over the background noise level (detected prior to the
measurement). A little helpful hint: the louder the test
signal, the greater accuracy of your RT60 calculation.
4. Play pink noise through your audio system. Slowly
move the master fader up, to a point where the audio
level received by the PAA3 is greater than 30 dB.
Quickly mute the system to get your RT60 reading
as accurate as possible.
5. After the measurement is taken, the RT60
measurement will appear onscreen.

8
PAA3
English
Accumulation: AC 01
Users are able to accumulate various RT60 calculations
by pressing enter while the “ACxx” (where xx equals the
number of accumulated values) option is highlighted. Up
to 30 measurements can be accumulated. When RT60
measurements are accumulated, the average of said
memories is automatically taken and displayed onscreen.
After 30 memories have been accumulated, users will be
forced to store their data, or else lose it.
Store: STO
Storing the results of RT60 measurements is simple. First
highlight the STO option and push ENTER. When the store
page comes up, choose one of the memory slots from 1 to
10, and select YES to store. The memory slot you selected
will have a box surrounding the number now, as to indicate
that a memory is stored in that particular slot. Selecting
“A/C” will clear all memory slots.
Recall: RCL
RT60 measurements can be recalled at anytime by
selecting the “RCL” option in the RT60 menu. Memory
slots 1 to 10 and A to F can all be recalled with ease. Each
memory location page displays only 4 memories at a time,
however, therefore users must select NEXT to continue
onto the next page of stored memories.
Average: AVG
To get the average of RT60 measurements that are stored
in the PAA3, simply select AVG. Select from memories 1 to
10 (memory slots with saved data are indicated by a box
surrounding the slot number), a dot will appear next to the
number to show that a memory slot is selected. When all
memories are selected, simply select AVG to determine
the average, or ESC to escape. When di󰀨erently weighted
items are attempted to be averaged, a warning will appear
onscreen advising users to select again.
RTA (Real Time Analyzer) - Electrical Signal
By simply connecting an XLR jack to the PAA3’s in jack, the
RTA function can accurately measure your signal.
Procedure:
1. Enter the SPL/LINE menu and set the measurement
unit to dBu, dBV, or voltage, as required.
2. Send a signal through the PAA3’s female XLR jack
(Pin 2 - Hot; Pin 3 - Cold; Pin 1 - Ground).
3. Go to the SETTING menu, where you may want
to adjust the RANGE, WEIGHTING, RESP TIME
(response time), or MAX LEVEL of your measurement.
4. Return to the RTAdisplay. Here you can read the level
of any or all frequencies. If all frequency readouts are
needed, press “ENTER” button (or the jog control) for
two seconds to enter line level meter.

9
PAA3
English
Level Meter
Measure the line voltage level in units of dBu, dBV, and
AC voltage, using standard response time, and standard
A, C, or at weightings (under normal conditions, at is
preferable). Using the PAA3 to meaure DC voltage may
damage the PAA3 and will void the warranty.
Procedure:
1. Enter the SPL / LINE menu and set the measurement
unit to dBu, dBV, or voltage, as required.
2. You may select a range level, weighting, response
time or a maximum level by going into the SETTINGS
menu, then onto the appropriate menus. The selected
values of these options will be displayed above the
RTA on the PAA3’s default screen.
3. On the main RTA display, hold the ENTER button for
approximately 2 seconds to activate the Level Meter
screen. Press the ENTER button once to exit.
NB. You can easily refresh the Max SPL value by holding
both the ← left and → right keys simultaneously for at
least one second.
ATTENTION:
If the level is lower than 127 mV when measuring voltage,
the PAA3 will show it in mV. If the level is higher than
127mV, the data will be shown in voltage For example,
120mV will read as 120.0mV, and 200mV will be shown
as 0.2V.
The measurements for line voltage cannot be saved into
the memory of the PAA3.
MEMORY
The sub-menus of MEMORY include: STORE, RECALL,
AVERAGE, EQ SETTING. Through these options, users
are able to store their RTA measurements.
Store
The user can save up to 10 sets of measured data (1 to 10),
as well as 6 averaged sets (A to F), into the memory of the
PAA3, allowing them to be used later for further analysis
or uploading to your computer.
Procedure (after making an accoustic
RTA measurement):
1. To enter the store menu, hold the right button down
and press ENTER, or go into the MEMORY menu
and select STORE.
2. Select any slot, from position 1 to 10, and press YES
to nalize. Previously saved data will be over-written.
3. Memory locations with stored data will be indicated
with a box surrounding the slot number.
4. Selecting A/C in the STORE menu will automatically
clear all memory slots.
ATTENTION: This function is only available when for
accoustic analysis.
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MEMORY

10
PAA3
English
Recall
Users can recall all data saved in the memory of the PAA3
to read the measurements.
Procedure:
1. Enter into the MEMORY menu and select RECALL.
2. Select any of the used memory slots (indicated by a
box surrounding the slot number) from 1 to 10 or A
to F.
3. Each value will be displayed under VALUE in a 31-
band center frequency value and an all frequency
value.
4. When you see a ashing ESC in the Hz column, press
ENTER to return to the MEMORY menu.
Average
The user can choose from memories 1 to 10 to compute
average calculations, which are essential for EQ setting.
Procedure:
1. Go to the MEMORY menu and select AVERAGE.
2. Select any combination of data from memories
1 to 10 by moving the cursor to that number and
pushing the ENTER key, or simply choose ALL if
you want to do the average calculation for all ten
saved measurements. Move the cursor over selected
memories and press ENTER again to unselect.
3. A small dot will appear to the left of selected memory
slots for identication.
4. Highlight AVG and press the ENTER key after
all selections have been made. A list of selected
measurements will be shown for conrmation.
5. Press RUN and the PAA3 will automatically calculate
the average, or press ESC to cancel.
6. After running the average calculation, COMPLETE
will appear on the screen. The user may then select
from memory slots A to F (pressing YES to conrm)
to save selected average calculations to the PAA3.
Previously saved data will be automatically over-
written. The PAA3 will automatically revert back to
the EQ SETTING menu as soon as calculations are
complete.
ATTENTION:
It is not recommended to calculate average of saved data
with di󰀨erent weighting settings. The PAA3 will ignore the
peak value when calculating the average, even if the peak
value was activated.
EQ Setting
The EQ setting of audio system will vary from one venue
to another. The ultimate goal in setting your EQ is to create
a completely at response and to eliminate every possible
source of feedback. Though the PAA3’s EQ SETTING
function, even a novice user can successfully accomplish
this.
Procedure:
1. Play pink noise through your audio system.
2. Pick a number of signicant locations around the
area the audience will be situated, and take RTA
measurements, and save each into the PAA3’s
memory.
3. Enter into the MEMORY / AVERAGE menu, and select
the saved memories measured from those locations
to calculate the average.
4. Go to the MEMORY / EQ SETTING menu. You will
discover the amount of dB you need to boost or cut
in each center frequency by using the Jog. Control
or the UP/DOWN buttons to scroll. Example shown
indicates that the user should cut -5.2 dB at 1 kHz.
ATTENTION:
Any user’s EQ setting ability is limited by the temperature
and the size of the audience at the time measurements
were taken.

11
PAA3
English
SETTINGS
The sub-menus of SETTING include WEIGHTING, LEVEL
RANGE, MAX LEVEL, PEAK HOLD, RESPONSE TIME,
and CALIBRATION.
Weighting
Any audio analyzer needs to be designed so that it
hears sound properties in the same way as humans.
Generally, the sensitivity of human hearing is restricted to
the frequency range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz. The human ear,
however, is most sensitive to sounds in the range of 500
Hz to 8 kHz. The ear becomes progressively less sensitive
to sound out of this range.
To account for this limitation of human hearing, many
audio analyzers, including the PAA3, incorporate a ltering
of acoustic signals according to frequency. This ltering
(weighting type) is devised to correspond to the varying
sensitivity of the human ear to sound over the audible
frequency range. The PAA3 comes with both A-weighting
and C-weighting standardized by the ANSI (American
National Standards Institute). A-weighting is the most
frequently used weighting type and is used for measuring
lower sound levels, while Cweighting is best suited for
higher sound levels. The user can set the weighting for
measurements in dBu, dBV or voltage.
Procedure:
1. Go to the SETTING/ WEIGHTING menu.
2. Select an appropriate weighting for the measurement.
A tick appears next to your selection.
3. Press ESC to the previous menu.
Level Range
The PAA3 has three di󰀨erent ranges for measurements in
SPL, dBu, dBV and voltage.
Procedure:
1. Go to the SETTING menu, and proceed onto the
LEVEL RANGE menu.
2. Select an appropriate level range for your measurement
and press the ENTER button.
3. Press ESC to return to the previous menu, or hold
the ENTER button for 2 seconds to revert back to the
RTA screen.
WEIGHTING
FLAT
A
C
SETTING
ESC
A31 100315 1K 10K
3.15K
LEVELRANGE
70 ~130 dBSPL
30 ~90dBSPL
SETTING
50 ~110 dBSPL
ESC
A31 100315 1K 10K
3.15K
SPL: 30~90 /  50~110 / 7 0 ~ 130
V
dBu:- 50~+10 /  -35 ~+25 / - 20~+40
dBV:- 52~+8  / -37~+23 / - 22~+38
VAC:5 m~2.45V /  14m~14V / 77.5m~8 0

12
PAA3
English
Max Level
Maximum level your audio has reached will constantly be
shown on the LCD screen. The user should reset the max
level before each new measurement.
Procedure:
1. Enter the SETTING menu, then onto the MAX LEVEL
menu.
2. Highlight RESET and press ENTER button to reset the
max level measurement (doing so will automatically
return you to the SETTING sub-menu). Press ESC
to return if it you do not want to reset.
3. A new max level display will be shown in the MAX
column three seconds after returning to the RTA
operation.
Quick Refresh: While on the RTA screen, simply press
the left and right buttons simultaneously to refresh the
maximum level.
Peak Hold
Peak hold allows the user in RTAmode to constantly display
the peak values of all measured frequencies, individually
or collectively.
Procedure:
1. Enter the SETTING menu, then select the PEAK
HOLD option.
2. Highlight and select ON to activate peak hold display.
3. Highlight and select OFF to cancel the peak hold
display function.
4. Press ESC to return to the SETTING menu.
ATTENTION: When saving the memory with “PEAK HOLD”
on, the peak level will only be displayed when the user
recalls that memory when the PEAK HOLD setting is on.
By setting the PEAK HOLD o󰀨, the user may then view the
levels from all frequencies, individually or collectively.
Response Time
Response time settings will vary according to the user’s
measurement goals.
35 ms: Extremely Fast (for explosive sound)
125 ms (F): Fast
250 ms (M): Medium
1 sec (S): Slow
Procedure:
1. Go to the SETTING menu, then enter the RESP TIME
menu.
2. Select an appropriate response time (a tick will appear
next to your selection), or ESC to cancel.
Calibration
You should never actually need to calibrate your PAA3. If
measurement data or operation of the unit is abnormal,
however, it may be necessary to. Anyone can calibrate
the PAA3 and regain accurate sound pressure level
measurement by using a sound level calibrator with 1/2”
diameter adapter that sends out a 1 kHz tone. A B&K TYPE
4231 sound level calibrator is suggested.
Procedure:
1. First, turn the PEAK HOLD OFF and set the RESP
TIME (response time) to 250 ms.
2. Place a sound level calibrator with a microphone
connector of a 1/2” diameter close to the PAA3’s
built-in mic.
3. Enter the SETTING menu and activate the function.
4. Adjust the level measured from the SPL calibrator by
pressing UP/DOWN buttons until the level is equal
to that of the sound level calibrator (typically 94 dB).
Pressing the UP button each time will increase the
value by 0.1dB; pressing the DOWN button each time
will decrease by 0.1 dB.
5. Press the ENTER button to complete the calibration
and to return to RTA display.
ATTENTION: If you want to cancel calibration, simply press
the ENTER button to exit before making any adjustment.
To resort the default calibration, simply adjust the o󰀨set
value to 0.0 dB.
MAXLEVEL
RESET
SETTING
ESC
A31 1003151K 10K
3.15K
RESP TIME
35 ms
125ms(F)
250ms
250ms(M)
c(S)
1se
SETTING
ESC
A31 1003151K 10K
3.15K

13
PAA3
English
PHASE CHECK
Measuring the phase of a signal allows you to gure out
whether a speaker is correctly wired. A polarity signal is
usually needed when checking the phase of a speaker or
ensure that an output connection is correct.
Procedure:
1. Go to the SPL/LINE and select dBu to check a
device’s output connection or SPL to check a
speaker’s wiring.
2. Go to the SETTING menu, and select POLARITY.
3. If checking speaker wiring, stand one meter in front
of the speaker that plays the polarity
signal, go to the PHASE CHECK
menu and activate.
4. Alarge “+” appearing on screen means
the signal is in phase, and the wiring
is correct.
5. If instead of a “+” you get a “-”, the
speaker is out of phase and should
be corrected.
6. A big “?” or a screen switching
between plus and minus symbols
means the sound pressure level is at
a level that is not detectable by the
PAA3. So turn it up!
ATTENTION: Make sure the sound pressure level of
the polarity signal from the system is louder than the
environment noise, otherwise the PAA3 will not be able to
detect the phase of the speaker.
GENERATOR
The PAA3 can send out pink noise, a polarity signal, and
a 1 kHz tone, all of which is sent out via the Male XLR
connector (on the bottom of the PAA3) to any external
system, at a level of -10 dBu.
Tones:
Pink noise: mostly used for acoustic environment
adjusting. For example: sound system equalization.
Polarity: often used to check the phase of
speakers.
1 kHz tone: a widely used among the professionals
for audio signal testing.
Procedure:
1. Connect the PAA3 to your audio system via the XLR-
male connector on the bottom of the device.
2. Go into the GENERATOR menu and select one of
the signal to activate.
3. Select ESC to return to previous menu or press OFF
to cancel.
POLARITY
PINK NOISE
1K Hz
ESC
OFF
GENERATOR
A31 1003151K 10K
3.15K

14
PAA3
English
POWER
To follow the correct power-down procedure is quite
important to the PAA3. The easiest way to do so, however,
is to hold the POWER / BACKLIGHT button of the PAA3
for approximately 2.5 seconds.
The device will automatically shutdown. If that’s too easy,
and you prefer to do things the di󰀩cult way, you may also
do one of the following:
Procedure:
1. Enter the POWER menu.
2. Select AUTO OFF, and the PAA3 will automatically
shut itself down after being left idle for 15 minutes.
3. Selecting MANUAL OFF will disable AUTO OFF
mode, and ensure the PAA3 will not shut itself down
automatically, unless the batteries are low.
4. Select OFF, and the PAA3 will immediately shut down,
saving all of your settings and measurement data
before hand.
POWER
ESC
AUTO OFF
OFF
MANUALOFF
A31 100315 1K 10K
3.15K

15
PAA3
English
There are many advantages to being able to connect the
PAA3 with your desktop computer or notebook. It allows
remote operation of the PAA3, for one, which is particularly
useful when taking measurements in areas that require an
absense of any individuals. It also allows users to to save
and print data stored in the PAA3’s memory.
The PAA3 software can be found on the website. With this
program, most functions are easily accessible through a
menu identical to that of the PAA3 device itself.
ATTENTION: When operating the PAA3 through a PC, it
is recommended that you make use of the power adapter
instead of batteries. Also, choose an optimal position for
the PAA3 to be placed before controlling the PAA3 with
your computer.
Installing the PAA3 software:
1. Navigate to the PAA3 page on www.phonic.com and
download the software at the bottom of the page.
2. Find paa3_setup.exe in the archive and double click
to begin installation.
3. Select an appropriate installation directory and click
“next” to continue. The PAA3 software will be installed
automatically.
PAA3 ON LINE
Connection:
1. After installation, open the PAA3 software.
2. Connect the PAA3 to your PC via the provided USB
cable, then turn the PAA3 on.
3. Go to FILE, select ON LINE to connect to the
PAA3. The data previously saved in the PAA3 will
immediately be uploaded.
4. As soon as uploading is nished, you may begin to
operate PAA3 by moving the cursor of the mouse
and click the onscreen MENU to enter the various
functions of the PAA3.
5. Now that PAA3 is operating simultaneously with the
PC. The functions being activated will show both on
the PAA3 and the PC or laptop.
6. Go to FILE and click ON LINE once more if you need
to disable the PAA3’s online operation.
Using the PAA3 on line:
The simple menu located below the FILE pull down
menu at the top left hand side of main PAA3 program will
allow users to access the PAA3’s functions. This menu
is basically identical to that of the PAA3 itself, so as long
as you can navigate the PAA3 menu, you will be able to
navigate this one.
Display Type:
Clicking on the SPL METER (or LEVEL METER) button
to the right of the aforementioned menu will allow users
to switch the on screen display type between that of the
spectrum analysis and the meter display.
Memories:
Taking up most of the bottom half of the PAA3 program
window is the memory section. Here lists all stored
memories of the PAA3, downloaded to the computer. The
two tabs allow users to view either the RTA memories or
RT60 memories stored.
Backlight:
The backlight button to the right-hand-side of the PAA3
program will allow users to remotely active the PAA3’s
backlight.
SIMULTANEOUS OPERATION WITH DESKTOP

16
PAA3
English
PAA3 OFF LINE
The following functions can actually be accessed while
in either on line or off line modes, unless indicated
otherwise.
Printing:
1. Go to FILE, select Print, and a printer selection
window will appear.
2. Select a printer from the list.
3. Select all data or one of the 16 memories. Users may
also choose to print RT60 data.
4. Choose the print quality level (draft, low quality,
medium quality, or high quality).
5. Click on Print, and the printer window will disappear
as soon as the transmission is complete
ATTENTION: Along with the 31-band value of the selected
memory and the EQ SETTING value, the name of the
le, date of printing, LEVEL RANGE, WEIGHTING, and
maximum level will also be printed on the data sheet.
Open File:
1. When o󰀨 line, go to the FILE menu and select “Open
File”.
2. Locate the le previously saved in your PC and double
click it.
3. The data is now ready for viewing, editing and any
additions you may want to make to it.
Save File:
1. Go to the FILE menu and select Save File.
2. Select a directory (or create a new one), and give a
name to the le.
3. Click on SAVE to save the le, and your entire session
will be saved under that one le name.
Peak Hold:
1. Click on ON to view the peak value of each frequency
and all frequency. The level can be found either from
the bar meter or in the RTA peak chart on the right
hand side of the program window.
2. Click on OFF to view the RTAvalue of each frequency
and all frequency.
MEMORY
Select one of the memory slots (1 to 10 or A to F) in the
RTA section of the memory chart at the bottom of the
PAA3 software window to view the properties of saved
data. Users can click on the bar-meter in the spectrum to
see a specic frequency for readout or view them in the
RTA Value column.
ATTENTION: User may rename every memory by double
clicking the number of the memory in the memory chart.
Memory Functions:
The Memory pull down menu (as well as the following
options) is not available while the PAA3 is under On Line
operation.
Average:
1. Go to MEMORY / AVERAGE pull down menu, then
select RTAAVERAGE or RT60 AVERAGE, to activate
average function.
2. Choose by clicking memory 1 to 10 for average
calculation. The original level range setting of each
memory level range will display next to its number.
3. Click on AVG to run the calculation, the results of
which will be displayed immediately.
4. Select a memory from A~F, and click on Save to save
the result (the old one will be over-written), or click
on Cancel to exit. User can view the result (either in
graphic or in text) immediately both in result box or in
the memory chart, with level range displayed at the
top.
EQ Setting:
1. Select a memory (1 to 10 or A to F) with which you
would like to adjust the EQ.
2. Go to MEMORY / EQ SETTING and activate EQ
setting function.
3. Move the cursor and click on each bar meter to nd
out how much dB you need to cut or boost for each
center frequency.
Clear:
1. Go to MEMORY, then onto CLEAR.
2. Select a memory slot, 1 to 10 or A to F, from the sub-
menu, and the memory will be deleted immediately;
select “All” if you need to wipe all memories saved.