User Manual

Welcome to the SonicDNA Collector User Manual.

Table of Contents

1. Getting Started
2. Interface Overview
3. Equipment Setup
4. Gain Calibration
5. Recording
6. Analysis
7. Troubleshooting

Getting Started

Requirements

• iPhone or iPad with iOS 17.0 or later
• USB audio interface (class-compliant)
• Lightning to USB or USB-C adapter (if needed)
• Audio cables for your equipment

First Launch

1. Install SonicDNA Collector from the App Store
2. Grant microphone permission when prompted
3. Connect your audio interface
4. The app will automatically detect the interface

Interface Overview

Main Screen

┌─────────────────────────────────┐
│ [🎵] SonicDNA        [?] [📁]  │  ← Navigation
├─────────────────────────────────┤
│ [🎤 Input Device] [🔊 Output]  │  ← Device Selection
│ [📋 Device Name Input        ] │  ← Equipment Name
├─────────────────────────────────┤
│ OUTPUT  ████████░░░░  -12dB [C]│  ← Output VU
│ ▁▂▃▄▅▆▇█▇▆▅▄▃▂▁                │  ← Output Spectrum
├─────────────────────────────────┤
│ INPUT   ████████░░░░  -18dB [C]│  ← Input VU
│ ▁▂▃▄▅▆▇█▇▆▅▄▃▂▁                │  ← Input Spectrum
├─────────────────────────────────┤
│ DEBUG CONSOLE                  │
│ 06:30:15.123 Engine started    │  ← Real-time Logs
│ 06:30:15.456 Input: ZOOM AMS   │
├─────────────────────────────────┤
│ ● Ready              96.0 kHz  │  ← Status
├─────────────────────────────────┤
│ [5 STEPS]    [⏺]    [0dBFS]   │  ← Controls
│              Staircase          │
└─────────────────────────────────┘

Controls

Indicators

Equipment Setup

Signal Flow

┌──────────┐    ┌────────────┐    ┌─────────────┐    ┌──────────┐
│  iPhone  │───▶│ Audio I/F  │───▶│  Equipment  │───▶│ Audio I/F│───▶ iPhone
│  Output  │    │   Output   │    │   Under     │    │  Input   │    Input
└──────────┘    └────────────┘    │   Test      │    └──────────┘
                                  └─────────────┘

Connection Steps

1. Connect Audio Interface
   • Use appropriate adapter for your device
   • Wait for iOS to recognize the interface
2. Connect Equipment
   • Audio interface output → Equipment input
   • Equipment output → Audio interface input
3. Verify in App
   • Check that input/output devices are detected
   • Device names appear in the header

Gain Calibration

Using the Test Tone

⚠️ Warning: The 0dBFS test tone is very loud!

1. Lower your monitor volume first
2. Tap the 0dBFS button
3. Confirm the warning dialog
4. Observe the OUTPUT meter (should show 0dB)
5. Adjust equipment input gain
6. Observe the INPUT meter
7. Aim for -18dB to -12dB average
8. Tap 0dBFS again to stop

Avoiding Clipping

• INPUT clipping (red C on input) = Hardware damage risk!
  • Reduce audio interface gain immediately
  • Check equipment output level
• OUTPUT clipping (red C on output) = Normal for test tone
  • 0dBFS signal is full digital scale

Recording

Staircase Recording

The staircase recording plays multiple sweeps at progressively higher levels:

5 Steps Mode (Recommended)

• -30dB, -24dB, -18dB, -12dB, -6dB
• Total time: ~35 seconds
• Good for typical measurements

11 Steps Mode (Comprehensive)

• -100dB to 0dB in 10dB steps
• Total time: ~77 seconds
• Full dynamic range analysis

Recording Process

1. Enter equipment name (e.g., “Neve 1073”)
2. Select step count
3. Tap the red record button
4. Wait for completion
5. Find recording in library

Output Files

Each session creates a folder containing:

GainStaircase_2026-01-25T15-30-00/
├── Sweep_-30dB.wav
├── Sweep_-24dB.wav
├── Sweep_-18dB.wav
├── Sweep_-12dB.wav
├── Sweep_-6dB.wav
└── metadata.json

Analysis

Built-in Analysis

Navigate to Recordings → Select a session → Analysis

Available measurements:

• Frequency Response - Plot of magnitude vs frequency
• THD - Total Harmonic Distortion at each level
• Harmonics - Individual harmonic levels

Python Analysis Toolkit

For advanced analysis, use the included Python toolkit:

cd analysis/
python -m sonicdna analyze /path/to/session/

Features:

• Impulse response extraction
• Detailed frequency response plots
• THD+N measurement
• Export to various formats

Troubleshooting

No Audio Interface Detected

1. Check physical connection
2. Try different USB port/adapter
3. Restart the app
4. Check iOS Settings → Privacy → Microphone

No Input Signal

1. Verify cable connections
2. Check equipment output level
3. Ensure interface gain is not at minimum
4. Check interface phantom power if needed

Clipping During Recording

1. Reduce audio interface input gain
2. Lower equipment output level
3. Use a lower staircase range

App Crashes

1. Close other audio apps
2. Restart the app
3. If persistent, reinstall the app

Tips for Best Results

1. Use short cables - Minimize interference
2. Disable iPhone sounds - Silent mode recommended
3. Consistent levels - Don’t adjust during recording
4. Name your sessions - Easy organization
5. Multiple takes - For critical measurements

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