CARA

Computer Aided Room Acoustics

Installation

1. Load the CARA CD-ROM into your CD-ROM Drive. This should start the install, or you
may manually install by running SETUP.exe on the CD-ROM.

2. If the setup program detects a previous installation of CARA, it will offer to uninstall it
(recommended). User defined data files such as room designs, calculation results,
loudspeaker models, and furniture will not be deleted during the uninstall, but any user-added
materials will be removed.

3. Choose which loudspeaker brands to install. Note: you may use the CD-ROM or the CARA
website (http://www.cara.de) At a later date to load additional brands.

4. Install CARA. You may have to reboot your computer to complete the install.

The CARA program modules “CAD Room Design” and “CALC Calculations” are now
accessible from the Windows start menu. You may also start from the CARA folder by using
CARACAD.exe for room designing, and CARACALC.exe for room acoustic calculating.

For Windows NT/2000/XP, log in as the administrator to install CARA.

NOTE: CARA supports hardware accelerated graphic cards in its 3D presentations, but because
many drivers contain bugs which would keep CARA from working, the default is to have
acceleration turned off. To speed up 3D movements, read the “Readme.txt” file in the CARA
main folder to establish that your graphic card is properly supported. Use “3D setup” to
manipulate the settings.
First Steps with CARA

Extensive online documentation is available using the “Help” menu and by pressing F1.
Additionally, context help is supplied with all menu items (“?” in the title bar of all dialog
boxes). Read the first overview chapters of the CARACAD and CARACALC help to get an
initial impression of the structure, basic functions, and terminology of CARA. For detailed
questions we recommend reading the tutorials under the help topics “How to ...”.

We recommend creating two designs of your sound room:

1. First model is as close to an exact replication of the room as possible using detailed furniture
and materials. This is used to analyze the acoustic properties (“Acoustic Ambiance”) of the
room.

2. Second model is a simplified design including only large furniture. This shortens calculation
time for the extensive acoustic calculations in CARACALC (see help topic “How to shorten
the calculating time?”)

Perform listening tests and hear how room acoustics influence your music:

1. Uses *.WAV files. A sample is included or use your own.

2. Discover how different positions and rotations of loudspeakers affect the way music will be
heard at the listening place.

3. Compare the original to the modified music in an A-B comparison format.

Note: Sound card required for listening tests. Quality headphones recommended.