Prior to using Impulse Response Utility to create an impulse response, you need to set up your recording hardware—allowing playback and recording of the sine sweep that Impulse Response Utility will generate.

The impulse response of a space is never just the space’s impulse response. The recorded impulse response is always the response of the complete system—in other words, every piece of equipment you use in the recording process. This includes, in signal-flow order: the digital-to-analog converter, the amplifier and speakers (or powered speakers), the room characteristics, the microphones, and finally the microphone pre-amp and analog-to-digital converter. So, before leaving your studio to do any location recording, you have to think about your equipment. These days, even budget converters offer acceptable quality, so your main concern will be your selection of speakers and microphones.