Rational Acoustics has introduced an online certification for those looking for confirmation not only that they’ve been to a class or read the manual, but that they can competently operate the software and understand the results.
Successful candidates will additionally join the Smaart Operators Network, providing them with a listing on the Rational Acoustics global website.
This of course does not guarantee that someone is a talented engineer, but it does demonstrate a baseline knowledge of electroacoustics and system measurement.
The certification relates specifically to v8 – although core principles are consistent between versions, some questions are v8-specific.
There is a small charge for the test ($24.99), which is payable per test or retest in the event of failure. This reflects the costs involved in using a professional, paid test platform as well as the extensive time dedicated to the creation of educational materials and the test itself.
If you have attended an on-site Smaart v8 training in the past, you are entitled to one test free of charge. A voucher is available from thomas@rationalacoustics.no for this purpose.
A final note – even for seasoned users, the test is not a walk in the park! It’s an open book exam, with the goal of encouraging users to research answers they are unsure of to help them to fill in any flaky areas of knowledge.