Audio Precision's analyzers are called upon to measure audio signals that range in level from micro volts to more than 100 volts. This can create a total system input range greater than 140 dB. There is no modern hardware capable of making accurate audio measurements over such a broad range. In fact the most accurate analog RMS voltage meters have a dynamic range around 60 dB.
In order to address this, all of Audio Precision's audio analyzers have multiple input voltage ranges. By attenuating or amplifying the input signal as appropriate, it can be measured in the most sensitive and accurate range of the hardware.
Audio Precision's analyzers all support automatic input ranging where the system dynamically adjusts the input range setting based on the signal being measured. However, in some measurement situations such as when measuring burst signals this autoranging is inappropriate. In these cases it is best to disable autoranging and manually fix the input range to the peak level of the expected signal.
Characterizing professional and consumer audio equipment requires techniques which often differ from those used to characterize other types of equipment. Sometimes this is due to the higher performance requirements. Other times it is due to the peculiarities of the audio industry. Other fields deal with some of the same measurements as those in audio. From level and THD to jitter and noise modulation, no other field has the breadth of requirements found in high performance audio.
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