Audio.TST Archive
Audio Precision sends out the Audio.TST newsletter once a month to approximately 13,000 audio engineers and other audio professionals. Each issue looks at current events in audio test, answers readers´ technical questions and announces any AP news.
Notes from the Test Bench
By Bruce Hofer, Chairman & Co-Founder, Audio Precision Hello Reader Earlier this month, Tektronix announced it has been acquired by the mega-conglomerate Danaher Corp. of Washington D.C. As many of you know, the founders of AP came out of Tektronix over 23 years ago. Indeed, I spent the first 15 years of my engineering and management career there, so I've been watching this buy-out with more than just casual interest. There's been a lot of consolidation in the T&M industry recently. This can be a good thing for the companies involved – more stability, greater economies of scale, etc. But it can also hurt in the innovation, sales, and support departments. It almost certainly makes focus more difficult when a single management team and sales force are responsible for a diverse range of products. I know it really frosts me to sit through a demonstration by a sales engineer who is unfamiliar with his own product. AP, however, has remained resolutely independent and dedicated to only one business: audio test & measurement. Although we have also undergone ownership changes earlier in this decade, AP is still a privately held, 80% employee-owned company. We are in total control of our future, and we have the freedom to make major investments without answering to the whims of the stock market or dominating outside interests. It's a formula that's worked well, especially in recent years as we have set a number of all-time high sales records while continuing to lead our industry. Witness our innovative APx technology, representing a totally new approach to audio test. Now, 16 months after its introduction, a number of major production lines across the world are happily enjoying the significant speed and ease-of-use benefits of our APx585 and APx586 multichannel testers. This month we are also announcing the beta release of v2.1 of our APx control software containing even more new features and capabilities (see separate article below). As a major shareholder of AP and its chief analog design engineer, I come to work every day with only one goal: make better audio test gear. It is both a dedication and a commitment shared by all of us here at AP. We hope it shows. Bruce Output: Tech tips and new applications from AP APx500 v2.1 Beta download available APx500 Measurement Software v2.1 is scheduled for release January 15, 2008. A beta download is now available for customers to get familiar with the new features. Customers who do not own an APx can still download the software and play with it in demo mode. Concurrent with the release, all new APx units will ship with AES/EBU as a standard digitial I/O connector in addition to the previously available coaxial (IEC60958/SPDIF) and Toslink options. An upgrade kit will also be available. APx500 Measurement Software v2.1 has several new and improved features:
For more information or a demonstration please contact your local AP sales partner or visit ap.com/products/apx.htm or read What's New in APx500 v2.1. Related downloads
Sound Advice: Audio Test Q&A Glitch Detection Applications Engineer Eric Schultheis examines how to test for glitches with a 2700 Series audio analyzer. \'glich\ (noun) - derived from the German glitschig, or Yiddish glitsh, meaning ‘slippery'. (1) A short-lived fault in a system. (2) A false or spurious electronic signal caused by a brief, unwanted surge of electric power. Although not a standard audio measurement, glitch detection can be beneficial to anyone designing an audio device or trouble shooting an audio system. Examples might include checking a PC sound card to make sure audio response is flat as CPU usage varies, or measuring an amplifier where power up and/or down conditions may send an audible surge to connected loudspeakers. Note: Some glitches are to be expected when state is changing, however, the degree of what is acceptable can certainly be measured and given a limit. In this example we'll set up a test to detect a glitch using a SYS-2722 audio analyzer. You can also perform this test with an ATS-2. Setting up the test
In the Settling Panel, change the Analog Analyzer THD+N Amplitude Settling Algorithm to None and its delay to 0.00 sec. This will post readings to the graph instantly (without waiting for settled readings).
Finally, click the Sweep Start button in the tool bar or on the Sweep Panel. While the sweep is running (60 seconds duration) apply the condition to your DUT under which you expect the glitch to occur. In this example I toggled the Analog Generator off and on at the 30 second mark and the resulting glitch is visible on the graph.
Related downloads
Test Results: AP News & Events AP recognized by the City of Beaverton's Recycle at Work program AP Holiday Schedule Events
AP in the news Audio Design Line has serialized AP's recent Technote on the Basic Audio Measurements.
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