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Audio Precision alternative
- Thread starter skyfly
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This is one of the simpler better things that can be used along with a few bits of software like REW, Multitone, Virtins and maybe some others.
$1999 most places.
www.sweetwater.com
Another option though with some caveats is the Cosmos E1DA ADC. There are a few threads here on ASR about it. The fellow behind it is active on this forum.
archimago.blogspot.com
www.audiosciencereview.com
$1999 most places.
RME ADI-2 Pro FS R AD/DA Converter - Black Edition
2-in/4-out Multi-format AD/DA Converter with Femtosecond Clock, AK4493 Chip, DSD Record/Playback, 2 Headphone Amplifiers, High-resolution Display, Onboard DSP, USB, AutoDark Mode, and Multi-Remote Control - Mac/PC/iOS
www.sweetwater.com
Another option though with some caveats is the Cosmos E1DA ADC. There are a few threads here on ASR about it. The fellow behind it is active on this forum.
EARLY LOOK: E1DA Cosmos ADC - affordable high performance measurements for the audio hobbyist!
A blog for audiophiles about more objective topics. Measurements of audio gear. Reasonable, realistic, no snakeoil assessment of sound, and equipment.
archimago.blogspot.com
E1DA Cosmos ADC
@IVX kindly sent me a sample of the new Cosmos ADC to try out. Here are my impressions of it so far. The Cosmos is housed in a compact metal case with rubber feet, USB Type C connector on one and dual XLR inputs on the other. Power is over USB only. Beside the USB connector is small LED that...
www.audiosciencereview.com
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Spectral Measurement (formerly Prism Sound) the dScope M1 is available for $4300 to around $5000 depending upon options you add to the base model. Specs listed don't appear to quite match the RME device, but it is setup as a measuring system.
www.spectralmeasurement.com
M1 audio analyzer Configurator - Spectral Measurement
Configure options for your M1 and view pricing for your audio test & measurement needs. Whether it's R&D or production line, we have the options for it.
www.spectralmeasurement.com
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jhenderson0107
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I had forgotten that Virtins makes their own hardware as well as their software. It would have the advantage over the RME of being able to measure power amps.
Had not seen that one. It is a good baseline system with auto-scaling and 100 volt input.
This basically doesn't exist. You have to give up performance as a minimum. And capability if it is just a sound card and hence can't measure amplifiers and such.
jhenderson0107
Active Member
...and a very good value when initially sold by the developer at diyaudio.com for just $1000.
No one has mentioned QuantAsylum which also does not perform as well as Audio Precision but is considerably lower cost.
QuantAsylum. Innovative tools for audio engineers.
Since 2010, QuantAsylum has been developing unique products for engineers working in unique spaces.
quantasylum.com
I love my QA403.No one has mentioned QuantAsylum which also does not perform as well as Audio Precision but is considerably lower cost.
QuantAsylum. Innovative tools for audio engineers.
Since 2010, QuantAsylum has been developing unique products for engineers working in unique spaces.quantasylum.com
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Do they still have the noise floor modulation problems of the QA402?
I've learned a lot from my QA401.
Not that I’ve seen. The noise floor is much better.
How do you compare a Yugo to a Lamborghini, both have 4 wheels.
What type of measurement & performance do you need to test for?
Quality is not free.
The RME ADI-2 Pro fs R with the E1DA APU Preamp + notch gives a very high performance rig for 1kHz SINAD measurements up to approx. 10Vrms.
The APU costs around $100.
In mono mode, the RME Pro's DAC can reach around 120dB SINAD, and the ADC with the notch seems virtually unlimited. And the ADC is able to measure down to around -115dB THD+N without the APU (so at any frequency).
The APU preamp also helps for very low level measurements (like -60dB dynamic range).
The RME is also very good for a wide set of measurements, with its auto ranging functionality, and its input impedance, even in mono, is closer to a realistic load than the AP.
It also has a quite flat FR at 384kHz sampling rate.
Add a good attenuator (I now use the cheap but excellent $50 Behringer Monitor1) and a good True RMS Multimeter and you're ready to go.
For headphones amp measurements, the excellent $25 E1DA load is a no brainer.
Foresee to solder a pair of cables on it for ease of use.
The Virtins Multi Instrument software is so widely capable that you'll need time to get the best out of it. But its an incredibly capable $300 software, allowing .Net automation.
If you want to measure loudspeaker amps, you'll need loads and a serious attenuator able to take 50V or so. The maximum input voltage the RME allows is 24dBu (around 12Vrms).
I use the Linear Audio Autoranger II to attenuate down to that level without too high an impact on measurements.
But, to be fair, I'm not much into that.
Of course, this setup will not be a replacement for an AP for a professional application.
And, although the RME allows a much wider level range with high performance results than any other DAC and ADC I know of, it's still much less flexible than the AP.
But it will allow most of the measurements we see here with a good accuracy.
Just be aware that, with this kind of custom gig, you'll always have to question and double check the measurements results you get, to make sure your measurement hardware or method is not influencing too much your results.
But that should also be true with a $30000 Audioprecision.
And, as a hobbyist, this is also in the learnings that the fun resides.
It just takes time.
The APU costs around $100.
In mono mode, the RME Pro's DAC can reach around 120dB SINAD, and the ADC with the notch seems virtually unlimited. And the ADC is able to measure down to around -115dB THD+N without the APU (so at any frequency).
The APU preamp also helps for very low level measurements (like -60dB dynamic range).
The RME is also very good for a wide set of measurements, with its auto ranging functionality, and its input impedance, even in mono, is closer to a realistic load than the AP.
It also has a quite flat FR at 384kHz sampling rate.
Add a good attenuator (I now use the cheap but excellent $50 Behringer Monitor1) and a good True RMS Multimeter and you're ready to go.
For headphones amp measurements, the excellent $25 E1DA load is a no brainer.
Foresee to solder a pair of cables on it for ease of use.
The Virtins Multi Instrument software is so widely capable that you'll need time to get the best out of it. But its an incredibly capable $300 software, allowing .Net automation.
If you want to measure loudspeaker amps, you'll need loads and a serious attenuator able to take 50V or so. The maximum input voltage the RME allows is 24dBu (around 12Vrms).
I use the Linear Audio Autoranger II to attenuate down to that level without too high an impact on measurements.
But, to be fair, I'm not much into that.
Of course, this setup will not be a replacement for an AP for a professional application.
And, although the RME allows a much wider level range with high performance results than any other DAC and ADC I know of, it's still much less flexible than the AP.
But it will allow most of the measurements we see here with a good accuracy.
Just be aware that, with this kind of custom gig, you'll always have to question and double check the measurements results you get, to make sure your measurement hardware or method is not influencing too much your results.
But that should also be true with a $30000 Audioprecision.
And, as a hobbyist, this is also in the learnings that the fun resides.
It just takes time.
Last edited:
restorer-john
Grand Contributor
The Stanford Research SR-1 is pretty good. Also, has gotta be the best looking analyzer out there. Not sure if it is still current production.
It runs embedded windows XP, so you know it's good.
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Myth.
The price of a product is far from depending on the level of quality: size of the series, size of the company and its ability to negotiate with its suppliers, the number of hours, the cost per hour...
Topping & co. shows that quality is not expensive.
A lambo is a BS car.
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