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Audio Precision APx516B Review

Rate this audio analyzer:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 12 8.3%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 26 18.1%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 75 52.1%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 31 21.5%

  • Total voters
    144
Btw not sure if it is already mentioned - AP gives a 30% bonus until 2024 when you trade in an 2700 analyser. That's a good amount when you buy a 555!
They will also take smaller ones (ATS-1 etc) but with less price reductions.

then that suggests the performance of the $42K machine that you buy can be somewhat of a crap shoot... Please tell me this is not the case!
It's not the case :cool:
When the unit doesn't perform to the datasheet spec just give it back. Local distribution was always helpful, also with loaner devices etc.
 
30% ??? We are being offered 20% by the UK department of AP for our SYS-2722. Are you sure it's 30%?

NB - I am not so much concerned with the 555B not meeting spec, but that its oscillator may be inferior to the 2722 one (as Samuel's paper suggested). This would be a retrogressive step. Secondly, if as Amir suggests, there is variation in performance and some customers get 'lucky' as he suspects he is, then that is definitely somewhat of a 'crap shoot' IMO.
 
No idea if it's international or just from the distributor.

To be honest I'm happy with the generator of my 515. When you don't build absolute super high end AD converters you should be fine.

p.s.: 25% at AP.com and 10% at lower ones or R&S UPV.
 
Interesting to me that Audio Precision sees the the existing 2722 units as the competition to their new production APx555B machines.

They see all other analyzers as competition for the APX-555B it seems. My reading of their generous trade ins for other brands' top analyzers is to get them off the 2nd hand market altogether so their dominance is complete.

Then they can rule the roost going forward with with no legacy analyzers nipping at their heels.

The fiasco with Dylan's APX-555B is not a good look either.
 
Why would ANYONE buy this when a Cosmos ADC is just as good at 30x cheaper cost?
 
They see all other analyzers as competition for the APX-555B it seems. My reading of their generous trade ins for other brands' top analyzers is to get them off the 2nd hand market altogether so their dominance is complete.

Then they can rule the roost going forward with with no legacy analyzers nipping at their heels.

The fiasco with Dylan's APX-555B is not a good look either.


If your UPV is in working condition, 10% off a 555 is way below what you could expect to get for it on the open market. R+S still service them, and they are real work-horse machines. My concern is that we will get the 555, but the UPV will still do the lion's share of testing work (I have a friend who's got several 555s and he still uses the UPVs daily).

Does anyone have a link that pertains to what happened with Dylan's 555B? That would be massively appreciated.

Thanks
 
FYI some have bought the latest APx555 B revision and found it to underperform mine. I seem to have a unit that outperforms the spec. :)
This is very curious. As per post 211 and my bump earlier, I had a vague recollection that the B model has a better osc. This link suggests that my memory was not false: https://www.ap.com/news/b-series-apx555-adc-test-mode

Taken from link:
This includes the B Series APx555 with its enhanced analog generator (EAG). The EAG factory upgrade for Legacy APx555 analyzers retails for US$6,000 and includes version 5.0 software for upgrades ordered by June 28, 2019.

So, it would appear that AP marketed the B version on the basis that it has a better oscillator... Yet you're suggesting your non-B version outperforms B versions... Really curious stuff... Not exactly a ringing endorsement for potential purchasers of B version 555s, is it? Add the yearly sub (no more free updates for you!) needed to get SW updates and the whole deal is looking less attractive.
 
There is a lot to with Bruce Hofer retiring. Bruce was one of the AP Cofounders then majority owner.
I am not entirely sure of the timeline.
AP is under new ownership. Software updates were part of the package, that is no longer the case.

I would like to see some new generation hardware. I purchased my APx 555 in 2018.

Thanks DT
 
Oh, I didn't know that but explains some things.
There are plenty of new hardware units, some are really good and good priced. A new generation also means something for the owner of the current generation ... and I don't think it's so easy to improve that concept to a different level.

And I really hate the software subscription. It's mandatory of course ... until Windows changes a library and it's not working any more and you are forced to upgrade (happened to me, that was expensive). But they have a way closer look at the software now, bring bug fixes and a few new features every year.
It's still a big pain, esp when you have a bunch of units, some in production and some in the lab.
 
A few random thoughts (pure conjecture on my behalf - feel free to disagree):

The 555 has been out since 2014. I have a nagging voice in my head that suggests that a new machine could come along at a lower price, but with very similar performance. As this thread shows, the 516B hits a new price / performance ratio for AP. There are converters out there for a tiny fraction of the 555's price that get to within a dB or so of its performance. They aren't standalone AAs, but the fact is that we live in a different world now - in terms of what's achievable for the price, as well as in terms of what people will pay (the glory days of analogue audio are long gone from a financial perspective).

Will they ever have someone with better analogue design chops than Bruce? Was the 555 his last project before retiring? I think there is a real concern that anyone with the chops to beat the 555's performance will get a better paycheque in the RF world. Sam Groener is now working in RF, for example.
 
Yet you're suggesting your non-B version outperforms B versions...
I don't know that it has anything to do with the revision. Just that my sample seems exceptionally good relative to the sample that was purchased recently.
 
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