Audio specifications come with conditions

[miero]

Rane has a very useful Note about caveats of commonly used and discussed audio specifications.
- https://www.ranecommercial.com/legacy/note145.html

Content saved in PDF: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...cations-come-with-conditions.4038/post-370811

EDIT: updated link to a new site

 

[sergeauckland]

Rane have always struck me as a very decent and honest company, and one who's products I've trusted.

S

 

[DonH56]

Yes, I have always liked Rane (used some of their gear back in my pro audio days).

I have never been a big fan of the SMPTE IMD method. It is very audio-specific and good for what it is, and much better than no IMD testing, but sweeping a pair of more closely spaced tones or doing a multitone test spanning the full range is much more demanding (and revealing) IME/IMO. That said, the SMPTE method is very much a "real-world" sort of test so I can't dislike it too much.

 

[Don Hills]

Rane have always struck me as a very decent and honest company, and one who's products I've trusted. ...

Oh, yes:
http://www.rane.com/pi14.html

 

[March Audio]

Brilliant

 

[Blumlein 88]

I like the twin tone sweeps. Here is an example of 1 khz separation with a -1dbfs input level for 3 DACs. Background goes to light gray at -120 dbFS. Easy to see which DAC is cleaner. You can see IMD, THD, imaging, or other spurious tones.

 

[DonH56]

Oh, yes:
http://www.rane.com/pi14.html

That's hilarious, love to see companies with a sense of humor. Reminds me of the numerous old National circuits (e.g. the write-only memory,WOM, or the infamous incredibly complex op-amp in one of their databooks that careful tracing would show had one wire going from input to output, a straight wire without gain), or the Watkins-Johnson RF mixer plotting performance vs. phase of the moon.

 

[restorer-john]

Oh, yes:
http://www.rane.com/pi14.html

Spelling is not their strong suit. Ecstasy not ecstacy.

Reminds me of the Abbey Road vinyl plugin:

I do like this part:

"If a unit's frequency response rises at any point, especially the endpoints, it indicates a fundamental instability problem and you should run from the store."

 

[Don Hills]

That's hilarious, love to see companies with a sense of humor. ...

Mackie Corp have / had references sprinkled throughout their literature to the Corporate Chihuahua. For example, in the specifications you might find a line such as "Weight of Corporate Chihuahua: 3.5 lb." (The chihuahua was real and sadly passed away a while ago, duly announced by press release.)

If you want to go down the rabbit hole on nonsensical audio equipment, Google "Funk Logic".

 

[Krunok]

Oh, yes:
http://www.rane.com/pi14.html

I am genuinely impressed with the Applications list!

Applications

• New Age Seminars
• Car Washes
• High School Cafeterias
• Funeral Homes
• Executive Washrooms
• High End Audio Demo Rooms
• Community Access Cable Channels
• Airport Baggage Claim Areas
• Cars With Tiny Steering Wheels
• Communications Scrambling
• Railroad Crossing Warning Systems
• Door Stops

 

[sergeauckland]

I particularly like the last one, but they forgot boat anchors!
S.

 

[DonH56]

Mackie Corp have / had references sprinkled throughout their literature to the Corporate Chihuahua. For example, in the specifications you might find a line such as "Weight of Corporate Chihuahua: 3.5 lb." (The chihuahua was real and sadly passed away a while ago, duly announced by press release.)

If you want to go down the rabbit hole on nonsensical audio equipment, Google "Funk Logic".

Forgot about Mackie despite installing a number of their components over the years (been a while).

Have to check out Funk Logic...

 

[restorer-john]

Also, check out the UK turntable maker- Funk Firm

http://thefunkfirm.co.uk/

http://thefunkfirm.co.uk/saffire-iii/

 

[pozz]

I'd like to add this Audio Precision article to this thread to supplement Rane's.

https://www.ap.com/download/how-to-write-and-read-audio-specifications-2/

Also hosted by Sengpiel Audio (another great resource): http://www.sengpielaudio.com/Mathew-AudioPrecisionSpecifications.pdf

 

[pozz]

Rane has a very useful Note about caveats of commonly used and discussed audio specifications.
- https://www.rane.com/note145.html

Updated link: https://www.ranecommercial.com/legacy/note145.html

Thanks @pts

Edit: Added pdf of the original article.

 

[Speedskater]

Rane is under new ownership and now have a very different product line. Different people are doing the web-page and links come and go.