New audio analyzer from Neurochrome

[Rja4000]

So the input performances seems to be on a similar level than best in class - which is already quite an achievement.
With an integrated notch and, I suppose, attenuator.

Like the AP analyzer, the big benefit of such a device is the integration of all tools in one box.
So you should be able to automate your measurements, which is a huge added value.
Well worth a few $k.
Time is money !

 

[Rja4000]

According to the guys at quantasylum, you need at least 10dB more than the DUT in order to accurately test the DUT, which means you wouldn't be able to test some very high performing equipment.

With a notch, that's easy to achieve.
As long as the noise is not the limiting factor.

See here for the performance of my Loopback measurement chain.
But the "manual" process is VERY slow - and it is indeed including a notch (E1DA Cosmos APU in my case).
If they can achieve similar performance with automation for such a price, that would be a game changer.

 

[PristineSound]

With a notch, that's easy to achieve.
As long as the noise is not the limiting factor.

Yes, but that means you are only limited at 1kHz and 10kHz with cosmos apu. It's fine, but you can't do a frequency sweep.

 

[Rja4000]

Yes, but that means you are only limited at 1kHz and 10kHz with cosmos apu. It's fine, but you can't do a frequency sweep.

Sure, that's not an AP !

And the NAx1 seems to share the limitation:

Spot THD: ≤-140 dBc (1 kHz, 10 kHz, H2-H9)

Which is not a surprise at this price.

 

[PristineSound]

Sure, that's not an AP !

And the NAx1 seems to share the limitation:

Which is not a surprise at this price.

The NAx1 is 130dB 20Hz to 20kHz, which means it can sweep a DUT with up to 120dB with accuracy. The RME is not able to do this.

And it can measure a DUT up to 130dB with accuracy at 1kHz and 10kHz.

 

[Hipocrates]

Gentlemen, one thing is DIY'er, weekend warrior, enthusiast setting where with a lot huffing and puffing one can achieve great results (Cosmos ecosystem, with its tiny connectors and adapters, is a good example of that) and another one is a professional setup where things like time, accuracy, consistency, endurance and automatization are key, save costs and improve productivity, this is where this tool is aiming.
One can go and say, my (insert whatever compendium of adapted gear) can achieve this and that, but in a real professional lab that won't do, you need a proper tool. Fact!

 

[Rja4000]

(...) a professional setup where things like time, [accuracy, consistency], endurance and automatization are key, save costs and improve productivity, this is where this tool is aiming.
(...) in a real professional lab (...) you need a proper tool.

I fully agree.

(Just, the words I've put under brackets are still achievable with the amateur setup, at least as long as the operator and the method remain the same.
But that doesn't change the essence of the message.)

 

[PristineSound]

Here are two more facts though, if this audio analyzer is capable of these specs.

1) With the exception of the cosmos grade 0, it is the only tool, professional or DIY, that's sub $6k with this performance. With the next one at $30k.

2) It is the only purpose built audio analyzer sub $6k with this versatility.

$6k for a DIYer, is a lot of money, but it's very cheap for a business relative to what is on the market.

 

[Hipocrates]

I fully agree.

(Just, the words I've put under brackets are still achievable with the amateur setup, at least as long as the operator and the method remain the same.
But that doesn't change the essence of the message.)

It would be bad practice to depend in one operator with its conjunction of stuff in a business setting, even in a one man band shop time is money, automatization and repeatability are the key words. That if the clientele is good enough to make this tool worth it, if it doesn't, one can spend way less than this tool and have good enough results (QA-403 or a conjunction of adapted gear). And I'm not even getting into performance witch is moot point TBH.

The market of this tool is business, not really amateurs, DIY and similar creatures, not sure why is so hard to accept.

 

[amirm]

With the exception of the cosmos grade 0, it is the only tool, professional or DIY, that's sub $6k with this performance. With the next one at $30k.

Apx555 now starts at $40k!

 

[Waveform Fidelity]

So is better to get a "dumb" interface, how extraordinary!

It's advertised as an "Audio Analyzer" but from reading much more information about this product its doesn't do any analysis at all. Like I said before its a high performance 2 in 2 out audio interface and thus comparable in functionality (not performance) to any good quality audio interface (without a low noise microphone amp but instead with a higher input voltage range). So the advantage and your extra $$$ boils down to that illusive "better than" -130dBc THD as in "total harmonic distortion" - all the harmonics to be counted and is the dBc carrier at FSD? like 80V? I am skeptical that this performance will be available over all sampling rates and signal ranges even just the ADC itself. Current state of the art is ~10dB greater than this. Maybe there is a new proprietary ADC under the hood? But anyway, Kudos to the designers for attempting such a tricky high performance design, but the "proof is in the pudding" as they say. So let's see the hard numbers when its all done.

 

[PristineSound]

It's advertised as an "Audio Analyzer" but from reading much more information about this product its doesn't do any analysis at all.

What do you mean by this?

 

[Waveform Fidelity]

What do you mean by this?

read here

Analyser - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[PristineSound]

read here

Analyser - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

That is precisely what this device do.

Not sure how familiar you are with how audio analyzers work. They consist of hardware and software, the hardware is a very high performing DAC and ADC, with some specific purpose built hardware; the software is able to output a test signal and capture the input test signal and do a comparison.

That is how all audio analyzers work and this NAx1 is exactly that.

 

[Waveform Fidelity]

software? what software?

 

[PristineSound]

software? what software?

New audio analyzer from Neurochrome

Very cool stuff from Neurochrome launching on AXPONA this year. (no affiliation) https://neurochrome.com/products/nax1-audio-analyzer

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[Waveform Fidelity]

So he is intending for his customers to use somebody else’s analyzer software - REW the author is John Mulcahy, so Neurochrome should change the name from “analyzer” to “high performance to audio interface” to avoid any further confusion in my opinion … good luck with the EULA! and getting permission to bundle in a commercial product.

 

[PristineSound]

So he is intending for his customers to use somebody else’s analyzer software - REW the author is John Mulcahy, so Neurochrome should change the name from “analyzer” to “high performance to audio interface” to avoid any further confusion in my opinion … good luck with the EULA! and getting permission to bundle in a commercial product.

Huh?

Are you aware that REW is free to use for anyone on any hardware?

There are other free software to use on any hardware, such as multitone.

Additionally, it is stated that they are working on a custom version of REW.

 

[NTK]

Huh?

Are you aware that REW is free to use for anyone on any hardware?

There are other free software to use on any hardware, such as multitone.

Additionally, it is stated that they are working on a custom version of REW.

And if REW or Multitone Analyzer does not meet your need, there are other commercial software. Why reinvent the wheel?

Audio Precision sells theirs for use with non-AP hardware.

APx500 Flex Audio Analyzer

APx500 Flex Audio Analyzer. Combine the power of APx500 software with your preferred ASIO-capable audio interface for cost-effective measurement capabilities.

www.ap.com

Virtins Multi-instrument is another option.

Multi-Instrument, a powerful multi-function virtual instrument software - Virtins Technology

www.virtins.com

 

[PristineSound]

And if REW or Multitone Analyzer does not meet your need, there are other commercial software. Why reinvent the wheel?

From what if sounds like, but I will let @tomchr confirm, he is trying to get a customized version that can do what the AP software can do, and it will be made specifically for this analyzer, either as additional cost or as part of the purchase.

And yes, you can use any other software, free or paid.