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Carl_Huff

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 30, 2004
Messages
145
Location
near LA, CA USA
We all are lusting after an AP box of our very own to add to our dev & test benches. I know that I am!! But reality is that we live in a day and age where the right software and a good sound card can do much of what an AP box can do for us. I was wondering what the people on this forum are using.

I'll start of the thread by stating that I really like TrueRTA. I have been using the product since version 1 and find it indispensible. You can find TrueRTA on the web at http://www.trueaudio.com/

What is your favorite software signal generator, oscillosope, FFT, etc?
 
[quote author="Carl_Huff"] I was wondering what the people on this forum are using. [/quote]

I use analog test instruments with real knobs, dials, meters and CRTs. But I guess that's not the answer you're seeking :wink:
 
I use analog test instruments with real knobs, dials, meters and CRTs.
In most labs & studios silly things are going on. When we have hardware, we want a more software touch so we add software editors/controllers for it (as for synths, AP-boxes, scopes, hardware-samplers, ...) and when we have software stuff we want a hardware controller-box (for DAWs etc).
Well, perhaps not so silly - optimum somewhere between the hard- & software ?

As far as test-stuff for at home I like a pile of stuff with screens & meters & knobs best as well :thumb:
 
I have a shelf full of hardware myself. In my case it is mostly Tektronix (I seem to have an odd fetish for aging TM500 stuff). However it should be clear to everyone that the future of 'high resolution' bench dev & test is hardware under software control. The new AP boxes are evidence of that.

Software based testing is an emerging technology. Some very ingenius product is coming from web entrpreneurs using mass produced cards and PCs as controllers. My question is, who are those entrepreneurs and how good is their stuff??
 
Unfortunately for some of my clients only graphs with the famous AP logo will do, which has me at a disadvantage as I have yet to make that substantial investment. I used to be able to do the quick after-hours check but at the moment the only accessible system is way far away---and come to think of it, I don't have a pass key either.

But to check to see that nothing is horribly wrong I have an old HP 209 sine wave gen and 339 distortion analyzer. Usually the distortion in the generator is more than the device under test, at about .04%. I could make a quieter generator.

There was an interesting article in AudioXpress about an DIY IM distortion analyzer not too long ago.
 

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