Audio analyser upgraded with multiple features

The arrival of the B Series APx555 audio analyser brings several enhancements to the analogue high-performance sine generator that will have broad appeal to developers of high-performance audio devices such as compressors, limiters, amplifiers, codecs and digital signal processors.

This enhanced analogue generator (EAG)—standard with B Series APx555 analysers and available as an upgrade for Legacy APx555 systems—provides several improvements in its low distortion sine generator and high-precision sine analyser, including improved sine generator frequency stability with an accuracy of <30 ppm.

The system can now also generate low-distortion analogue sine burst signals from 5Hz to 100kHz and allows users to independently invert the signal polarity of balanced channel outputs.

Finally, the B Series APx555 has lower system residual distortion, with THD+N improvement above 50kHz (−2dB) and THD improvement above 5kHz (varying from −2 to −5dB). For design engineers validating and testing complex, multichannel analogue-to-digital converters (ADCs), the B Series APx555 now offers an ADC Test Mode option capable of generating balanced analogue audio signals mixed with a calibrated common mode DC offset voltage.

This optional feature is especially useful in testing devices that operate on a single supply voltage and require inputs with a DC bias voltage, such as audio codecs and ADC chips in mobile products.

The ADC Test Mode also includes programmable voltage limits to prevent overvoltage damage to the device being tested. This option is included when a Legacy APx555 analyser receives an EAG upgrade.

“Originally introduced in late 2014, the APx555 achieved significant, measurable performance that exceeded all other audio test systems,” stated Mike Flaherty, Audio Precision Chief Executive Officer. “With the introduction of the B Series APx555, its enhanced analogue generator and optional ADC Test Mode, the next-generation APx555 raises the performance bar yet again.”

B Series APx analysers are the successor platform to Audio Precision’s APx platform. While the APx555 is the primary beneficiary of performance improvements, the B Series introduction applies to the entire line of APx audio analysers, with all systems incorporating a re-designed embedded processor module that enables playback of longer arbitrary waveforms and improved download speeds.

B Series APx analysers require APx500 audio measurement software version 5.0 (or later) but are compatible with APx project files created from version 4.6 (or earlier) software.   With the introduction of the B Series APx audio analysers, two previous generations of Audio Precision analysers—the Legacy APx Series and the 2700 Series analysers—are now in “Limited Supply” and this announcement serves as the formal end-of-life announcement for both instrument families.

Orders for Legacy APx analysers will be accepted until June 2019. Orders for 2700 Series analysers will be accepted until December 2019.