Audio Precision Marks 25th Anniversary With One Megahertz FFTs
New APx audio analyzer option delivers unprecedented 24-bit resolution when measuring out-of-band noise in Class-D amps & other modern audio devices
NEW YORK, Oct. 9 / -- AES Convention -- Audio Precision, the recognized standard in audio test and measurement, today marked its 25th year in business by introducing a new ultra-high bandwidth analyzer option for the APx525 family of audio analyzers.
The BW52 High Bandwidth option extends the APx's FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) capability all the way to 1 megahertz, with 24-bit amplitude resolution and 2 Hz frequency resolution, making APx ideal for looking at out-of-band noise in Class-D amplifiers, sigma-delta converters and other modern audio devices. By comparison, other audio analyzers have a maximum FFT bandwidth of 250 kHz or less, making them unsuitable for looking at switching frequencies that often center around 300-500 kHz. RF (Radio Frequency) spectrum analyzers can have much wider bandwidth, but their low impedance, low resolution and low tolerance to high input levels again make them unsuitable for audio design.
"Compared to the previous state of the art, an FFT of this length and resolution is like trading a pair of reading glasses for the Hubble telescope," says Bruce Hofer, Chairman and co-founder of Audio Precision. "It's a real achievement, and a great way to mark our 25 year anniversary."
25 Years Of Audio Test & Measurement Leadership
Audio Precision revolutionized the audio test world twenty-five years ago with the introduction of System One, the first audio analyzer to utilize the power of a PC as part of its design. AP continued to lead the industry as new audio technologies were developed: dual-domain audio analysis, 192K digital analysis, and Dolby and DTS test solutions, and more recently with the next generation APx platform, which introduced the first multichannel audio analyzer and the first HDMI audio analyzer.
Price & Availability
The BW52 is supported by the following models of APx: APx520, 521, 525 and 526. The option will be available in January 2010 and will cost $2500 in the USA.
About Audio Precision
Audio Precision is the recognized standard in audio test and measurement, providing high-bandwidth, multichannel audio test instruments for the latest modern audio devices, including Class-D amplifiers and HDMI receivers. Since 1984, AP has offered high performance audio analyzer instruments and applications to help engineers worldwide design and manufacture all types of consumer, professional and industrial audio products. For more information, visit ap.com/.
