How to get DIY audio equipment professionally tested?

DCPreamp · 15th September 2006, 03:07 AM

Does anybody know if there is a business/company/organization out there that will test DIY audio equipment and provide the equipment’s specs? Somewhere to send a piece of gear, pay for their testing and reports, and they send it back fully documented. Naturally a place that is knowledgeable, well equipped, geared towards novices, and of course, trustworthy.

I have thought how nice it would be to have my home made preamp tested for distortion, noise levels, harmonics, separation, etc. I’m able to test basic parameters with my scope, DMM, signal generator, and other basics, but that’s about it. I know it measures well with my equipment and sounds fantastic, but it would be nice to have some industry-standard specs and measurements to see if it performs as well as it sounds and to have specs to brag (or hide) about.

Does such a business exist? I've searched and can't find any. Anybody else think having their home-built equipment put through a battery of OEM-like tests would be cool? Maybe there’s a good business opportunity out there for someone.

ocool_15 · 15th September 2006, 03:32 AM

The companies I can think of are:

Adire Audio

NHT-I belive there the one that makes The Dayton Titanic
I believe they have a add in the back of loudspeaker cookbook

TC sounds

They are more for drivers but perhaps you could contact a semiconductor company as they measure similar things.

Try National Semiconductor or Texas Instruments ect.

Variac · 15th September 2006, 03:43 AM

I don't think large companies such as mentioned above would have any interest in testing for outsiders. Maybe Adire would, but imagine the cost!

Remember how McIntosh would come and test the Mac amps and bring them up to spec if required? I guess you need something like that.

Some repair shops could probably do it.
For speakers, it would be better to either get the software and use your computer, or connect with someone here that have the gear and convince them to test your speakers.

poobah · 15th September 2006, 04:14 AM

Chris Bridge will do it for you for free. He will even pay the shipping and insurance both ways.

15th September 2006, 03:07 AM	#1
DCPreamp diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Sacramento, CA	How to get DIY audio equipment professionally tested? Does anybody know if there is a business/company/organization out there that will test DIY audio equipment and provide the equipment’s specs? Somewhere to send a piece of gear, pay for their testing and reports, and they send it back fully documented. Naturally a place that is knowledgeable, well equipped, geared towards novices, and of course, trustworthy. I have thought how nice it would be to have my home made preamp tested for distortion, noise levels, harmonics, separation, etc. I’m able to test basic parameters with my scope, DMM, signal generator, and other basics, but that’s about it. I know it measures well with my equipment and sounds fantastic, but it would be nice to have some industry-standard specs and measurements to see if it performs as well as it sounds and to have specs to brag (or hide) about. Does such a business exist? I've searched and can't find any. Anybody else think having their home-built equipment put through a battery of OEM-like tests would be cool? Maybe there’s a good business opportunity out there for someone.

15th September 2006, 03:43 AM	#3
Variac diyAudio Editor Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: San Francisco, USA	I don't think large companies such as mentioned above would have any interest in testing for outsiders. Maybe Adire would, but imagine the cost! Remember how McIntosh would come and test the Mac amps and bring them up to spec if required? I guess you need something like that. Some repair shops could probably do it. For speakers, it would be better to either get the software and use your computer, or connect with someone here that have the gear and convince them to test your speakers. __________________ Burning Amp Festival Sunday, October 28th, 2012 in S.F. We need Volunteers & sign-up's for what you're bringing!

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15th September 2006, 03:32 AM	#2
ocool_15 diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: sk	The companies I can think of are: Adire Audio NHT-I belive there the one that makes The Dayton Titanic I believe they have a add in the back of loudspeaker cookbook TC sounds They are more for drivers but perhaps you could contact a semiconductor company as they measure similar things. Try National Semiconductor or Texas Instruments ect.

15th September 2006, 04:14 AM	#4
poobah diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2005	Chris Bridge will do it for you for free. He will even pay the shipping and insurance both ways.

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