I literally stopped using 2522 a few years, maybe only to get AP2700 working to analyze my ADCs connected with SPDIF. However, REW successfully replaced AP2700 in the last couple of years, REW matches vs AP2700 THD+N with less than .5db tolerance(usually AP2700 is more optimistic for .2-.3db).
Both are full of bugs, so in that part they are not different, haha. And both are quite weird and complex.
A good way is the combination of the two.
I'm using the front-end and notch of the AP but route the monitor output to the soundcard input which in turn is used by REW.
That allows way more options to analyze and visualize the signal than with the AP alone.
One example for this are the measurements in my "ESS Hump" thread over at ASR.
Dang!!! Party poopers 😂😂 you both are determined to get my interest down.
I was getting excited to get 2522, now I am kinda turned off 🤔🤔
I can see both of you like the ADC solution, perhaps cosmo ADC ,with low distortion signal Gen and REW software.
How about reading at different input levels and ADC getting large performance variation at different inout levels and frequency and what about the very limited voltage inout range?
Buying an AP only to use the signal generator is a very expensive generator 🥹😂
I was getting excited to get 2522, now I am kinda turned off 🤔🤔
I can see both of you like the ADC solution, perhaps cosmo ADC ,with low distortion signal Gen and REW software.
How about reading at different input levels and ADC getting large performance variation at different inout levels and frequency and what about the very limited voltage inout range?
Buying an AP only to use the signal generator is a very expensive generator 🥹😂
it depends on the price, I bought mine in 2018 for $6000, if my memory serves well. I don't need that machine but don't want to sell as well.
You meant your AP unit? 😊
didn’t know you can just use auto-ranger and filters from AP and feed to external card.
I checked the taobao price right now and I see 2522 for $3050(22000RMB), why not, buy!
Regarding filters and other HW options, it is 100.00% useless today, when you can add any filter to REW as a calibration file.
One thing may be important if you gonna use AP as an automation production instrument. REW and others I guess can't replace AP analyzers in that field so far.
PS: today, when China slowing down and losing some types of production, we, DIYers got a good chance to get some PRO stuff for funny money.
I did buy the metallurgical microscope last week in Shenzhen for <$150. I don't really need that but, you know, what is $150 today?
A similar case happened a year ago, I bought Lecroy 1.5GHz 4ch scope for 250. So, I salute your desire to buy SYS2522, why not.
Regarding filters and other HW options, it is 100.00% useless today, when you can add any filter to REW as a calibration file.
One thing may be important if you gonna use AP as an automation production instrument. REW and others I guess can't replace AP analyzers in that field so far.
PS: today, when China slowing down and losing some types of production, we, DIYers got a good chance to get some PRO stuff for funny money.
I did buy the metallurgical microscope last week in Shenzhen for <$150. I don't really need that but, you know, what is $150 today?
A similar case happened a year ago, I bought Lecroy 1.5GHz 4ch scope for 250. So, I salute your desire to buy SYS2522, why not.
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He wrote it clearly though:
'I'm using the front-end and notch of the AP but route the monitor output to the soundcard input which in turn is used by REW.'
Jan
A 23xx, 25xx or 27xx is good for what it is, like
While we can have some specialized stuff (some of the better DACs and ADCs plus IVX's auxiliary devices) at low cost that performs better in certain regards, the full package is hard to beat, especially when augmented with external tools like an FFT analyzer on the monitor out (the monitor out is quite low-level, though, therefore I actually use the second input channel to boost it).
- robust autoranging input with a variety of good meters, including DC
- tracking notch, the core of an analog THD+N analyzer, allowing for arbitrary choice of test frequency
- good analog generator with wide range of output voltages
- digital I/O is nice too, for example to test for SPDIF/TOSLINK jitter sensitivity
- and what else I forgot.
While we can have some specialized stuff (some of the better DACs and ADCs plus IVX's auxiliary devices) at low cost that performs better in certain regards, the full package is hard to beat, especially when augmented with external tools like an FFT analyzer on the monitor out (the monitor out is quite low-level, though, therefore I actually use the second input channel to boost it).
Thank you guys for writing all this for me. It was 2AM last night when I was writing so I fell asleep 😊
I understand correctly AP2522 at a reduced price is a good option. I also do agree that looking at soecs there are some cards that seem better in paper and probably are in certain aspect, but as a professional development tool, AP seems overall a more reliable solid, with excellent performance. I understand Filters can be outweighed by REW, which I also have on my laptop though I prefer Spectraplus simply because I am more familiar with. Maybe one of these days I get around using REW as well.
With your blessing then I will move on with the AP system 💯😊
I understand correctly AP2522 at a reduced price is a good option. I also do agree that looking at soecs there are some cards that seem better in paper and probably are in certain aspect, but as a professional development tool, AP seems overall a more reliable solid, with excellent performance. I understand Filters can be outweighed by REW, which I also have on my laptop though I prefer Spectraplus simply because I am more familiar with. Maybe one of these days I get around using REW as well.
With your blessing then I will move on with the AP system 💯😊
Since I don’t work in production but in R&D I don’t get to travel to China or else I would definitely be buying many of their tools that are probably liquidating given that america has taken down a lot of business there due to price increase.
The lecRoy scope is an incredible deal. I know China also has clones for the APx555 system which probably can be had for a fraction of the retail price. If only I could travel there too I would be squiring many things too!!!!
I have acquired AP SYS-2522A. I have checked using the predefined tests for self-check, unfortunately I am running it with the APIB to USB adapter that is not the AP box, so when I try to run the procedure, it tells me I have to use AP2700 SW. However, if I run separate tests, I was able to check that the analyzer is working and withing specifications, so I have bought it.
Now I am trying to simply see an FFT of the signal generator at 1KHz, but I am unable to generate the graph and have no manual for APWIN (most likely later on, if I see the value, I will buy AP USB box and run AP2700).
How can I plot graphs such as THD, frequency response, or plot for example the accuracy of my RIAA curve?
Can you guys point me to some material I can read? It is really NOT intuitive at all, and I cannot find any useful information on YouTube or on google.
I want to add, that I see the icon FFT Analyzer on the bar of the application, but when I click it, it says "the file does not have an APP associated with it for performing this action"
What can I say? I am quite lost!
Now I am trying to simply see an FFT of the signal generator at 1KHz, but I am unable to generate the graph and have no manual for APWIN (most likely later on, if I see the value, I will buy AP USB box and run AP2700).
How can I plot graphs such as THD, frequency response, or plot for example the accuracy of my RIAA curve?
Can you guys point me to some material I can read? It is really NOT intuitive at all, and I cannot find any useful information on YouTube or on google.
I want to add, that I see the icon FFT Analyzer on the bar of the application, but when I click it, it says "the file does not have an APP associated with it for performing this action"
What can I say? I am quite lost!
I think I've kind of warned you, both APWIN2.24 and AP2700 are not your usual "point & click & get results" type of software. You have to assemble your tests from small building blocks, and especially the FFT is tricky in that there is a double indirection.
Like with a plane, there is no simple "fly now" button, you have to go through the full check-list and take-off procedure.
But the APWIN2.24 manual (700+ pages) and associated material is very comprehensive, and there is a bunch of pre-made tests you can build upon.
All this stuff should be available once you've registered with AP. If not, leave me a note ;-)
I had registered and started looking at the material even before getting this instrument. you were right this is not the user friendly REW or SpextraPlus, It is old and who wrote this was not living this digital era with advanced OS and graphics, so it is not as user friendly I can tell
I also done exactly that, I have taken the demo used for self test and started studying the settings.
I am encountering in fact some little tricky issues with the FFT. I was able to get the FFT of the loopback now I can't but also it is 2AM here so my eyes are crossing.
I will resume tomorrow morning, I will post FFT results to see if you guys think it looks ok. Just curious is the AP2700 better than APWIN in terms of setting? Can I get there more than 30Kpoints for the FFT? APWIN has max FFT size 30K
Just one unrelated questions:
How can I measure the accuracy of the RIAA with AP? When I read any report from Stereophile, they show a nice normalize curve for phono amp.
Do I need the pre-emphasis filter installed in order to do that, or can I simply enter a macro function equal to the inverse RIAA curve that controls the generator? It seems so obvious that a curve could be entered mathematically, that maybe it is not so obvious for who wrote this app 20 years ago so it was not included lol
Thanks all for the suggestion given, I am very pleased to have acquired this AP.
I also done exactly that, I have taken the demo used for self test and started studying the settings.
I am encountering in fact some little tricky issues with the FFT. I was able to get the FFT of the loopback now I can't but also it is 2AM here so my eyes are crossing.
I will resume tomorrow morning, I will post FFT results to see if you guys think it looks ok. Just curious is the AP2700 better than APWIN in terms of setting? Can I get there more than 30Kpoints for the FFT? APWIN has max FFT size 30K
Just one unrelated questions:
How can I measure the accuracy of the RIAA with AP? When I read any report from Stereophile, they show a nice normalize curve for phono amp.
Do I need the pre-emphasis filter installed in order to do that, or can I simply enter a macro function equal to the inverse RIAA curve that controls the generator? It seems so obvious that a curve could be entered mathematically, that maybe it is not so obvious for who wrote this app 20 years ago so it was not included lol
Thanks all for the suggestion given, I am very pleased to have acquired this AP.