SNR/Dynamic range worsens in low frequency range.

Status
This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.
What is the reason for SNR and thereby dynamic range to degrade in the low frequency range ?

I was just testing a soundcard using RMAA and the charts show that the snr and dynamic range gradually degrade in the low frequency range. It starts off at -108db at 20Khz and by 100hz it is down to -93db, -90db @ 30hz and -87db @ 20hz.

What does this generally indicate ? Is this something to do with the "digital" part of the system (jitter, etc..) or "analog" (psu decoupling, filtering, bad caps, etc..) ?
 
the cable is just a short (6") shielded stereo patch cord going from line-out to line-in, and its not too close to the mains cable.

Why do I faintly remember that I observed the same thing when I was testing an old sony discman which was running off batteries. There was a sudden drop in SNR/DR below ~1Khz.
 
Check freq response, high pass filters in dac and adc multiply and cut signal at low freq

Op amps can have 1/f noise corners higher than 1 KHz, fet and cmos inputs usually have higher 1/f than bipolar

bipolar op amp input current noise can have a higher 1/f - too high coupling/feedback impedance can make input current noise prominent

High freq noise can alias down to audio band, so noise at ~ n*sampling frequency translates to low freq noise, oversamping/delta-sigma adcs move this aliasing up to their oversampling freq

On board soundcards can be pretty ugly
 
Status
This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.