Audio measurement software update allows multiple input types
An update to Audio Precision’s APx500 audio measurement software offers multiple simultaneous input types. APx500 audio measurement software, version 6.0 supports multiple simultaneous input types, enabling the concurrent measurement of up to 16 channels of digital and eight channels of analogue audio data. This new multi-input capability, paired with the highest channel count and widest range of digital I/O available, provides critical cross-domain insight and can reduce test times, says Audio Precision.
Multiple simultaneous input types allows the activation of a second input type on any APx modular audio analyser, or APx515 analyser and simultaneous measurement on analogue and digital signals. There are two input types enabled, for example users can deploy analogue for one or more reference microphones and, say PDM 16 for an array of MEMS microphones, which produces measurement results for every enabled input channel. The sensitivity or gain function of digital microphones and other converters can be directly found via a new derived result, Sensitivity, which displays the root mean square (RMS) level relationship between the analogue and digital inputs.
The multi-input feature is available for use in both Sequence mode and Bench mode and supports all the essential measurements used for the analysis of microphones and microphone arrays in audio systems. A dual-channel FFT analysis function, known as Transfer function, added in the previous software release is included in this feature. The multi-input capability and the Transfer function enable the user to find the complex, magnitude and phase, relationship between multiple analogue or digital microphones or other cross-domain devices, advises Audio Precision.
The new multi-input feature enables the simultaneous evaluation of audio devices that have both analogue and digital outputs active simultaneously. The APx software is suitable for use in the design lab or on a manufacturing line. Concurrent measurement of both signal types also has the potential to reduce test times, which is especially important in manufacturing applications, notes the company.
Multi-input is especially useful for devices with digital microphones, for example smart speakers, mobile phones, Bluetooth headsets, as it allows for the simultaneous measurement of the device’s microphone in conjunction with an analogue measurement microphone as a reference.
With this latest release, new APx audio analysers will ship with version 6.0 software and one year of software maintenance, effectively licensing that instrument for APx version 7.0 when it is released (in addition to any minor releases that occur between v6.0 and v7.0).
New APx analysers purchased with version 5.0 (between December 18, 2018 and June 10, 2020) are licensed for version 6.0 in accordance with one year of software maintenance and users need only download v6.0 from AP.com.
Software upgrades are available for owners of Legacy APx analysers, with options for upgrading from v4.x (or earlier) to v5.0, from v4.x to 6.0, and v5.0 to v6.0. Software maintenance contracts are likewise available, providing for purchase, entitling the user to an additional major software release.
Release 6.0 is compatible with all analysers in the APx500 Series. An APx KeyBox is required to run v6.0 on Legacy APx analysers. APx KeyBoxes already installed on Legacy analysers (for v4.6 and 5.0), are also compatible with v6.0 and only require an updated license file once an upgrade is purchased.
Audio Precision (AP) specialises in electronic audio and electro-acoustic test instrumentation. Since 1984, AP’s analysers have helped engineers to design and manufacture semiconductor devices, consumer, automotive and professional audio products.
