Audio Precision ATS-1 Details

Audio Precision ATS-1

Key features

• Our most affordable audio analyzer
• Compact, rack-mountable all-in-one system
• Easy to transport for field use
• Built-in display and control surface with no need for a separate PC
• Includes an IEEE-488.2 GPIB interface port, with HP8903B emulation mode available.

The ATS-1 Plus Access includes comprehensive analog generation and measurement, two outputs and two inputs. Easy-to-set-up audio sweeps produce graphs of frequency response, distortion vs. frequency, and even amplitude sweeps. Non-volatile storage of up to 30 tests allows easy one-button recall of your favorite test setup. Connect ATS-1 to a compatible printer to produce reports including high resolution graphs.

The ATS-1 Dual Domain keeps the true analog domain capabilities found in the ATS-1 Plus Access, and adds 96 kHz sampling rate digital audio input and output with full digital signal generation and analysis. You can even make digital interface measurements, analyzing signal jitter, delay, data integrity and status bits.

Measurements

• In both analog and digital domains:
  • Level (two channels simultaneously)
  • Noise or signal-to-noise ratio (wideband, weighted, or selective)
  • THD+N (total harmonic distortion plus noise)
  • Interchannel phase
  • Real-time two-channel amplitude ratio (interchannel balance or  device gain/loss)
  • Real-time frequency-selective crosstalk
• In the analog domain only:
  • Wow and Flutter
  • SINAD (ratio of {signal + noise + distortion} to {noise + distortion})
  • Input-to-output phase shift
  • Loading (AC resistance of the input of a device connected to the generator output)
  • AC mains check (voltage, frequency, and distortion of the AC power line)
• In the digital domain only:
  • Jitter
  • Digital data integrity
  • Sample rate, amplitude, and delay of digital carrier signal
  • Status Bits

Generated Waveforms

• Sine
• Burst
• Square
• IMD
• Noise
• Multitone / Arbitrary
• MLS
• Polarity

Reporting

• On-screen results and graphing
• Print graphs, panel setups and measurement data

Automation

• Save up to 30 instrument setups, including sweep results data.
• Can be control by GPIB (IEEE 488 General Purpose Interface Bus). HP8903B emulation mode included.

Connectivity

• Balanced and unbalanced analog inputs and outputs
• AES3, S/PDIF and Toslink digital inputs and outputs
• Auxiliary inputs and outputs, including monitors, triggers, synchronization.

Dual Domain

Like our 2700 series, the ATS-1 audio analyzer is available as a dual domain instrument. A dual domain audio analyzer provides full generation and analysis capabilities in both the analog domain and the digital domain, simultaneously. Why is this important?

• Analog domain Because high-precision analog audio design offers markedly superior performance to even the best digital implementations in several key areas, especially residual noise and distortion, and high-frequency response. Most modern competitive audio analyzers are converter-based, without true analog domain generation and analysis. A converter-based analyzer uses ADCs to convert analog input signals for digital analysis and DACs to convert digitally-generated signals for analog output. This technique is easier and less expensive, but at a cost in performance. Standard band-limiting filters are built in to the analog analyzer in the ATS-1. Included are a high pass at 400 Hz, selectable low pass filters at 22 kHz, 30 kHz and 80 kHz, and selectable weighting filters: ANSI-IEC "A"; CCIR 468-4; CCIR ARM; CCIR RMS.


• Digital domain Digital signal generation and analysis are essential in modern audio, and our ATS-1 Dual Domain provides a solution for testing digital audio as well, at sample rates up to 96 kHz.


• Cross domain Engineers designing digital converters often require cross-domain measurements, where a signal must be generated in the digital domain while the converter's output is measured in the analog domain (or vice versa). Only a dual-domain audio analyzer accomplish this with meaningful results.