Audio Quality Tests?
Jan 14, 2009 at 4:10 AM Post #3 of 10
if you have a reasonably good sound card in a windows machine, and a DAP that accepts a lossless format, you can use RMAA To create a file that you can then load onto your DAP and play into RMAA (basically recording it and analyzing it) to get a fairly good, if slightly rough, idea of the device's performance.

You could use a high bitrate lossy format as well, but the results will be skewed by the losses.
 
Jan 17, 2009 at 12:50 AM Post #4 of 10
Quote:

Originally Posted by shigzeo /img/forum/go_quote.gif
go to pcworld.com and find reviews. there are hardware tests done with very sophisticated machinery to test various players. not all are there but most of the big hitters.


Went to PC World and found the tests you speak of. Thanks!

First, I was suprised to read that out of their current top-10 flash players, PCW tests only give their Superior rating for audio performance to the iPod Touch and Nano. From what I've read here, I was under the impression the Apple products didn't have market leading sound quality. Any idea what deal is here?

OK, now let me clarify a bit. My desire is to get a general comparison of the audio performance of some of the latest Smartphones with/against the performance of some of the latest DAPs - by comparing test specs.

PCW gives SN Ratio as a positive value while GSMA gives a negative value; do I just ignore the +/- sign? GSMA reports dynamic range & IMD where PCW does not, are these values important to a worthwile comparison? I've read here a bit about loading, with PCW stating a 30ohm load, while GSMA doesn't say.

Is it even valid to compare the results from gsmarena.com and pcworld.com?

If not, are there any other ideas where to find such test specs that can be compared?

Thanks again!
 
Jan 17, 2009 at 12:56 AM Post #5 of 10
Quote:

Originally Posted by ericj /img/forum/go_quote.gif
if you have a reasonably good sound card in a windows machine, and a DAP that accepts a lossless format, you can use RMAA To create a file that you can then load onto your DAP and play into RMAA (basically recording it and analyzing it) to get a fairly good, if slightly rough, idea of the device's performance.

You could use a high bitrate lossy format as well, but the results will be skewed by the losses.


Very cool! RMAA looks interesting - and the price is right!

While I was wanting to compare players/smartphones not owned, I might have to give this a try on the various players in our household.

Would the "reasonably good sound card" requirement exclude the on-board audio chip of a recently purchased computer?

Thanks
 
Jan 17, 2009 at 1:01 AM Post #6 of 10
Quote:

Originally Posted by shigzeo /img/forum/go_quote.gif
go to pcworld.com and find reviews. there are hardware tests done with very sophisticated machinery to test various players. not all are there but most of the big hitters.


Where at on Pcworld.Com?

Do you have a direct link? And, is there an elaborated piece within that page (or elsewhere) describing both the Cowon S9 and Apple I-Pod Touch G2 - SQ wise, as to where they stand against one another?

Thanx!
 
Jan 20, 2009 at 1:11 AM Post #7 of 10
Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron5604 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Where at on Pcworld.Com?

Do you have a direct link? And, is there an elaborated piece within that page (or elsewhere) describing both the Cowon S9 and Apple I-Pod Touch G2 - SQ wise, as to where they stand against one another?

Thanx!


The iPod Touch is there, but I didn't see the S9
frown.gif


MP3 Players Reviews - PC World

Click on the "specs" link, right under the name of each player.


Also, FYI: How We Test - PC World

Eric
 
Jan 20, 2009 at 5:25 AM Post #9 of 10
no, pcworld use equipment and real people not people high on placebo to test. whether you like or dislike a product that actually has good hardware is up to you. djgeorge, it is obvious you will never think an ipod sounds good unless it were secretly stuffed inside the body of a sansa clip or fuze. then it would be so neutral and full sounding. i know
 
Jan 20, 2009 at 5:44 AM Post #10 of 10
good hardware means little.

teclast vs. cowon, pretty much same hardware, but the teclast sounds better. Oh you can do all the test you want, the measurements won't show it.

and it is pcworld...roflol
 
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