PSU for precision audio opamps

[Dirk Bruere at NeoPax]

I agree about the visual adaptation, but the sensory quality at low lux falls
off markedly, not least requiring significant adaption time, the use of red
goggles etc.

In practical everyday use, I reckon our audible skills are the ones that
routinely return the widest dynamic range though. I certainly rate mine
anyway.

You're not comparing like for like.
Visual acuity is seeing a pattern.
The audio equivalent would be making out a spoken word.
I suspect the ear would be vastly less sensitive if that were the criterion.

 

[JosephKK]

You're not comparing like for like.
Visual acuity is seeing a pattern.
The audio equivalent would be making out a spoken word.
I suspect the ear would be vastly less sensitive if that were the criterion.

The ability of humans to dig the signal out of noise even when the S/N
ratio is -10 dB or worse is amazing. Just the same the processing
power required for vision seriously outstrips that of hearing. Just
look at the amount of brain mass devoted to the two senses.

 

[JosephKK]

I find no trouble *whatever* designing pro-audio that confortably fulfils
those criteria. Consumer audio with its inherently highly limited unbalanced
connections and regularly indifferent design is another kettle of fish.
Chasing down the last hums and buzzes is the bugger though.

I a recent real case, I traced some monitor speaker buzz (best audible by the
ear to the speaker trick but still annoying at a normal listening distance)
to some shockingly EMC incompliant internal equipment wiring (the classic
'Pin 1 problem' wrt XLR connectors) for those faimilar. To those less
familar, basically the termination of cable screens to the internal 'nought
volts' instead of chassis.

An infuriating final hum/bzz was traced to a 'wall wart' powering some
equipment in one of the 'toy racks'. After that - pure silence. Out of 4
engineers, I was the only only one with the necessary acuity of hearing and
technical expertise to track it all down too. Not that I got much thanks for
it of course.


Graham

Actually, i have found that clients that have hired four or five
doofii with negative results, really resent the price of competent
personnel though it is less that the price paid for all the doofii.