Application and Technical Support for Audio Precision APWIN Users

Obtaining Frequency Response Measurements using an Audio Program as the test signal
The Audio Precision System Twos dual channel FFT signal analysis provides an alternate method of obtaining frequency response measurements. With power spectrum averaging of the FFT, the test signal can be regular audio program material. This ability to use music as the test signal can be useful in situations where conventional test signals would be annoying to listeners, such as in broadcasting or live performances. The only requirement for the source program is that it have sufficient energy, over time, at all frequencies in the bandwidth of interest. In other words a rock band or a symphonic orchestra would be a better choice than a single folk singer with a guitar.

FFT Transfer Function Technique

Dual channel spectrum averaging can give a similar result using FFTs of both the input and output signals. For this demonstration white noise (the ideal condition) will be used first, then a sample of music will be substituted for the input signal. The setup for this test is shown in Figure 2 below:

Traditional Analog Frequency Response Measurement

Traditionally, analog frequency response measurements are performed by sweeping a sine wave generator from 20 Hz to 20 kHz and measuring the output amplitude of the device under test (DUT) at prescribed frequencies. The results are then plotted. For the purpose of this tech note a typical graphic equalizer will be used for the DUT. For this test the 1 kHz slider of the EQ is set to full cut (-15 dB). Figure 1 is an Audio Precision response plot of the DUT graphic EQ using the traditional analog swept sine technique.
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Analog Frequency Response of EQ with 1kHz @ -15dB

Figure 2 Setup for transfer function measurement

FFT Transfer function measurements of linear systems

The transfer function or frequency response of a system is defined as the complex ratio of the output to the input as a function of frequency.
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Hxy(f) =

Fy (f) Fx (f)

Figure 1 Analog swept sine frequency response

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Where:

Transfer Function (Frequency Response)

Figure 5 shows the result of dividing the averaged input and output noise FFTs using COMPUTE DELTA. This FFT transfer function clearly shows results that are very similar to the traditional swept sine technique. Of course, using white noise as the source is an ideal condition; however, music can also be used as the stimulus, or test signal, provided that the music sample contains sufficient energy at all frequencies of interest.
Audio Precision Transfer Function FFT Length 4096 8 averages
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Hxy(f) is the transfer function from x to y, or output/input;

Fx(f) is the FFT of the input; and Fy(f) is the FFT of the output.
Power Spectrum of white noise stimulus and response (input and output)
The statistical accuracy of random signals can be improved by averaging FFTs over several records. In the System Two Digital Analyzer panel select Power (spectrum only) in the Avgs field. The number of averages is then selected in the field to the immediate right. A value of 1 indicates no averaging. Figures 3 and 4 are the input Fx(f) and output Fy(f) FFTs using white noise as the test signal. The two graphs show both averaged and non-averaged spectra with an FFT length of 4096. Trace 1 is the input FFT Fx(f) and trace 2 is the output FFT Fy(f).
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Noise Spectra with no averages

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Figure 5 Transfer function of graphic EQ with white noise signal

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Spectra of sampled music stimulus and response

Using the same conditions in the DUT (Graphic EQ 1kHz @ -15dB) a music source is sampled instead of noise. Figures 6 and 7 show averaged and non-averaged input and output FFTs of the audio signal. Music has a long-term spectrum that varies approximately as 1/f, i.e. it drops at 6 dB/octave. This slope is apparent in the averaged music FFTs as shown in Figure 7.
Audio Precision Music Spectra No Averaging
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Figure 3 White noise FFT of input and output

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Noise Spectra with

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Figure 4 White noise power spectrum of input and output

Figure 6 FFT spectrum of noise signal input and output

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Transfer Function

Using Compute Delta

It is simple to obtain this transfer function measurement using APWIN. When amplitude units are expressed in dB, the ratio of input versus output becomes a simple subtraction. With the COMPUTE DELTA function we can easily subtract the input FFT data from the output FFT data and then redisplay the transfer function result as Hxy(f). In the COMPUTE DELTA dialog box shown in Figure 9, the Delta Source is set to Sweep Data. Then Data 3 is set to FFT.CH1 Ampl (the output) in the sweep panel. Data 3 is also selected as the Data to Compute. In the Delta Source Column list box for Data 3, Sweep Data FFT.CH2 Ampl, (the input) is selected. When the Apply After Sweep box is checked, FFT.CH2 Ampl is subtracted from FFT.CH1 Ampl automatically after each sweep. Because the amplitude units are expressed in dB this is the same as dividing Fy(f) by Fx(f) The transfer function Hxy(f) result is ready to be displayed in Data 3.

Figure 7 Power spectrum of music signal input and output

Transfer Function (Frequency Response) using music as the test signal

Dividing the output music FFT by the input music FFT shows a comparable frequency response result to that obtained with white noise. The resolution of the FFT will limit the accuracy of the results in the low frequencies, due to the linear spacing of frequencies between bins. The frequency span of each spectral line is equal to the Sampling Rate divided by the FFT size. For instance, if the FFT size is 1024 and the Sampling Rate is 48k the span of each spectral line will be 48000 / 1024 = 46.875 Hz. Larger FFT sizes provide higher spectral resolution but take longer to acquire and compute. Figure 9 Setting up Compute Delta
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Transfer Function of Audio Program

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Delay
If delay has been introduced between stimulus and response, it will be necessary to match the delay time. The Cross Correlation function provided by MLS can find the amount of delay in the output. MLS cross correlation gives a measure of the extent to which two signals correlate with each other as a function of the time displacement between them. For the delay measurement you will need to use the MLS test signal. See chapter 15 of the APWIN Users Manual for System Two for more details

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Figure 8 Transfer function (frequency response) of graphic EQ using music

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Transfer Function

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TECH NOTES are hints and information to assist APWIN users to perform specialized or unusual tests.

Audio Precision PO Box 2209 Beaverton, Oregon 97075-2209 Tel: (503) 627-0832 Fax: (503) 641-8906 US Toll Free: 1-800-231-7350 Email: techsupport@audioprecision.com Web Site: www.audioprecision.com

Copyright 1999 Audio Precision Inc. TN21-0132-01-M-1099-5C