signal-testing guys: what tool/soft 2 measure audio transients?

[bongomania]

I know, weird thread title, but there's only so much room. I'm testing a bunch of audio cables; I have a DMM, scope, RTA software, and I'm getting a hardware LRC meter. So that covers resistance, capacitance, spectrum, and distortion. But a lot of the ads for high-end audio cables make huge claims about the speed or bandwidth with which they convey transient spikes, especially in the low frequencies. I want to be able to test those claims, and be able to show graphical proof from those tests.

What consumer-priced equipment or software will do that sort of testing?
Thx!

[ggunn]

Originally Posted by bongomania

I know, weird thread title, but there's only so much room. I'm testing a bunch of audio cables; I have a DMM, scope, RTA software, and I'm getting a hardware LRC meter. So that covers resistance, capacitance, spectrum, and distortion. But a lot of the ads for high-end audio cables make huge claims about the speed or bandwidth with which they convey transient spikes, especially in the low frequencies. I want to be able to test those claims, and be able to show graphical proof from those tests.

What consumer-priced equipment or software will do that sort of testing?
Thx!

You're going to need a Transparency Meter, a Tightness Scope, and an Air Content Analyzer. Good luck finding them.

Audiophile marketers go to a lot of trouble to come up with claims that cannot be disproved by objective instrumental analysis. Your best bet at catching them in a lie (or proving them right) is by rigorous double blind testing with a large sample size. Even then, the True Believers will find something wrong with your methodology. Does anyone remember Yuri Geller?

[okcrum]

Drive a fast rise/fall time square wave through the cable. The slope and shape of the rise and fall of the square wave coming out the end of the cable will tell you a lot about the cable bandwidth + transient response and gives some hints about the reactance values too.

You might want to calculate the characteristic impedance of the cable and do the same measurement with the cable terminated at both ends too, though that is not the normal mode of use. It'll clarify the cable losses and bandwidth/transient response.

[bongomania]

Good suggestions, thanks!

[Passinwind]

RMAA (freeware) has an impulse test function, but I can't vouch for its suitability for your task.

[Deepak]

Originally Posted by bongomania

a lot of the ads for high-end audio cables make huge claims about the speed or bandwidth with which they convey transient spikes

I <3 audiophiles.