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Author Topic: Anyone Use a Focusrite Scarlett for Measurements?  (Read 1580 times)

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Luckbad

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Re: Anyone Use a Focusrite Scarlett for Measurements?
« Reply #20 on: August 22, 2015, 05:41:11 AM »

These were my original measurements in RMAA, one with the ZxR's dBPro, and the other with the Scarlett 2i4.

If I wasn't so busy at work that I forgot to bring it home, I would have measured with other software today. Instead, this is what you get for now.

http://www.basshead.club/dac/ODAC_revB_ZxR.html
http://www.basshead.club/dac/ODAC_revB_Scarlett.html

The ZxR measurements were RCA -> RCA, and the Scarlett measurements were RCA -> Dual 1/4 Inch.
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ultrabike

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Re: Anyone Use a Focusrite Scarlett for Measurements?
« Reply #21 on: August 22, 2015, 07:55:54 AM »

The Scarlett measurements look sort a weird. Try REW better and check your voltage levels.
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Luckbad

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Re: Anyone Use a Focusrite Scarlett for Measurements?
« Reply #22 on: August 29, 2015, 05:36:17 AM »

Okay... Just measured the Vorzuge VorzAMP Duo with a 75 Ohm load using a simple resistor adapter. The measurements are FAR better than without load.

http://www.basshead.club/measurements/vorzuge_vorzamp_duo/

I need to figure out how to use REW for amp measurements. I'm going to try the Scarlett next.

Update: Scarlett can't friggin' measure my amps to save its life. It seems to work fine for headphones via an electret mic, but it just doesn't cut it for amp measurements.

Which is fine for me, because the DBpro is working great for it. Now I have a couple of nice Hosa Pro cables that I have no need for, though... anyone need a 3.5mm -> Dual XLR or RCA -> Dual TS?
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ultrabike

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Re: Anyone Use a Focusrite Scarlett for Measurements?
« Reply #23 on: August 29, 2015, 06:36:53 AM »

Well, the 2i2 48V phantom power mic interface is balanced, so that helps. Pretty much every other Pro audio interface I've found is balanced, and seem to do well balanced. Unbalanced... Maybe the EMU doesn't suck that bad, but still...

The DBpro is designed to work well unbalanced.

As far as 75 Ohms doing awesome vs no-load, that's weird. Because for the same amount of voltage a 75 ohm load will demand more current than a 10k ohm load (which is "no-load"). So far I've not seen a situation where a no-load (open) will do worse than a loaded measurement.
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Luckbad

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Re: Anyone Use a Focusrite Scarlett for Measurements?
« Reply #24 on: August 29, 2015, 06:38:53 AM »

I'll re-run the tests with 75 Ohm load and no load.

Here's a fun little comparison between volume levels (I always see debates of 100% PC volume vs. 99% vs. 80%):

http://www.basshead.club/measurements/vorzuge_vorzamp_duo/vol_comparison.html
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ultrabike

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Re: Anyone Use a Focusrite Scarlett for Measurements?
« Reply #25 on: August 29, 2015, 06:44:22 AM »

Seems to roll a bit too soon in the lows. This is not loaded or 75 ohms? BTW, I maybe reading things wrong, but you are getting about 17 something bits of resolution, assuming I'm doing the math right and the ADC is not limiting readings. Not too bad if that's the case.
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Luckbad

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Re: Anyone Use a Focusrite Scarlett for Measurements?
« Reply #26 on: August 29, 2015, 06:49:13 AM »

Just did loaded vs. unloaded and the results are virtually identical. I realized that previously, I was running from an ODAC to the amp, and now I'm running from a ZxR... apparently the ZxR has a better DAC implementation than the ODAC.

As for the lows rolling off too soon, that is really there. I could hear it rolling off before I even measured, and all of my results with the DBpro and Scarlett both in REW and RMAA show the rolloff.

It's strange that it does that, but it definitely does. It has a crazy switch that pumps the bass up +15dB and a treble switch that pushes treble up ~5dB.
http://i0.wp.com/www.basshead.club/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/VorzAMP_duo_eqduo.png
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ultrabike

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Re: Anyone Use a Focusrite Scarlett for Measurements?
« Reply #27 on: August 29, 2015, 07:00:32 AM »

LOL! I wouldn't be surprised that much if the ZxR > ODAC. I would proly joint the Massdrop deal on it if I had a desktop. As it is I only have 2 laptops.

As far as the roll off, I was wondering about the roll off and the loading because sometimes there are coupling caps that reduce the low frequency extension depending on how small the load is. I would expect the lows to roll less w/o load (1k ohms) vs load (1k || 75 ~ 75 ohm).
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Luckbad

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Re: Anyone Use a Focusrite Scarlett for Measurements?
« Reply #28 on: August 29, 2015, 07:49:52 AM »

The ZxR measures really well.

http://www.basshead.club/measurements/zxr/zxr.html

I've always felt like the ACM module (volume control pot) added a little noise to the signal, so I tested it:

http://www.basshead.club/measurements/zxr/zxr_acm.html

Yep.

http://www.basshead.club/measurements/zxr/acm_comparison.html
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Luckbad

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Re: Anyone Use a Focusrite Scarlett for Measurements?
« Reply #29 on: August 29, 2015, 08:09:30 AM »

Last measurement of the night. For grins, I checked my onboard sound.

It's less of a train wreck than I expected, probably because it's about the best onboard sound you can get (SupremeFX 2014 aka Realtek 1150).

http://www.basshead.club/measurements/maximus_vii_hero/
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