FINALLY Measuring the Distortion of an SG505!

[@clint7-1]

I want one of those QA machines. Watched Signal Path’s review again last night and now you are using it today. Cool

[@Sigmatechnica]

Yeah i got one of them too after TSPs video. It's a nice instrument.

[@cbiz8]

Excellent analysis video! Thanks.

[@Edisson.]

Hi, this QA403 is an amazing tool, I wanted to buy it just to measure THD in home audio repairs, I ended up buying a Keithley 2015. I don't do these audio repairs often and at this point a 6.5 digit multimeter would be more useful 🤔 maybe sometime in the future I'll save money on QA. Nice day 🙂 Tom

[@ericksonengineering7011]

Great video, thanks. I want a QA403!

[@jenniferwhitewolf3784]

That is one amazing little box. Looks like I will have to start putting some pennies aside. Working in audio, the Quint FFT display will be quite useful to me. When I use my SG505 option 2 to drive single ended, I always plug the dual banana adapter horizontally,across the 2 hot nodes, not diagonally between one hot and GND lug. Can you please try both orientations to see which produces the best numbers?

[@andymouse]

Great looking instrument, it would be nice to see the loop back performance in place in your lab I would like to know how good the Output of the quad is !...cheers.

[@leonardpeters3266]

That was off the hook. I have to temper my instrumentation to my budget. Haven't afforded a Tek distortion system. I drool every time I see one.

[@danhorton6182]

Two questions: how long did it take you to receive it? I purchased it along with the QA451 programmable 4/8 ohm load. I had been holding off for the QA404, but decided not to wait any longer. I’ll grab one when they’re released and maybe sell the 403. I paid four days ago and I know they said there was a back order again, but that US and EU markets (I’m US) should have availability in the first week of December. My order still says order placed, not being impatient, just trying to get an idea of how long until it ships. Second: would you be able to show with a video or tell how you hooked it up to your laptop. I’ve been told you need a really good sound card and I’ve been told using an external USB device like the Focusrite Scarlett is all you need.

[@ZenwizardStudios]

When I ordered it was in stock so it took about a week shipping. For the Q403 there is a generator and analyzer built in to the unit. So no sound card is needed. The only hookup to the Q403 is a single USB cable and a software install.

[@ZhuraYuki]

Why you did not connected common wire from BNC to SG505 in differential mode? Also I see some 60/50Hz spikes in spectrum beginning. Does power supply in SG505 is ok? Filtering caps?

[@ZenwizardStudios]

On the BNC version of the 505 there is not a common wire to connect. Return is through the shield of the coax. The output of the SG505 can be set floating or ground referenced on the unit. The power supply is totally fine for the SG505. There is a chirp that some times happens in the lab. At the time of this videos recording I did not have it nailed down. I do have that 100% figured out now and there will be a video on what it is out soon.

[@gino3286]

hi truly great video and thank you very much for it at 11:18 i see peaks on the left of the 1kHz peak Could it be power supply noise coming from the signal generator ? are you aware of signal generator powered by batteries ?

[@ZenwizardStudios]

This is most likely caused by a slight imbalance in the transformer winding. This does have a bit of an in depth explanation but this is WAY down in the noise. The unit still meets its specifications so nothing to worry about. The power frames used for this testing was NOT a switching supply. The TM 500 power frames are linier supplies and the TM 5000 frames are switching so the power supply should be able as quiet as is realistic in a lab with a mix of modern and vintage gear. I am not aware of a ultra low distortion generator that runs on batteries that get this low in the distortion range. The output of the tested SG505 was an option 2 unit so it has a transformer coupled with a center tap for ground ref to get the fully balanced output for differential signaling.

[@gino3286]

@@ZenwizardStudios thank you very much again A very good signal generator all considered But also the one in the QA looks wonderful I would like to start some measurements only on line preamp for curiosity I am trying to learn something

[@mrsurname9217]

Where did you get the price of "a couple hundred dollars" from? They're 600 dollars, not 200.

[@ZenwizardStudios]

I was patient and waited. They come up about every 6 months or so. But I agree for $600 I would rather have the QA 403

[@mrsurname9217]

@@ZenwizardStudios You've confused me. The IS a QA 403, and they are $600.

[@ZenwizardStudios]

That might be my mistake sorry for the confusion. The base video was on the SG505 which can ALSO go for $600 in the secondary market. The SG505 is ONLY the signal source for distortion analysis an AA501 is ALSO needed which also tend to go for around $700 to $1000 but I have seen as low as $200 - $300 The AA501 is a more robust unit being able to take 200 Vac on the input but also does not give the spectrum analysis capabilities of the QA 403. But within its limits the QA404 is an amazing piece of gear for $600 and is purpose bult for audio distortion analysis. Similar equipment will be several orders of magnitude higher in terms of cost especially new. Especially when considering that source and measurement are built in to the same unit. It replaced BOTH the SG505 and the AA501 Zen

[@jameswarren1831]

You couldn't purchase one for the longest time, dac factory burned down then corona caused shortages.