Featured Equipment & Certifications

Ever so often something revolutionary happens in the A/V world that changes it forever. Rarely do you ever hear an A/V publication pay homage to a test equipment company. The new APx585 8CH HDMI Audio Analyzer from Audio Precision deserves the highest praises for single handedly being the most powerful, yet easiest to use multi channel Audio Analyzer on the market. For the first time in the history of this industry, we will be able to conduct full blown multi channel analysis of amplifiers, receivers, Blu-ray players via the HDMI interfaces to quantify audio performance through the entire signal chain. We look forward to the improvement of our review process thanks to this marvelous tool.

For those who really enjoy this hobby and want to better themselves, we've assembled a list of some books that really touch upon some topics that we find are invaluable. While we can't support each and every word stated in these books, we feel that for the most part they will offer helpful tips and insights into the particular areas which they address. Becoming an audioholic doesn't happen overnight - and it comes about by equal parts experimentation, association and study. These books will be a great reference for those looking to get a leg up in the world of audio and video.

AVIA Professional (AVIA Pro) is a multi-disc calibration, set-up and test suite from Ovation Multimedia. The suite consists of seven DVDs plus a user manual designed to be an all-inclusive product for the calibration of video and audio systems. AVIA Pro is the most technologically advanced product for use in the professional and home theater environments.

The HAA is a professional training organization dedicated toward home acoustics. Its purpose is to promote the correct and most effective use of acoustical design and calibration techniques specifically for the home. The HAA brings together Manufacturers, Audio/Video Professionals, and Consumers in the pursuit of excellence. It is a melting pot for ideas and techniques for achieving great sound through collaboration.

The birth of digital television promises to eradicate the ills of conventional TV. Without an understanding of and careful attention to the established standards, DTV will fall victim to difficulties similar to those which have plagued NTSC. The ISF certification seminar addresses these issues.

The Instek GFG-8216A function generator allows for generation of up to 3MHz in sine, square, triangle, ramp, TTL and CMOS waveforms.

The SP395 Audio Integrator is a capable, versatile and completely integrated audio analyzer for use with custom home theater installations.

The Agilent 4275A precision LCR meter is a cost-effective solution for component and material measurement. The wide 20 Hz to 1 MHz test frequency range and superior test-signal performance allow the Agilent 4275A to test components to the most commonly-used test standards, such as IEC/MIL standards, and under conditions that simulate the intended application.

LMS is an antiquated application that is barely maintained by LinearX, a very small company that is living off its legacy. LinearX never, in fact, bothered to optimize the system to work with modern, but even now almost obsoleted, PCI bus slots (so forget about running it on a new laptop or desktop). They take the motto "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" to extremes. Still, the system is effective and the measurements are detailed and widely accepted in the industry.