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Sound distortion [message #85334] Sun, 04 June 2017 02:25 Go to next message
cwemoy is currently offline  cwemoy
Messages: 153
Registered: May 2016
Master
I'm aware that input noise isn't factored when talking about measurement. Having said this, how is sound distortion measured and what does 1% sound distortion mean? I'm saying this with the understanding that we still have different types of distortion.
Re: Sound distortion [message #85343 is a reply to message #85334] Sun, 04 June 2017 13:18 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Wayne Parham is currently offline  Wayne Parham
Messages: 18670
Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)

Actually, noise is usually factored in when making distortion measurements. One should know the noise floor, and realize that beneath it, harmonics and other distortions are "invisible" to the measurement gear. They are said to be lost "below the noise floor." The term THD+N is total harmonic distortion plus noise.

Re: Sound distortion [message #85348 is a reply to message #85343] Sun, 04 June 2017 14:13 Go to previous messageGo to next message
gofar99 is currently offline  gofar99
Messages: 1895
Registered: May 2010
Location: Southern Arizona
Illuminati (5th Degree)
I agree, my HP distortion analyzer considers noise as distortion.

Good Listening
Bruce
Re: Sound distortion [message #85354 is a reply to message #85334] Mon, 05 June 2017 06:38 Go to previous messageGo to next message
drake is currently offline  drake
Messages: 215
Registered: June 2016
Master
This gets me confused at times. Much as THD comprises of all harmonic distortion products in a measurement, how does it differ from selective harmonic distortion?
Re: Sound distortion [message #85359 is a reply to message #85354] Mon, 05 June 2017 10:36 Go to previous message
Wayne Parham is currently offline  Wayne Parham
Messages: 18670
Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)

Some harmonics are more discordant than others. Odd harmonics sound worse than even harmonics do, and higher harmonics sound more edgy than lower ones. So if you have 5% second harmonic in one environment and 3% fifth harmonic in another, the latter will sound worse even though the percentage of distortion in the first case is higher.

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