Measuring capacitors and inductivities not related to speakers

[redmountain]

Is this possible,
and how exactly ?
Sense resistor values ?
YT videos ?
Thank youand best regards

Klaus

 

[John Mulcahy]

Sure, same as any other impedance measurement. REW can fit a component model to the measurements after you have made them.

 

[luigi57]

Hi John,
I'm using your fantastic software to test audio transformer for MC cartridge; my task is to measure all transformer parameters to simulate it.The transformer I want to test is an old Audio Tecnica AT660T with a step-up ratio ranging from 1:34 to 1:125: do you suggest to measure impedance from the secondary side in order to have a step-down transformer?
Why low-frequency is limited to 2Hz? Is there any possibility to extend to 0.2Hz?
Many thanks for your suggestions.
Luigi

 

[John Mulcahy]

You can change the graph start frequency in the View preferences. I don't have any advice on transformer measurement, sorry.

 

[luigi57]

Thank you John.
But, also the sweep frequency can be lower than 2 Hz?

 

[dcibel]

Sweep can start at 0Hz, but IR window needs to be >500ms to capture frequencies below 2Hz.To capture frequencies to 0.2Hz requires a window of 5 seconds.

 

[luigi57]

Thank you Decibel.
Do you mean that to capture frequencies to 0.2Hz only the right IR Window must be >5 seconds for sine sweep, or even the left IR Window must be changed?

 

[dcibel]

0.2Hz wavelength is 5 seconds long, so total window needs to be at least 5 seconds, simple as that. How much left and right depends on where the reference marker is located. If ref at IR start, the 5s right, 0 left as bare minimum

 

[dcibel]

Keep in mind that most audio interfaces have DC blocking caps on the input, so you may not find very high signal level at 0.2Hz, SNR could present some problems in accuracy/reliability of results. As well, both channels of audio input need to be well matched, which will primarily be affected by component tolerances in that DC blocking high pass circuit. Simple loopback test of each input channel will confirm on your equipment.

 

[luigi57]

My sound card has -3dB points at 1,4Hz and 80KHz and the interface to sound card has -3dB points at 0,16Hz and 250KHz. My interest is on measuring impedance and amplifier, not speakers response. SNR, for sure, can limit low-level results.

 

[trobbins]

-3dB at 1.4Hz for a loopback is a good start for using the low frequency capability of REW.

My EMU 0404 has a DAC/headphone output with -3dB at 1.5Hz (up to 94kHz), but the ADC/input amp coupling is far more limiting with -3dB at 2.8Hz at 44.1/48kHz sampling, rising to 5Hz at 192kHz sampling (even though the AK5385 HPF -3dB spec is down at 1Hz for 44/48kHz sampling). With respect to using a compensation curve to flatten the loopback response, the compensation is -11dB and 140 deg phase at 2Hz, so some heavy lifting from the compensation when measuring below 2Hz. The bulk of that low frequency roll-off is from 47uF 63V coupling caps, which can be swapped out for higher capacitance parts (and even at lower voltage if phantom power is disabled), although it could be practical but quite risky to bypass them for dc response if the soundcard was dedicated to a particular testing setup.