DuBaron
Sound Card Test Results

SoundBlaster 128 Ensoniq
SB 128 Ensoniq		 SB128 PCI Ensoniq (with loop cable)

# Input devices : 1 #Output devices : 1
Wave In : 2.500 Registrazione SB AudioPCI
Wave Out : 2.501 Riproduzione SB AudioPCI
Capable of 44K1/16bits/stereo Full-Duplex
In/Out Ratio : 0,3 Db.
Bias : -0,0039%
RMS Max.Signal/Noise at 0 dB: -79,6 dB.
Minimal Effective Signal/Noise at 0 dB: -81,4 dB.

Frequency response :
10 Hz -0,54 dB
50 Hz 0,09 dB
1000 Hz 0,26 dB
10000 Hz 2,27 dB
15000 Hz 0,65 dB
18500 Hz 0,42 dB
22000 Hz -20,88 dB
Channel Seperation at 1000 Hz
Signal Left L/R : -8,8 dB.
Signal Right L/R : -8,8 dB.
Terractec DMX Xfire 1024 Terractec DMX Xfire 1024

Test Results:
# Input devices : 1 #Output devices : 1
Wave In : 1.2 Microsoft Audio-Mapper
Wave Out : 1.2 Microsoft Audio-Mapper
Capable of 44K1/16bits/stereo Full-Duplex
In/Out Ratio : 0,3 Db.
Bias : 1,0445%
RMS Max.Signal/Noise at 0 dB: -10,4 dB.
Minimal Effective Signal/Noise at 0 dB: -25,2 dB.

Frequency response :
10 Hz 0,29 dB
50 Hz -0,71 dB
1000 Hz -0,02 dB
10000 Hz 0,88 dB
15000 Hz 0,61 dB
18500 Hz 0,16 dB
22000 Hz -10,58 dB
Channel Seperation at 1000 Hz
Signal Left L/R : -14,6 dB.
Signal Right L/R : -13,6 dB.
Sound Blaster AWE32 ISA

Celeron 433Mhz,163MB RAM,mainboard Commate P2LXB
Sound card: Sound Blaster AWE32 ISA
Tested under Windows ME
Sound Blaster AWE32 ISA
# Input devices : 1 #Output devices : 1
Wave In : 1.2 Maper Microsoft Sound
Wave Out : 1.2 Maper Microsoft Sound
Capable of 44K1/16bits/stereo Full-Duplex
In/Out Ratio : 0,1 Db.
Bias : -0,032%
RMS Max.Signal/Noise at 0 dB: -70,2 dB.
Minimal Effective Signal/Noise at 0 dB: -74 dB.

Frequency response :
10 Hz -7,35 dB
50 Hz -0,13 dB
1000 Hz 0,06 dB
10000 Hz 0,09 dB
15000 Hz 0,12 dB
18500 Hz -1,21 dB
22000 Hz -8,88 dB
Channel Seperation at 1000 Hz
Signal Left L/R : -58,9 dB.
Signal Right L/R : -58,8 dB.
CMI 8330
 CMI 8330 (external/with loopback plug)
Bias : 0,821% 
RMS Max.Signal/Noise at 0 dB: -52,6 dB.
Effective Signal/Noise at 0 dB: -57 dB.
Channel Seperation at 1000 Hz 
Signal Left L/R : -51,8 dB. 
Signal Right L/R : -49,4 dB.
Sound Galaxy (Aztech) (Internal)
Bias : -0.3756%
RMS Max.Signal/Noise at 0 dB: -72.5 dB.
Effective Signal/Noise at 0 dB: -73.8 dB.
Channel Seperation at 1000 Hz
Signal Left L/R : -74.9 dB.
Signal Right L/R : -75.7 dB.
BLUE=OPTI 924 (Analog Devices AD1845JP)
BLACK=Addonics SV750 (Trident 4DWave-dx)

See column below
 
 
OPTI 924 (Analog Devices AD1845JP) (Internal): 
Bias : -0,089% 
RMS Max.Signal/Noise at 0 dB: -60,9 dB. 
Effective Signal/Noise at 0 dB: -62,4 dB. 
Channel Seperation at 1000 Hz 
Signal Left L/R : -43,2 dB. 
Signal Right L/R : -39 dB. 		 Addonics SV750.C (Trident)(External) 
In/Out Ratio : -0,1 Db. 
Bias : -0,0127% 
RMS Max.Signal/Noise at 0 dB: -58,5 dB.
Effective Signal/Noise at 0 dB: -61,3 dB.
Channel Seperation at 1000 Hz 
Signal Left L/R : -62,7 dB. 
Signal Right L/R : -57,6 dB.
CRYSTAL CM 3xxx series (Internal) 
Bias : -0,0215% 
RMS Max.Signal/Noise at 0 dB: -70,5 dB. Effective Signal/Noise at 0 dB: -71,9 dB.
Channel Seperation at 1000 Hz 
Signal Left L/R : -73,9 dB. 
Signal Right L/R : -73,5 dB. 
Note : The strange peaks in the area < 100 Hz Might be caused by a very slow driver response... We work on this. 
Black-trident pci, 
blue=opti 924, 
red=playback:trident, record:opti, via external loopback plug. 

Notice how the 'high' drop is to be expected the same for recording and playback. 
SB Live! (with & without quadrofonic)

SB Live!
# Input devices : 1 #Output devices : 1
Wave In : 1.2 Microsoft-geluidstoewijzing
Wave Out : 1.2 Microsoft-geluidstoewijzing
Capable of 44K1/16bits/stereo Full-Duplex
In/Out Ratio : 0,3 Db.
Bias : -0,0136%
RMS Max.Signal/Noise at 0 dB: -29,3 dB.
Minimal Effective Signal/Noise at 0 dB: -68,9 dB.

Frequency response :
10 Hz -1,2 dB
50 Hz -0,42 dB
1000 Hz 0,26 dB
10000 Hz 1,06 dB
15000 Hz 0,48 dB
18500 Hz -1,5 dB
22000 Hz -14,1 dB
Channel Seperation at 1000 Hz
Signal Left L/R : -67,4 dB.
Signal Right L/R : -67,9 dB.
This happens if you have some(...) feedback (i.e. feeding input back to output when measuring),
sb live! 5.1
The testresults came up as follow:
  • Only 44K FUll-Duplex cards can be tested.
  • There are two ways of testing: internally or using a loopback-plug (two 3.5mm stereo jacks).
  • Internal gives you information mostly about the chip(set) itself, the quality of you DAC and DCA, and the noise added.
  • Using a loopback-connector gives information about the soundcard as a whole. The test remains the same, you have to select mixer recording properties to the desired input. Some cards do digital mixing, giving a fully 100% internal frequency response.
  • Preferabaly set recording level at highest level, and adjust wave-out volume to get a 0dB in/output ratio. This way you measure the 'at least' quality of the card.
  • Note that because in AND out is measured at the same time, you might want to adjust results when only playback or record channel is counted.
  • You might want to substract 6 dB (fifty-fifty) from the noise-level, or halvate the frequency dampning.
    Although the test program isn't finished yet, mainly I have to finish the Harmonic Distortion measurement, you can already download this beta.
    Please note that the used chipset is not responsible for all results. The quality greatly depents on the manufacturor.
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    December 20. 1998