AudioControl SA-3052A Operation Manual
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AudioControl SA-3052A Operation Manual

Competition autosound analyzer/spl meter
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SA-3052A
tm
tm
Competition Autosound
Analyzer/SPL Meter
Operation Manual
SA-3052
®
22410 70th Avenue West • Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043
Phone 425-775-8461 • Fax 425-778-3166 • Internet http://www.audiocontrol.com
© 2014 AudioControl. All rights reserved.
P/N 9021100

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  • Page 1 SA-3052A Competition Autosound Analyzer/SPL Meter Operation Manual SA-3052 ® 22410 70th Avenue West • Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043 Phone 425-775-8461 • Fax 425-778-3166 • Internet http://www.audiocontrol.com © 2014 AudioControl. All rights reserved. P/N 9021100...
  • Page 2 SA-3052A Owner’s Manual ®...

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Introduction Test Instruments vs. Toys ..........1-1 ANSI Filter Design ............1-2 Applications ..............1-3 Accessory Information ..........1-3 Chapter 2 SA-3052A Front and Rear Panel Features Front Panel ..............2-1 Rear Panel ..............2-4 Chapter 3 Operation Quick-Start Information ..........3-1 Using The SA-3052A’s Functions .......3-1 Storing and Recalling a Response Curve .....3-1...
  • Page 4 SA-3052A Owner’s Manual ®...

  • Page 5: About This Manual

    About This Manual This manual describes the AudioControl SA-3052A and a few of its audio applica- tions. The manual is divided into several major sections. Chapter 1. Introduction is an overview of the SA-3052A and to this manual. Chapter 2.

  • Page 6: Notational Conventions

    Some of the text in this manual is set apart by the headings: Note, Caution, or Warning These terms are used to denote varying degrees of awareness required by the user during installation, operation, or maintenance of the SA-3052A. NOTE conveys information that may be helpful to the user. A note is similar to an aside during a conversation.

  • Page 7: Test Instruments Vs. Toys

    The SA-3052A was calibrated at the factory to meet or exceed its published specifica- tions. You can make a measurement with the SA-3052A and compare it with a measurement made by any other measurement-grade instrument and know that you are comparing apples with apples.

  • Page 8: Ansi Filter Design

    Class II standards. The filters used in the SA-3052A analyzer meet or exceed the standards specified by ANSI for a Class II, Type E filter set. Simply, they are very, very good but still affordable.

  • Page 9: Applications

    SA-3052A and you’re ready to go. SC-10 Soft Carrying Case The optional soft carrying case protects the SA-3052A from the ravages of porta ble operation. It includes a large pocket to carry the mike and cables. There is also a hatch on the bottom of the case to allow access to the power cord connection.
  • Page 10 Designed for SPL contests, this option includes a large, very bright SPL display which connects to the SA-3052A. The output is in big, bold numbers, which are easily readable by the contest crowd. Two analyzers and displays may be started simultaneously by a single simulstart button (SS-10).

  • Page 11: Sa-3052A Front And Rear Panel Features

    To continue operation, the SA-3052A may be operated from the AC power line. The batteries may be recharged by plugging the SA-3052A into a suitable source of AC pow- er, with the front panel p switch set to the o position for a period of 9 to 10 hours.
  • Page 12 SPL bar graph display) in its internal non-volatile memory. These memories are stored at the highest resolution of the SA-3052A, so you can scale the display with the switch during memory recall. Any combination of the memories can also be averaged.
  • Page 13 44dB SPL to 136dB SPL. The SPL display is only accurate if the AudioControl CM-10 microphone is used, or if the external microphone matches the sensitivity of the CM-10 microphone.

  • Page 14: Rear Panel

    An IEC 3-prong receptacle provides the connection for AC power input to the SA-3052A. The SA-3052A is factory supplied to operate at one of the following AC power sup- ply voltages. The supplied configuration is marked on the rear panel of the unit. Consult the AudioControl factory for power supply conversion information.

  • Page 15: Quick-Start Information

    SA-3052A. Quick-Start Information 1. Connect the SA-3052A to a suitable source of AC power. If your instrument is equipped with the battery option, the batteries must be charged before use. The correct AC power configuration is marked on the rear panel of the instrument.

  • Page 16: Averaging Several Readings

    6. Peak-Hold The Peak-Hold mode allows you to accumulate the highest peak level in all of the SA-3052A’s thirty display bands. This display may be stored in any memory location, averaged, etc. 1. Press and hold the r button for one second.

  • Page 17: Printer Operation

    The printer output is a form with space provided for logging the time and date of the job, as well as any other data. A sample is shown in figure 3.1. The SA-3052A prints special output formats when in IASCA or USAC scoring modes.
  • Page 18 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Performance Match Technician _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ AUDIOCONTROL SA-3055 SPECTRUM ANALYSIS System Frequency Response--One Third Octave * * *...

  • Page 19: Connector Pin Designations

    2. Set the front panel p switch to o owEr 3. Leave the SA-3052A for a period of 8 to 10 hours (twice the discharge time). 4. The battery charger automatically adjusts the rate of charge as the battery reaches full charge. The p...
  • Page 20 The low-voltage cutout could make the instrument appear to be totally dead. If the SA-3052A appears dead, plug it into a source of AC power. Ensure that the analyzer is turned off. Leave it plugged in for at least two hours to charge. If the C...

  • Page 21: A And C Weighted Measurements

    SA-3052A. Without the AC-10, the SA-3052A’s measurements are unweight- ed. The AC-10 uses active filters to create the two weighting curves. Power for the filter is supplied by the phantom power supply on the microphone input of the SA-3052A. Figure 3.3. A and C weighting filter response curves To install the AC-10: 1.

  • Page 22: Getting Extreme At 175Db Spl

    WARNING: Exposure to sound pressure levels in excess of 90 decibels causes hearing damage. AudioControl assumes no liability or responsibility for hearing loss incurred directly or indirectly by the use of the SA-3052A. Please remember to practice safe sound. Figure 3.5.

  • Page 23: Acoustical Testing With The Sa-3052A

    Chapter 4 - Acoustical Testing with the SA-3052A Perhaps the most important use of the SA-3052A is as an acoustical measuring tool: e.g. equalizing sound systems. This section of the manual discusses the process and ra- tionale behind using a real-time-analyzer and an equalizer as an integral part of any sound system.

  • Page 24: Basic Procedure

    Chapter 4 - Acoustical Testing with the SA-3052A Before we go any further, you should note that equalization is a tool. Correctly ap- plied it can do wonders. Some situations are beyond help. No amount of equalization will overcome the problems caused by reflections, standing waves, and resonance.
  • Page 25 Chapter 4 - Acoustical Testing with the SA-3052A 7. Now adjust the equalizer to make the average response curve flat. (level out the peaks, and smooth the overall curve) 8. Recheck your work by checking the response through the microphone positions that you used to derive the average curve.

  • Page 26: Body Effects

    (but not quite) to your original threshold. This is one mechanism of permanent hearing loss. WARNING Audio Control assumes no liability or responsibility for hearing loss incurred directly or indirectly by the use of the SA-3052A. SA-3052A Owner’s Manual ®...

  • Page 27: A Primer On Car Acoustics

    Here is the problem: • For all intents and purposes, the listener is “within” the enclosure. • The listener’s location is fairly static. • The placement of reflecting surfaces and absorptive surfaces is haphazard from an SA-3052A Owner’s Manual ®...
  • Page 28 Last, how many car speakers have high-frequency balance controls? In most home stereo systems, the supplied bass and treble controls are sufficient for SA-3052A Owner’s Manual ®...
  • Page 29 Custom equalization of any system allows the installer to bring the overall perfor- mance of the total system to a standardized reference point, leaving the full range of the tone controls for the owner’s personal taste. That is the ultimate benefit of customized equalization. SA-3052A Owner’s Manual ®...
  • Page 30 SA-3052A Owner’s Manual ®...

  • Page 31: Getting The Last ¼ Db

    What is Noise? In any audio system, there are several potential noise sources. • thermal noise • induced noise • noise caused by a ground loop SA-3052A Owner’s Manual ®...
  • Page 32 Typically, ground loops are created by a piece of equipment having multiple connections into the grounding system. More than one audio technician is bald from searching for a ground loop within a sound system. SA-3052A Owner’s Manual ®...

  • Page 33: Getting The Last 1 / 4 Db

    Until you’ve traced out a noise problem, and found it to be a cleverly concealed ground loop, the phrase “Ground isn’t Ground” just sounds like random noise from another audio fanatic. All it takes is one good ground loop problem to turn the hardiest skeptic into a believer. SA-3052A Owner’s Manual ®...
  • Page 34 12 volts. At this time, the output signal can go no further, and the signal peak is truncated or flattened until the signal level falls below 12 volts. The signal level at which clipping occurs is known as the peak ceiling. SA-3052A Owner’s Manual ®...
  • Page 35 The optimum operating level is a compromise between headroom and working signal-to-noise (s/n) ratio. For most systems, 60 to 80 dB of working s/n is adequate and practical. Likewise, operating level for each component in the system allows you to set the working signal-to-noise ratio/headroom trade-off. SA-3052A Owner’s Manual ®...
  • Page 36 4 ohms) receiver. Assume that the receiver is a bit marginal in the residual noise department. If you want to get as much out of this setup as possible, then you’re going to have to find the right relationship between the gains of the two components. SA-3052A Owner’s Manual ®...
  • Page 37 Remember to explain to the owner that even though the control must be turned “way up”, that they are still getting full performance out of the amplifier. SA-3052A Owner’s Manual ®...
  • Page 38 Noise is a buzzing sound, synchronized with the horn (how did HORN you guess?). Again, a bypass capacitor should fix this too. SA-3052A Owner’s Manual ®...
  • Page 39 It’s a good idea to use a lower capacitance mylar or paper capacitor that is shunted with a generously sized electrolytic capacitor. Figure 6.5. Using a series choke and bypass capacitor. SA-3052A Owner’s Manual ®...
  • Page 40 3. It’s good insurance to use an ohmmeter to make sure that the chassis of each component isn’t already tied to its internal electrical ground. Sometimes the case is tied to circuit ground through a low to moderate value resistor. If the case to SA-3052A Owner’s Manual ® 6-10...
  • Page 41 Don’t use the auto body ground as the ground return for the speakers. They should connect to ground via the power amplifiers out- put connections. Figure 6.6. RF bypassing the power supply lines. SA-3052A Owner’s Manual ® 6-11...
  • Page 42 Input 2. Note: you will need to unplug the microphone or any other inputs. 2. Put the SA-3052A on digital SPL (hold the SPL button in for 2 seconds) with input sensitivity level set according to voltage goal and table on the next page.
  • Page 43 2. Don’t drive the SA-3052A with a source impedance higher than 2k ohms. This should not be a big problem as almost...
  • Page 44 7. We know you are going to get the best results using AudioControl Performance Match components as their maximum output levels are very conservatively rated at 7.5 volts.

  • Page 45: Contest Scoring

    The AudioControl SA-3052A makes computerized scoring easy and affordable. All you need is a SA-3052A and a parallel-type printer. The SA-3052A measures the frequen- cy response and SPL readings, calculates the score, and prints everything out. Cool!
  • Page 46 Center Zero 3dB/Step Frequency response scoring Few things are simpler than using the frequency response scoring in the SA-3052A analyzer. There are just two steps: 1) Press the STORE/FREEZE button or recall a memory. 2) Press the PRINT button on the rear of the SA-3052A.
  • Page 47 8) Freeze and store the curve into memory. 9) Print the score sheet and log the score on the safety sheet. SPL scoring The SA-3052A features an automatic 30 second timer and peak hold for the SPL section of your competition judging. To operate the SPL...
  • Page 48 ERROR: 3dB - Wrong display range used The dB per step switch on the SA-3052A MUST be set on 3dB/Step for the scoring option to func- tion. Set the dB per step switch to 3 and press the print button again.
  • Page 49 Apple or Point-of-Sale-type printers usually have a serial interface and will not work with the SA-3052A. An easy way to double check is to look at the connector on the print- er. It should have 36 flat connections rather than the 25 round connections like the plug on the rear of the SA-3052A.
  • Page 50 SA-3052A Owner’s Manual ®...

  • Page 51: Sound System Equalization

    If you set up in different venues night after night, the SA-3052A can be the impartial judge that helps you make your sound consis- tent, night after night.
  • Page 52 If the EQ controls didn’t interact, the equal- izer wouldn’t be very useful...let alone musical. The SA-3052A shows you what is going on in-between the bands of the equalizer and the effects of the controls away from their band-centers.
  • Page 53 Careful equalization of your monitor system using the SA-3052A and a good equal- izer can give your studio the ability to make tapes that sound good anywhere. The process and pitfalls are very similar to equalizing a home hi-fi system.

  • Page 54: Component Checkout

    Component Checkout You can use the SA-3052A to check out the frequency response of any component that you can get pink noise into or out of. Of course, signal processors, preamplifiers and amplifiers can all use the pink noise output of the SA-3052A.

  • Page 55: Sound And Music Monitoring

    Of course, the equalization picked should favor the instrument. You might look at the problem as picking the instrument to fit the equalization. It may seem like the chicken before the egg, but it works! SA-3052A Owner’s Manual ®...

  • Page 56: Crossover Testing

    Watt power rating is sufficient. You can also use the speakers that will be connected to the crossover as a load. If you’re checking an active crossover, you don’t need the load resis- tors. Use the setup shown in Figure 5.6. 2. The SA-3052A. SA-3052 SA-3052 Figure 5.5.
  • Page 57 It really doesn’t matter which output you test first. Set the pink noise output of the SA-3052A at maximum. Set the SA-3052A for a display reading about 3 LED’s below the top of the display. Use the 1 dB/step setting. Count three LED’s down from the flat portion of the line shown on the display.
  • Page 58 SA-3052A Owner’s Manual ®...

  • Page 59: Theory Of Operation

    This converts the balanced input signal into an unbalanced signal, and supplies enough gain to bring the input signal up to the SA-3052A’s standard operating level. The overall gain of the pre- amplifier circuit is set by the .

  • Page 60: Microprocessor Circuitry

    RAM to the temporary display memory. LED Display The SA-3052A display gets its data from the µP bus. The display is row and column multiplexed to conserve power. Eight-bit latches hold the row and column data for each column in the display.

  • Page 61: Legalese

    3. The SA-3052A equalizer must have originally been purchased from an authorized AudioControl dealer. You do not have to be the original owner, but you do need a copy of the original sales slip.

  • Page 62: Service Information

    1) A copy of your proof of purchase (that sales receipt we’ve been harping about). No originals please. We cannot guarantee returning them to you. 2) A brief explanation of the trouble you are having with the SA-3052A. (You’d be surprised how many people forget this.) 3) A return street address.

  • Page 63: Specifications

    Electrical Power Requirements ..............Line Voltage: 108-125VAC, 60 Hz. 208- 240VAC, 50/60Hz Power Consumption ..............15 watts In the interest of continuing product development, specifications of AudioControl products are subject to change without prior notice. SA-3052A Owner’s Manual ® 11-1...
  • Page 64 © 1998 AudioControl. All rights reserved. ® 22410 70th Avenue West • Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043 Phone 425-775-8461 • Fax 425-778-3166 Internet http://www.audiocontrol.com...

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