Valve vs. solid-state microphone preamplifier: a comparative study

Stroe, Octavian (2017) Valve vs. solid-state microphone preamplifier: a comparative study. Fields: journal of Huddersfield student research, 3 (1). ISSN 2057-0163

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Abstract

This paper outlines research carried out to determine the perceptual and objective differences between a solid-state and a valve preamplifier running at low voltages. ABX testing was employed and showed that there were perceivable differences between the two systems. A comprehensive objective analysis was performed, which utilised tests for total harmonic distortion + noise (THD+N), intermodulation distortion (IMD), THD versus frequency and frequency response in order to ensure the two systems were performing in their linear region. In addition, MIRToolbox was utilised to extract low-level features such as spectral centroid, skewness and novelty. The electronic measurements combined with the MIRToolbox support the listeners’ subjective descriptors that there is a difference in brightness and harmonic content between the two types of preamplifiers. A correlation theory was developed, which linked the objective and the subjective measurements.

Item Type:	Article
Contributors:	Contribution Name Email ORCID Author Stroe, Octavian Octavian.Stroe@hud.ac.uk UNSPECIFIED
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Valves; solid-state; preamplifiers; objective and subjective measurements; THD+N; IMD; spectral centroid; skewness;
Subjects:	T Technology > T Technology (General) T Technology > TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)
Schools:	School of Computing and Engineering Teaching and Learning Institute
Depositing User:	Megan Taylor
Date Deposited:	28 Feb 2017 11:57
Last Modified:	28 Feb 2017 11:57
URI:	http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/id/eprint/31353

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