The often recommended AVR-X3500H got measured, finally..

[PENG]

Personally, I prefer the expression THD+N as that designation is already used by several manufacturers in their published specs. SINAD seems to attach more importance to the SNR than the THD but most of the time, one would complain more about distortion than the noise floor.
My 2 cents!

You are talking two different specs, as IRV just mentioned, THD+N and SINAD are numerically the same for our audio bench test purposes. THD will be distortions only, but you obviously know that already...

 

[PENG]

Perhaps that's why I like it better. I like results expressed in db better than percentages.

Me too and we are in the majority. ESS, Wolfson/Cirrus Logic and AKM seem to have standardized on dB. Even TI/BB appears to start switching, for example, their newer DAC PCM1789 has its THD+N specified in dB. Not sure if this is a one off deal, we'll have to wait and see.

 

[mtrycrafts]

I am not an EE, but even I know that the difference between 0.05% to 0.02% THD is practically meaningless (in comparison to artifacts produced by speakers and room modes).
...

Yes, the difference is 0.03, isn't it?

 

[Verdinut]

Yes, the difference is 0.03, isn't it?

And it's a big difference, one has only 40% of the distortion of the other!

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I think the main point of having any of these INAUDIBLE measurement numbers is to compare to all the previously measured components (from AH, S&V, Stereophile) in the same class, not make up some more variations of measurement like SINAD.

Oh, I’m going to be doing a bunch of measurements and BTW, I’m going to be using SINAD99, XT24, THDSHITE, and FRCRAP.

 

[STRONGBADF1]

I think the main point of having any of these INAUDIBLE measurement numbers is to compare to all the previously measured components (from AH, S&V, Stereophile) in the same class, not make up some more variations of measurement like SINAD.

Oh, I’m going to be doing a bunch of measurements and BTW, I’m going to be using SINAD99, XT24, THDSHITE, and FRCRAP.

Dissatisfied with the fact you didn't say "salient"...

Sent from my moto g(7) using Tapatalk

 

[PENG]

I think the main point of having any of these INAUDIBLE measurement numbers is to compare to all the previously measured components (from AH, S&V, Stereophile) in the same class, not make up some more variations of measurement like SINAD.

Oh, I’m going to be doing a bunch of measurements and BTW, I’m going to be using SINAD99, XT24, THDSHITE, and FRCRAP.

I don't know about the other SHITE but SINAD in this context is simply THD+N in dB and as I mentioned earlier, most DAC datasheets now are using dB, i.e. SINAD, though they usually use the term THD+N.

Below is copies/paste from the Audio Precision website:

THD and THD+N – Similar, but not the same

www.ap.com

SINAD
An acronym for Signal to Noise and Distortion ratio, SINAD is a measure of harmonic distortion and noise that was originally used in testing FM radio tuners, and is favored in the communication industry. It is measured in the same way as THD+N, and in fact, in this context, it is simply the inverse of the THD+N ratio. For example, a THD+N ratio of 0.1% (-60 dB) is equivalent to SINAD = +60 dB.

I bet Gene would be very familiar with the SINAD acronym as he worked in the communication industry. Amir spent some time repairing/testing radio stuff too according to his bios. At least he always show both figures in his reviews.

To convert:

dB = 20Xlog10(k in %/100)
% = 100*10^(k in dB/20)

THD to dB - convert percent % to decibels dB percentage voltage % vs per cent converter THD+N total harmonic distortions calculation signal distortion factor attenuation in dB to distortion factor k in percent decibel damping - sengpielaudio Sengpiel Berlin

Calculate THD and distortions decibels dB to percentage % per cent percent voltage % vs converter and dB signal distortion THD+N total harmonic distortions factor attenuation damping - Eberhard Sengpiel sengpielaudio

www.sengpielaudio.com

Where k is the THD+N, or aka SINAD.

Here's an example table (done in Excel)

in dB	dB to %	% to dB
0	100.000000%	0
-20	10.000000%	-20
-25	5.623413%	-25
-30	3.162278%	-30
-35	1.778279%	-35
-40	1.000000%	-40
-45	0.562341%	-45
-50	0.316228%	-50
-55	0.177828%	-55
-60	0.100000%	-60
-65	0.056234%	-65
-70	0.031623%	-70
-75	0.017783%	-75
-80	0.010000%	-80
-85	0.005623%	-85
-90	0.003162%	-90
-91	0.002818%	-91
-92	0.002512%	-92
-93	0.002239%	-93
-94	0.001995%	-94
-95	0.001778%	-95
-96	0.001585%	-96
-97	0.001413%	-97
-98	0.001259%	-98
-99	0.001122%	-99
-100	0.001000%	-100
-101	0.000891%	-101
-102	0.000794%	-102
-103	0.000708%	-103
-104	0.000631%	-104
-105	0.000562%	-105
-106	0.000501%	-106
-107	0.000447%	-107
-108	0.000398%	-108
-109	0.000355%	-109
-110	0.000316%	-110
-111	0.000282%	-111
-112	0.000251%	-112
-113	0.000224%	-113
-114	0.000200%	-114
-115	0.000178%	-115
-116	0.000158%	-116
-117	0.000141%	-117
-118	0.000126%	-118
-119	0.000112%	-119
-120	0.000100%	-120