I've recently come across some audio sites[0][1] that measure audio equipments performance and among other measurements, report their 'Signal-to-noise and distortion ratio (SINAD)'[2].<p>I applaud any efforts to quantify audio equipment and systems in a measurable and repeatable way. That said, do you think SINAD is a meaningful way to rank equipment? (understanding that it's only a measure of one measurable variable).<p>[0] https://www-l7audiolab-com.translate.goog/dac-sinad-charts/?_x_tr_sl=zh-CN&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp
[1] https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?pages/Reviews/
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SINAD
SINAD is just another way of stating THD+N (in dB instead of %). It is convenient to use for ADCs and DACs because you can calculate the effective number of bits ENOB = (SINAD-1.76)/6.02<p>That said most of the time for audio power amplifiers and mic pre-amps THD and noise are stated separately in the spec sheets. THD would matter for PAs (usually output power is given under THD not exceeding some value); noise would matter for quiet signals like in mic pre-amps although PAs can be surprisingly noisy on volume turned up to 11.<p>For DACs and ADCs which should be quite linear (they usually have low THD anyway) SINAD seems like a good figure of merit.