labCORE – Modular hardware platform for tests of voice and audio quality

labCORE is the modular hardware platform for high-precision voice and audio quality...

labCORE is the modular hardware platform for high-precision voice and audio quality testing and tailored for the use with the measurement and analysis software ACQUA. Multi-channel capability, high-end inputs and outputs, programmable interfaces: labCORE provides numerous features in a single unit. Users can adapt the hardware platform exactly to individual test scenarios and flexibly expand it at any time as required. This modularity makes labCORE future-proof: It is possible to add new technologies quickly and easily through optional hardware or software extensions.

Whether mobile phones, headphones, IoT devices like smart speakers or in-vehicle hands-free devices and ICC systems: the versatile hardware platform labCORE is the all-in-one solution for testing voice and audio quality for the highest demands.

Versatile extensions for labCORE include among others:

High-precision, low distortion and low noise analog inputs and outputs
Microphone inputs
VoIP interfaces and codecs
Power amplifiers
Bluetooth^® functionality
A²B^® extension

Versatile extensions for labCORE include among others:

High-precision, low distortion and low noise analog inputs and outputs
Microphone inputs
VoIP interfaces and codecs
Power amplifiers
Bluetooth^® functionality
A²B^® extension

labCORE provides up to 32 channels at 48 kHz or up to 8 channels at 192 kHz sampling rate
The hardware platform can be configured as required for individual test scenarios
Based on its modular technology, new technologies can be added to labCORE quickly and easily

Applications

Testing voice quality and audio quality of telecommunication equipment like e.g.:
- Mobile phones and handsets
- VoIP devices
- (In-vehicle) Hands-free systems
- (ANC) Headphones, headsets and hearing aids
- Smart speaker and other voice-operated IoT devices
Measuring loudspeakers and high-quality audio devices
Testing transmission systems for instance networks and routers
Research and development (R&D)
Conformance tests
Quality control

Features

The basic unit of the hardware platform is equipped with common interfaces for measuring audio and communication devices, e.g.:
- Two analog BNC input and two analog BNC output sockets
- One USB audio host (type C) port at the front for audio measurements of e.g. USB headsets and headphones
- One USB type B port for connection of the ACQUA PC
- Two USB type A ports
- One headphone output (6.3 mm socket) for measuring and monitoring purposes
- Two BNC sockets as general purpose input/output (GPIO), that serve as a digital audio interface (e.g. programmable as I²S (Inter-IC Sound))
- RJ45 Ethernet sockets to connect VoIP applications (e.g. VoIP phones, SIP server, radio tester)
- Two AES inputs/outputs
- One ADAT interface (TOSLINK socket)
- One HEADlink socket (LEMO 8-pin) for connecting HEAD acoustics devices like MSA I or MSA II
The functionality of labCORE can be expanded by various hardware and software extensions (e.g. power amplifier, microphone inputs, high-performance and low-noise inputs/outputs, binaural equalization, VoIP extensions, Bluetooth^® capability, A²B^® extension)
The hardware platform is tailored for use with the measurement and analysis software ACQUA
At least one of the following software applications is required to control labCORE: ACQUA, RC-labCORE or VoCAS