SZW EXTREME FIDELITY — DRAFT PROPOSAL 0.1 5 October 2026 https://szabo.works/extreme-fidelity/ PROPOSAL ONLY. No certifications issued. Numerical targets are provisional, not validated audibility limits or a released qualification procedure. Not a sound. A standard. Preserve everything. Add nothing. Change only what you intended to change. DAC The complete analog output, including its power supply, filter and output stage. Measurement | EF Certified | EF Reference THD+N · 1 kHz | ≤ −110 dB | ≤ −118 dB Dynamic range · A-weighted | ≥ 120 dB | ≥ 128 dB Response · 20 Hz–20 kHz | ±0.10 dB | ±0.03 dB Channel mismatch | ≤ 0.10 dB | ≤ 0.03 dB Crosstalk · 1 kHz isolation | ≥ 110 dB | ≥ 120 dB SMPTE IMD | ≤ −100 dB | ≤ −110 dB Idle artifacts | < −120 dBFS | < −130 dBFS Output impedance | < 100 Ω | < 20 Ω Level and frequency sweeps, low-level linearity, multitone, reconstruction filters, source-jitter susceptibility, balanced output symmetry and distortion versus load. ADC The input stage and conversion path measured together. Measurement | EF Certified | EF Reference Dynamic range | ≥ 118 dB | ≥ 125 dB THD+N · −1 dBFS | ≤ −105 dB | ≤ −115 dB Response · 20 Hz–20 kHz | ±0.10 dB | ±0.03 dB Crosstalk isolation | ≥ 105 dB | ≥ 115 dB Channel gain mismatch | ≤ 0.10 dB | ≤ 0.03 dB Input noise | Declared + verified | Declared + verified Anti-aliasing, overload recovery, low-level linearity, clock behavior and processing disclosure. Noise reduction, AGC and other optional processing would be disabled in Reference Mode. MICROPHONE INPUT The microphone preamp and, where present, its ADC as one usable path. Measurement | EF Certified | EF Reference Equivalent input noise | ≤ −128 dBu | ≤ −130 dBu Maximum gain | ≥ 60 dB | ≥ 70 dB CMRR · 1 kHz | ≥ 80 dB | ≥ 100 dB THD+N · 20 dB gain | ≤ −100 dB | ≤ −110 dB Gain accuracy | ±0.25 dB | ±0.10 dB Source impedance, bandwidth and weighting must accompany EIN. Gain sweeps, overload, input symmetry, RF susceptibility and phantom-power voltage, current, noise and transients would be evaluated. POWER AMPLIFIER Performance at the speaker terminals, across supported loads and output levels. Measurement | EF Certified | EF Reference THD+N · 5 W / 4 Ω | < −100 dB | < −110 dB THD+N · 100 W / 4 Ω | < −95 dB | < −105 dB SNR · A-weighted | > 115 dB | > 125 dB Output noise | < 20 µV | < 10 µV Response · 20 Hz–20 kHz | ±0.10 dB | ±0.03 dB Output impedance | < 20 mΩ | < 5 mΩ Crosstalk isolation | > 100 dB | > 115 dB DC offset | < 10 mV | < 3 mV Frequency and power sweeps, continuous and burst output, reactive loads, thermal drift, clipping recovery, channel loading and protection behavior. The 100 W point applies only to equipment rated to support it; lower-power qualification rules are still to be defined. No forced 2 Ω rating. HEADPHONE AMP Noise and control across sensitive earphones and demanding headphones. Measurement | EF Certified | EF Reference Supported resistive loads | 16 / 32 / 80 / 150 / 300 / 600 Ω | Same supported-load matrix Output impedance | Limit under development | Candidate target < 0.5 Ω Noise, distortion and power | Limits under development | Limits under development Volume tracking and crosstalk | Limits under development | Limits under development Sensitive-IEM noise, voltage and current capability, low-volume channel balance and reactive-load stability. Test only the loads claimed by the manufacturer; publish exclusions. COMPLETE SYSTEM A module-level result would never substitute for end-to-end measurements. Measurement | EF Certified | EF Reference Signal path | Every claimed input-to-output mode | Every claimed Reference path Noise, distortion and headroom | Path-specific limits pending | Path-specific limits pending DSP and sample-rate handling | Declared and evaluated | Reference Mode evaluated Hardware and firmware | Report exact revisions | Report exact revisions Digital to speaker, analog to speaker, microphone to digital, digital to headphone and analog to digital. Combined-stage limits must be established independently of the component tables. METHODS, GOVERNANCE AND DEVELOPMENT What makes a number comparable? A released procedure would have to state signal level, gain, sample rate, measurement bandwidth, weighting, load, channels driven, ambient temperature and warm-up period. It would also define fixture tolerances, analyzer residuals, calibration, measurement uncertainty and the decision rule at each limit. High-frequency distortion tests need an explicit analysis bandwidth and harmonic count. A 20 kHz test with a 20 kHz low-pass measurement cannot describe distortion above that bandwidth. Noise requires RMS/peak and weighting definitions; SNR requires an output reference; microphone EIN requires a defined source impedance. Continuous output power would be stated with load, frequency, distortion limit, duration and channels driven. Burst output would be reported separately. Results below analyzer capability would be bounded by the measurement limit rather than given invented precision. TEST THE EXPERIENCE BEHIND THE SPECIFICATION One sweep isn’t the whole story. 01 / SIGNAL Across the range. Frequency and level sweeps, multitone, linearity, phase, noise spectra, hum, idle tones and channel matching. 02 / OPERATION After warm-up, too. Cold startup through two-hour operation, ambient variation, thermal drift, sustained power and overload recovery. 03 / PROCESSING Nothing hidden. Document EQ, gain, resampling and protection. Evaluate bypass integrity, internal headroom, latency and sample-rate handling. 04 / CONNECTIONS From source to system. USB and network integrity, clock behavior, multichannel timing, interference and supported format changes. 05 / PRODUCTION More than one sample. Proposed qualification on at least three randomly selected production units, followed by retail surveillance and revision-based retesting. 06 / CONFIDENCE Repeatable elsewhere. Published fixtures and methods, traceable calibration and uncertainty. Independent laboratory participation is a future goal. THE REPORT IS PART OF THE IDEA Look beyond the badge. Every future certified model should have a report you can actually read. See the measured value beside its limit, with uncertainty, conditions and pass margin. Identify the standard version, laboratory, hardware, firmware and sample set. A future model ID or QR link would lead to that evidence. A certification registry and verification API are planned concepts, not live services. EF / TEST RECORD FORMAT PREVIEW Product / revision To be tested Standard Draft 0.1 Laboratory / samples Not assigned Measured values Not available Uncertainty / conditions Required in final report NO CERTIFICATION ISSUED Report structure only. No fictional measurements or passing product are shown. TECHNOLOGY-NEUTRAL. EVIDENCE-FIRST. Any architecture. The same expectations. Class A, AB or D. Tubes or transistors. Discrete or integrated. R2R or delta-sigma. The proposed requirements would follow the result, not the technology used. No exclusive hardware. Using SzaboWorks components would not be a condition of qualification. No special treatment. SzaboWorks products would face the same methods and limits as other manufacturers. No pay-to-pass. Any future fees would pay for testing and administration, never a guaranteed result. Preserve everything. Add nothing. And when you choose processing: change only what you intended to change. BUILDING THE STANDARD Ambitious by design. Developed in stages. NOW Define the proposal. Publish the scope and candidate targets. Gather technical feedback and identify gaps. NEXT Validate the methods. Benchmark hardware, characterize fixtures and analyzer limits, and establish uncertainty and decision rules. PLANNED Prove reproducibility. Pilot measurements across units and laboratories. Refine targets and define governance before releasing a standard. FUTURE Launch qualification. Only after validation: publish the specification, open testing, issue traceable reports and introduce ongoing surveillance. Explore the wider research scope Analog Line inputs and outputs, preamps, volume controls, balanced interfaces and MM/MC phono stages. Digital DSP, clocks, USB, HDMI, streamers, network audio, codec disclosure and wireless synchronization. Systems AVRs, multichannel operation, active-speaker electronics, subwoofer amplifiers and room-correction processing. Speaker intelligence Voltage/current sensing, impedance and thermal estimation, fault detection, adaptive protection and telemetry accuracy. Engineering tools EF Bench, test tracks, automated reports, approved modules, a public registry and a verification API. Future acoustic research Speakers, microphones and headphones need separate acoustic methods. Studio, cinema and automotive applications remain longer-term concepts. What would EF tell me—and what wouldn’t it? EF would describe measured audio performance within a stated scope. It would not certify personal taste, musicality, room acoustics, speaker placement or subjective claims about cables. Electronics qualification would not establish the acoustic performance of a loudspeaker. Reference Mode would remove optional coloration and disclose any essential processing. Mandatory protection remains necessary. Wireless qualification would identify codecs and losses, not imply that a lossy link becomes lossless. EF would not replace applicable electrical safety, regulatory compliance or product approvals. It is a proposed audio-performance program. Can I submit a product or use the badge today? Not yet. Applications, licensing, approved laboratories and pricing have not launched. The marks on this page are concepts. No equipment, including LIAP Mini or a future SzaboWorks reference amplifier, is currently claimed to be EF certified. Future reports would remain tied to the standard version and hardware/firmware tested. A new standard or significant design change would require the appropriate revalidation. SZW EXTREME FIDELITY Better questions. Better evidence. Better audio. Read the proposal. Explore the thinking. Help shape what a meaningful audio standard could become. Download draft proposal ↓ Contact SzaboWorks ↗ Draft 0.1 · October 2026 · No certification applications or payments are collected on this page.