| The main difference between TEF and Aurora is that the first is an hardware system, Aurora is software only. This means that the hardware can be continuously upgraded, with new sound cards and faster processor...
Just this week I have tested the excellent Antelope Orion USB interface, 32 in, 32 out, 192 kHz, 24 bits on a single USB 2 cable.. And the sound quality is really first class!
More than 110 dB dynamic range, perfectly flat frequency response up to approximately 90 kHz, distortion down to -100 dB, etc...
Regarding the type of test signal, Aurora can use both linear and exponential sine sweep. But the most important feature is that the deconvolution is performed with a not-circular convolution, so that any not linear distortion artifact becomes perfectly separated, in time domain, form the main linear response. And of course, you can easily window out room reflections, etc.
Furthermore, Aurora includes the Inverse Kirkeby plugin: it allows for performing a "loop test", measuring the response of all your equipment (except for the device under test), create an inverse filter, which removes any effect for your equipment, and pre-convolve such inverse filter with the inverse sweep employed for deconvolution.
This way, you measure only your device-under-test, removing any artifact caused by the power amplifier, the microphone, the preamplifier, the cables, the sound card, etc..
The only problem with Aurora is that, due to its "openness", the results can be easily "edited", so that, whenever you need to supply legal proof of the measurement result, it is very difficult to provide legally-bounding evidence that nothing "bad" was done during the processing. A completely closed and locked down hardware system is more "safe" in this sense...
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