Peterson tuners, how accurate?

[Richard Brekne]

Charles Neuman wrote:

> The Peterson tuners say that they are accurate to .1 cent.
>
> While the SAT III is "guaranteed accurate to 0.005 cent," the web site
> also says that the SAT, "instantly shows tuning error to a resolution of
> 0.05 cents while tuning". So, I guess that means that while it's accurate
> to .005 cent internally, what the user sees is accurate to .05 cent.
>
> Anyway, some people seem to be against strobe tuners, which remind them of
> the strobe tuners of yore. But .1 cent is pretty good, especially for less
> than half the price of the SAT III. Has anybody tested the accuracy of a
> new Peterson tuner? Or compared one with a SAT?
>
> Charles Neuman

Charles, I think you need to put into perspective what tuning algorithm is at
the core of each maching. Being accurate to whatever degree of precision is
useless without the reference frequencies being relevant.

I have yet seen a disscussion as to how the Petersons' tunings are calculated.
But it is my understanding that they are all pre-calculated and do not refer
to any real time inharmonicity readings on the instrument to be tuned.  Can
anyone confirm this ?

Regardless... what is meant by accuracy in each case, is that the machine will
match what it "hears" from the piano to the corresponding reference frequency.
It doesnt, (and really cant) speak of accuracy in relation to the "correct"
tuning frequencies.... that is another matter all together.

RicB


--
Richard Brekne
RPT, N.P.T.F.
Bergen, Norway
mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no
http://home.broadpark.no/~rbrekne/ricmain.html