Harry Houdini wrote:

Can you please offer some advice on how to go about measuring the
output voltages on my converters, gear etc. What exactly do I need to
do this? an RMS voltmeter?

Do you need to measure peak or average levels? Your best choice might
just be an old-fashioned VU meter. There are a lot of commercial
audio test sets out there... HP made a nice one that shows up surplus
a lot.

Fair Radio Sales often has the HP units with a reference oscillator
and a level meter in the same box, for around a hundred bucks.

Also, if I want to perform tests on preamps (S/N, THD+N, etc) , how do
I go about setting up a load on the input (simulate a mic connected).
Does anyone make a product, say an XLR with with user-selectable
resistance?

No, but it'll take you less than a minute with a fixed resistor and
a soldering iron. You can, in fact, just jam a resistor into the holes
on a female XLR in a pinch. Don't forget to have lots of clip leads
around!
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."