fmak said:What is the better spectrum analyser to have?
A Tek 5L4N on a 5113 mainframe with a dynamic range of 80dB for $220
or
A software package such as SpectraPlus 132 for $300 or more with plug ins.
Whilst like Jocko I prefer standalone equipment, in this case the PC based solution is superior. You need to factor in the cost of a good soundcard and don't rely on some of the published numbers from the cheaper vendors. However, you can easily beat the 70dB spurious free dynamic range that the 5L4N provides. Unlike a spectrum analyser the inputs on a sound card are usually fixed level so a set of attenuators or amplifiers may be needed for some applications. The flexibility that a software packages can give you with a cheap soundcard is hard to match in the audio range unless you are willing to move up to much more expensive equipment.
James
There is a BIG difference between your two choices, fmak.
The Tek is a swept analyzer. The PC soundcard mit software
will be an FFT analyzer.
The two are not necessarily interchangable. Each has pros
and cons.
The Tek stuff can be flakey and IMO they never really figured
out how to make a spectrum analyzer, modular or one-piece.
But for $220...
If you're only wanting audio, look for an HP3580A.
The Tek is a swept analyzer. The PC soundcard mit software
will be an FFT analyzer.
The two are not necessarily interchangable. Each has pros
and cons.
The Tek stuff can be flakey and IMO they never really figured
out how to make a spectrum analyzer, modular or one-piece.
But for $220...
If you're only wanting audio, look for an HP3580A.
I second the m-audio card. I've written a bunch of data acquisition routines and analysis codes in labview which do a lot of speaker testing (t/s parameters, in room sweeps, quasi-anchoic, etc). I used to use a Soundblaster live which is a good performing card for the money (think $20), but my M-audio kicks butt.
I still use the soundblaster in a lunchbox computer combined with Loudspeaker lab as a great portable speaker measuring tool.
Sheldon
I still use the soundblaster in a lunchbox computer combined with Loudspeaker lab as a great portable speaker measuring tool.
Sheldon
Jocko Homo said:
Was it a FLUKE or a TEK?
BrianL said:
Brian, saying that TEK never figured out how to make a spectrum analyzer somehow doesn't compute with the fact that they sell several million dollars worth every year and are the gold standard in certain TV, cable RF applications. We could find fault with Agilent, Anritsu, Rohde, Fluke etc. if we had the time.
The truth of the matter with respect to the 5L4N is that it isn't an easy instrument to adjust if it gets out of alignment. Don't bother with the 5L4N unless you get a manual and get some shots of the thing actually working. As with a lot of TEK scopes, there are several proprietary chips which are impossible to replace. The 5113 mainframe is pretty durable, has a big screen and is dirt cheap. There are a good number of plug-in's for the 5XXX series including the 5A22N which has 10uV/cm sensitivity. Bandwidth is limited. These instruments were mainly used in automotive vibration analysis and medical applications. The 5L4N shown below works fine, but took about an entire day to align (and I had to make an alignment jig!)
FWIW, I use an FFT analyzer for power supplies and a "wave analyzer" hooked up to a chart recorder for audio.
Attachments
Jack,
I'm glad that Tek makes nice TV monitor/repair equipment.
But if you check, you'll find that most of that is from the
Grass Valley Group which they bought.
Tek's spectrum analyzers (not specialized TV equipment)
were never much to write home about. Talk to anyone that's
been in this business a while and you'll find that they'll
take an HP/Agilent spectrum analyzer over Tek any day.
Quite the opposite with oscilloscopes; there people
have generally preferred Tek.
If you haven't noticed, Tek threw in the towel and now
have an "alliance" with Rohde and sell their analyzers.
I'm glad that Tek makes nice TV monitor/repair equipment.
But if you check, you'll find that most of that is from the
Grass Valley Group which they bought.
Tek's spectrum analyzers (not specialized TV equipment)
were never much to write home about. Talk to anyone that's
been in this business a while and you'll find that they'll
take an HP/Agilent spectrum analyzer over Tek any day.
Quite the opposite with oscilloscopes; there people
have generally preferred Tek.
If you haven't noticed, Tek threw in the towel and now
have an "alliance" with Rohde and sell their analyzers.
Well, no, not quite. Grass Valley started out making video cross bar matrix switches (aka routing switchers). They dabbled in synchronization generators, but that never really caught on. The ones that the Mother Ship were making were just too good.
While not the same as the esteemed company of Mr. H and Mr. P., Tek has a long a venerable history as a maker of lab grade test equipment.
http://intel.com/community/oregon/hightech/history/tektronix.htm
HP dabbled in the broadcast instrument buis for a while, but not much came of that either.
I was always partial to the 494 P spectrum analyzer (DC to 24 gig w/out the external mixer). But then my life was always kind of broadcast centric. Yah, lots of lab rats cant life w/out their HP. Like must stuff, I guess it depends on what your measuring and what you grew up with to determine the best tool for the technician.
After flirting with Sony for over a decade, Tek up and sold the GVG off to Thompson a couple of years ago.
-Dave
PS:
http://www.ncerc.org/articles/LA_times_0599.pdf
---------------------------------------------------------------------------fmak said:What is the better spectrum analyser to have?
A Tek 5L4N on a 5113 mainframe with a dynamic range of 80dB for $220
or
A software package such as SpectraPlus 132 for $300 or more with plug ins.
I finally resolved my dilema and decided against another 10 kg instrument.
Found the dr-jordan-design WinMLSPro package on ebay for $25 and upgraded to 24/192 with 64 bit FFT.
Works nicely; an instrument with high dynamic range and zero additional weight!
RE: measurement
I started to use Lynx L22 (only two channels, but available sometimes on ebay for less then $500, very important part for ANY measurements is the stable clock, plus not-notch ADC AK5394) and free RMAA software. 80dB range is absolutely not acceptable for me, as I need to measure levels of noises and distortions close to -100dB ...
Tried WinMLSpro and ETF5, they good for measuring of the impulse response and plots, but not as flexible in common as RMAA is.
I started to use Lynx L22 (only two channels, but available sometimes on ebay for less then $500, very important part for ANY measurements is the stable clock, plus not-notch ADC AK5394) and free RMAA software. 80dB range is absolutely not acceptable for me, as I need to measure levels of noises and distortions close to -100dB ...
Tried WinMLSpro and ETF5, they good for measuring of the impulse response and plots, but not as flexible in common as RMAA is.
If budget is a issue (and how often is it not?) look at the M-Audio Revolution 7.1 card. You can find it for under $100 if you look around, and it's pretty much as good as the Audiophile 2496 (used to be $250, now findable for $150 or so)
If budget is really an issue, don't worry about what they say about SB cards.. they basically work, and not badly if you run them in their native 16bit 48Khz mode so they don't resample. Also go to the RMAA site to read how to disable internal loopback modes that sometime create lousy performance.
Audigy 1 has pretty low noise (what I have), and the Audigy 2 ZX is actually a pretty good card for a change.. though you are getting close in price to the Revo 7.1, which is much better.
Also, the gaming and DSP stuff should not make any difference, barring having the already mentioned loopback paths under some situations.
If budget is really an issue, don't worry about what they say about SB cards.. they basically work, and not badly if you run them in their native 16bit 48Khz mode so they don't resample. Also go to the RMAA site to read how to disable internal loopback modes that sometime create lousy performance.
Audigy 1 has pretty low noise (what I have), and the Audigy 2 ZX is actually a pretty good card for a change.. though you are getting close in price to the Revo 7.1, which is much better.
Also, the gaming and DSP stuff should not make any difference, barring having the already mentioned loopback paths under some situations.
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