I'm thinking of buying some tech equipment. This Rohde & Schwarz is in Madrid. I have no idea so I ask here. Good, bad idea?
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
My experience with old test equipment has not been a good one.
Really old equipment is usually way out of calibration and will have problems. I have never been good at repairing these things as they are much more complex than the gear I am testing.
My recommendation is to buy as new as you can possibly buy with as much money as you can.
The good news is, with the Spanish economy pretty much in the tank there should be a lot of test equipment on the market from companies that have gone out of business. It really should be a buyer's market out there.
Lastly, if you are buying this to keep as a museum piece and not using it do do work, then it's another matter.
Really old equipment is usually way out of calibration and will have problems. I have never been good at repairing these things as they are much more complex than the gear I am testing.
My recommendation is to buy as new as you can possibly buy with as much money as you can.
The good news is, with the Spanish economy pretty much in the tank there should be a lot of test equipment on the market from companies that have gone out of business. It really should be a buyer's market out there.
Lastly, if you are buying this to keep as a museum piece and not using it do do work, then it's another matter.
No, no museum piece. It has 30 tubes so, yes, I'm afraid it may need calibration. OK, thanks....forgetting about this one.
Run! Not only will t be a nightmare sorting out tubes, but just like any vintage gear all those electrolytic caps will be either out of tolerance or in need of replacement.
What's your budget?
What's your budget?
My budget is flexible, it really depends on how much interest do I have on something. Right now I have a mild interest, I will use it but not that much.
Check out eBay for Tektronix scopes. You can find some older, but good scopes for a reasonable price.
I bought a Tek 2430A a few years back for about $300 that has served me reasonably well.
New entry level Tek scopes start at about $520 (TBS1000) and are not only calibrated, but come with a warranty.
I bought a Tek 2430A a few years back for about $300 that has served me reasonably well.
New entry level Tek scopes start at about $520 (TBS1000) and are not only calibrated, but come with a warranty.
Agilent of HP is also worth looking into.
Tektronix and HP/Agilent are the best in the industry and they have something for every budget.
Tektronix and HP/Agilent are the best in the industry and they have something for every budget.
I also just picked up a Bitscope 310U, which turns your PC into a mixed mode oscilloscope (logic and 2-channel analog).
While it is okay, it doesn't have the advantages of my Tek scope, which has a much better trigger and measurement system compared to the Bitscope.
The tek does not have the logic analyzer, but for working with audio signals my old Tek beats the Bitscope hands down.
While it is okay, it doesn't have the advantages of my Tek scope, which has a much better trigger and measurement system compared to the Bitscope.
The tek does not have the logic analyzer, but for working with audio signals my old Tek beats the Bitscope hands down.
On the picture is (I suppose) an VHF network analyzer, that needs also special probes. Its field of usage is also very special: adjustment of RF circuits and filters in the MHz range. R&S gear are built like a tank, but they could still develop intermittent contacts. All in all, it is not useful in audio 🙄
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