I don't have an easy way to generate a known-clean signal that low - Rigol DG4062 will do 1mv RMS but no idea how much noise may already be on it.
Rich could easily do the test too, if he should happen to have access to a R&S UPV. It can generate 20Hz at -100dB THD+N.
FYI:
These are the fees I pay to get my multimeters into the country:
And people expect Oz seller to sell at the same price as other countries?
Rich could easily do the test too, if he should happen to have access to a R&S UPV. It can generate 20Hz at -100dB THD+N.Unfortunately, I don't have a UPV (or any source/attenuator that can make that signal). I'll see if someone in Munich can do it though.
-Rich
Dave still hasn't reviewed scopes he does have
Reviewing scopes properly takes several days solid work at least. I rarely get that sort of break, or can find time to commit to that at the moment.
And yes I have a wife and two kids (one school age, & one of which I take care of 1 full work day a week), a business to run, a new logistics employee to train, two new products in progress, and it's not like I can do lab stuff or shoot video at home when the wife is sleeping. Not to mention other videos I want to do.
20Hz @ 400 uV tortures a Keysight DSOX3000 series - in high res mode it will display it, trigger is hit/miss and measurements such as the frequency counter won't work. Of course the 1mV per division is zoomed and it is 8 bit. I used a 33250A with a 30dB attenuator to generate the signal.
For me, if you want a decent real world scope review, Mike's are honest real world tests, not just spec and feature testing. They include the good and the bad. I can see him becoming -the- de facto scope tester.
For me, if you want a decent real world scope review, Mike's are honest real world tests, not just spec and feature testing. They include the good and the bad. I can see him becoming -the- de facto scope tester.Ain't gonna happen...
My point being that Dave tends to be doing teardowns rather than in-use reviews
Indeed, scope demo boards have their uses, those boards are designed to show off the good bits, not the less good bits.
Several "reviewers" are really out of their depth and/or only seem to receive scopes because they have significant Youtube subs or views, indeed I'm slightly surprised Pewdiepie, Casey Niestat or Zoella don't get scopes... or maybe they do.
Maybe that is the whole point of sending scopes to reviewers: only show the good parts and get attention.
Re. low-level stuff.
The smallest 20Hz sinewave signal it will reliably trigger from is about 1mV p-p. There is a slight offset on the trigger level and it's a little jittery- maybe 3-4%.
These were with intensity at 100%
TBH if you're seriously working with signals that low you should probably be using an external amplifier - not too difficult or expensive at audio levels.
Maybe that is the whole point of sending scopes to reviewers who use the demo boards: only show the good parts and get attention.
Maybe that is the whole point of sending scopes to reviewers: only show the good parts and get attention.
Dave also shares his opinion on what he likes about it and what he thinks is useful or better or well done. Certainly able to dis a product too;
or Mike's bug findings and usability/feature suggestions.
Point being that you get a broad overview of the scope by watching different style reviews and not just the one that identifies that it has too little memory
I've been looking forward to Dave getting the RTB2000.
Scope reviews are difficult.
The public does not give shit about good on bad reviews.
With regards to using an external amplifier: differential amplifiers or probes offer more amplification of low level signals, but they do not increase the dynamic range. Good low level sensitivity increases both signal integrity and the dynamic range hence the usefulness of the scope for audio.