MASTECH MS8218 (0.03% Multimeter) Quick Review

[Salas]

Should be the same thing repackaged?

[Salas]

Did not find a proper one for the mA range when it popped, I 'll have to get one noted down for next ordering of parts. I never use it to check tube amps bias in mA, I use the Fluke but anyway. Do you know of a spot on logically priced Vref chip to check its DC accuracy since its 5 yrs old?

[SeanB]

Ad581?

[Salas]

Nice proposition. I ordered AD581LH +/-0.05% tolerance, +/-0.0225% deviation from 25C, 5ppm best grade. Thanks.

[Salas]

For the time being I got a pair of 0.1% 47K 0.2ppm Z Foil resistors to check. 5yrs old Mastech shows 46.995K delta zeroed. My TH2821 LCR cycles 46.99K and 47.00K can't decide, lacks more digits. (Open & shorted calibration procedure done before measuring at 1kHz range 2, has Kelvin leads). My UT-61E gives 46.93K. No display indecision, repeatedly. My tweaked Fluke 17B 46.9K no display indecision, repeatedly. But no fourth digit to utilize at that range.

[0xdeadbeef]

The two mastech's ARE NOT THE SAME.
Don't mistake it.
This mastech is a proper company, unlike the other one the Yihua V&A, a shameless copycat.

Sure it's a copycat and not a spin-off of some kind? If it's really a copycat, it one of the most shameless on this planet for sure

The VA38 is twice the price of the MS8218

At least not here. The MS8218 costs ~150€ around here and the the VA38 sells for ~130€. There's even one shop selling it for 115€.
Not that I would buy one, but it would be interesting to look inside this VA38 to see if it's a rip-off, a rebrand or whatever.

[Wytnucls]

I wouldn't use any meter on anything above 250 volts. I would leave that to the professionals.

[SeanB]

Would not use it in the rough, i have meters designed for that. It will look good in a more friendly environment though.

[Salas]

Ad581?

They sent me an LH0071 in the end. That is a 10.24V 0.02% binary apps Vref.  Anyway, 10.239V on the 5yrs old MS8218. I guess it holds nicely still.