Old Eyes. UPgrade Siglent SDS804x to SDS1104x?

[KungFuJosh]

I struggle to read the small font on the scope. So bifocals would probably help.

Bifocals are a huge help once you reach a certain age, but I think a lot of people avoid them (or try progressives, which didn't work for me) because they worry that having a line in their glasses makes them "look old"  Frankly, if the only thing that made me "look old" were my glasses, I would be very, very happy 

I have bifocals and progressives. I prefer the progressives because they have 3 zones instead of 2. I don't personally care about the line on the bifocals, but I know some people do.

A few comments on glasses.

Opticians will try to sell you progressive lenses, but be warned that closeup vision is not good with such glasses.  The power may be right for closeup, but the field of view is very narrow.  Bifocals would be much better, but there's that line.  I've ended up with multiple sets of single-vision glasses - for distance, computer, and reading/soldering.  That's a bit more trouble, but gives me really good vision.

It turns out that you can buy glasses online pretty cheap, at least in the US and Canada.  You need your prescription and your inter-pupilary distance. Here's one source, but there are others:

https://www.zennioptical.com/

Close-up vision with my progressives is fine. It's also important to not that some progressive lenses make the field of view larger, but those are supposedly not always good for people new to progressives.

The field of view also doesn't matter that much for close ups, assuming your neck allows you to turn your head slightly from side to side.

In any case, bifocals or progressives are better than not having either for those of us that need them.

[rpschultz13]

SDS1104x HD vs. SDS2104X Plus

The 1104x HD is 12 bit, 2104x Plus is 8 - 10 bit. For audio measurements, do I care?

[KungFuJosh]

SDS1104x HD vs. SDS2104X Plus

The 1104x HD is 12 bit, 2104x Plus is 8 - 10 bit. For audio measurements, do I care?

I used the SDS2504X Plus for a few years for audio stuff (mostly guitar amps and pedals, some pro audio repairs).

If you care about noise floor, THD, etc. then you should still look at the QA403 before focusing on a scope upgrade that you don't really need.

[pdenisowski]

If you care about noise floor, THD, etc. then you should still look at the QA403 before focusing on a scope upgrade that you don't really need.

The QuantAsylum is an excellent value for the money.  One of the reasons a lot of T&M companies (including R&S) have exited the audio analyzer market is because tools like the QA403 give you near professional quality audio analysis for a tiny fraction of what a "professional" audio analyzer costs.

(incidentally, the QA403 is still out of stock and availability keeps slipping out a few months each time its updated)

[KungFuJosh]

(incidentally, the QA403 is still out of stock and availability keeps slipping out a few months each time its updated)

Besides the other obvious reasons, that might have something to do with their only competition costing thousands more.

[rpschultz13]

Below are Small and Large font. The menu font seems noticeable, but the cursor data and legend is harder to see any difference. I tried to measure with a pair of calipers on my screen, horizontally the Large may be 2% bigger.

[BillyO]

It is bigger though.  So far it's been enough for me.

One day I'll probably get a SDS1000X HD, but I have to sell my SDS1104X-E first.

[KungFuJosh]

I have to sell my SDS1104X-E first.

For cash or permission or both?

[BillyO]

For cash or permission or both?

For room.

The SDS1104X-E is in my office lab.  The SDS824X-HD will fit exactly in that space, so when I upgrade to the SDS1000X-HD in my main lab, the 824 moves to the office lab and the 1104X-E moves out.

Or, what you said...

[rpschultz13]

If you care about noise floor, THD, etc. then you should still look at the QA403 before focusing on a scope upgrade that you don't really need.

If I go that route, I’ll probably get the cosmos ADCiso, for 1/2 price of the QA403. Use it with REW. Any thoughts on ADCiso vs QA403?

[2N3055]

If you care about noise floor, THD, etc. then you should still look at the QA403 before focusing on a scope upgrade that you don't really need.

If I go that route, I’ll probably get the cosmos ADCiso, for 1/2 price of the QA403. Use it with REW. Any thoughts on ADCiso vs QA403?

QA403 has much wider range of voltages,and is also a generator. It is calibrated. It is ready made, ready to use instrument.
It has many predefined measurements.
ADCiso with REW can do a lot too, and some measurements you cannot with QA403.

They do not replace each other 100%

[rpschultz13]

Right. QA has larger voltage range, but for my work the ADCiso is plenty but it’s also auto range, calibrated, etc. ready to go as you say. But the ADCiso has much lower noise floor, and significantly cheaper. $600 is hard to swallow compared to $300.. or even some of those in the thread were saying $180-200. Not sure if that’s still valid.

Here’s a good review of asciso.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/e1da-cosmos-adciso-review.54020/

[KungFuJosh]

I looked at that a long time ago, when the prices were closer. The QA software looked better to me. But pick whichever one you want, and let us know what you think. We all know you'll probably have both eventually.

[rpschultz13]

For THD+N measurements, my motu m4 does fine for my preamp development and other guitar pedal work, down to 0.001%. But it’s very limited on input range, most guitar pedals can clip it easily. So that’s where the adciso or QA402/3 would be needed, to take measurements at higher gain levels. And for that, even amps, the ADCiso input limits seem sufficient:
Balanced input limit: input: ~10 Vrms (≈ +22 dBu)
AUX high voltage input: ~43 Vrms (≈ +33 dBu)

Although the QA402/3 has an input limit of +-40 Vrms, so similar, not higher like I thought