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| Calaverasgrande:
I was happy for decades with my Micronta/Radio Shack 22-185A. Only 3 and half digits. But it had a continuity beeper and gave pretty reliable volts and ohm readings. Then I progressed in learning audio electronics and I wanted/needed a more accurate meter, and for better workflow, a bench meter. Got an okay deal on a Keithley 175A. Sure it's about as old as the Micronta and only one digit more, but it has dB, logging, relative etc. And you actually need to RTFM to really use it. So I feel like I'm going somewhere. But now I need more after only a couple years with the Keithley. I want to read capacitance, have more dB modes. Need better accuracy in the megohm range. (My old DMMs fall flat on their face above a meg or so) Does it ever end? I feel like I'm going in the same direction I did with DIY audio gear. First it was about saving money. Now I spend more time making equalizers, synths and preamps than I do making music. Soon I will spend more time acquiring and calibrating bench gear than building things! |
| KungFuJosh:
--- Quote from: Calaverasgrande on January 05, 2024, 07:57:09 pm ---I'm going in the same direction I did with DIY audio gear. First it was about saving money. --- End quote --- How did that work out? 🤣 GAS + TEAS is dangerous! Enjoy. 😉 |
| J-R:
Well, to be honest, you're a long way off from becoming a test equipment anonymous member with only two ancient DMMs! The Keithley 175A is a cute bench meter, but it's definitely an antique with the small LCD and all those potentially flaky mode/range push-button switches. Ignorance can be bliss if you're not active in the field. There have been some pretty big milestones with regard to multimeters/DMMs that would have been sad to miss. Historically, I don't think it was more than a few years after the 22-185A that the 22-167 came out with auto range functionality. I distinctly remember growing up with the incessant clacking of my grandfather's Beckman 3020, so when I saw the 22-167 in Radio Shack I had to have it (and still do). Around 2001 or so I bought the Greenlee DM-210 (Brymen BM202) which blew my mind with computer connectivity, EF, capacitance, frequency and more. The only bench DMM I had been exposed to up to that point was the Fluke 8010A back in my college days, which was pretty anemic even for the time. But after that I didn't buy any more test equipment until about six years ago when I bought a house big enough to unpack my grandfather's stuff I inherited. Then I set up a small work bench and started to tinker, at which point my inevitable path to TEA membership began. In my opinion, deciding what test equipment to buy is highly subjective and personal. One main issue that leads to TEA is that there is NOT a single, perfect device. So you have three bench DMMs because each has some amazing feature you don't want to give up. What to buy next? Probably best to list out all the specifics that you are needing so everyone can chime in intelligently. |
| tautech:
Welcome to the world of TE acquisition. Support starts here: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/ |
| KungFuJosh:
--- Quote from: J-R on January 05, 2024, 11:32:28 pm ---Well, to be honest, you're a long way off from becoming a test equipment anonymous member --- End quote --- Chill out with the gatekeeping. Dude's ready to get some new TE stuff, and he's excited about it. We all know it's just the beginning. |
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