SPD3303X-E vs DP832

[jmiguelhdez]

SPD3303X-E is a little cheaper(389.00), vs ~470 for the DP832?
But is it good enough?
looking at this video() seems dp832 had some issues, but other posts had good comments about it.
But i couldn't find much info on the  SPD3303X-E

[tautech]

But i couldn't find much info on the  SPD3303X-E

Welcome to the forum.

What in particular do you need to know ?
There's several threads comparing these 2 PSU's and more with info on SPD3303X and X-E. Forum Search will find them. 
FYI the X and X-E are identical other than the readout resolution.
Dave did a teardown some 4 years back when these were first released and there's been a few changes to them since.
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/blog/eevblog-828-siglent-spd3303x-precision-lab-psu-teardown/
Early binding posts weren't right and they got changed really early on, the issue was if old short banana plugs were used they didn't engage far enough into the binding posts and be securely fastened resulting that sometimes they could fall out. Not now an issue with later units.
The GUI was upgraded a good couple years back so more info was displayed on the default display as is pictured in this image:

[ebclr]

Cool thing on SPD3303X is that is "hackable"

[DaJMasta]

Cool thing on SPD3303X is that is "hackable"

Also true for the Rigol.


I suggest searching the forum (magnifying glass on the left, not box on the right) for SPD3303X and DP832 and you'll find probably a dozen threads directly comparing the two with extra information.  Long story short, both have had their problems and both have had them ironed out, so they're similarly performing units with slightly different feature sets.  Take your pick, both will likely do the job you want.

[Gandalf_Sr]

I own both; IMHO, the clear winner is the Rigol DP832 hacked up to DP832A functionality with no need to open the case. This got bigger as I typed and is almost a mini-review:

Binding Posts
The binding posts are poor on the SPD3303X-E, even with the replacement binding posts sent to me by Siglent some banana plugs will fall out if you sneeze near them. The Rigol binding posts seem to take any banana plug in the galaxy with no problems.

Fan Noise
Both have noisy fans and I replaced both (details are in the forum somewhere).

Channel 3
My biggest complaint with the Siglent is that Channel 3 has very limited controls - it should only be called a 2.1 channel PSU IMHO. On the SPD3303X-E, Channel 3 can only be set to one of 3 voltages, 2.5V, 3.3V, and 5V and the current limiting is fixed at 3.2A! which makes Channel 3 almost unusable for me e.g. when testing or running a circuit that normally pulls 150 mA at 3.3V it's insane to only have a 3.2A current limit.  The Rigol allows full control over Channel 3 up to 5.5V and 3.3A (at mV resolution hacked).

Channel Isolation
The biggest gripe about the Rigol is that Channel 2 and 3 have a common ground (marked on front of case) but that hasn't stopped me from using it in any scenario so far - e.g. +12V, -12V, +3.3V needs to be done using Ch 2, Ch 1, Ch3 respectively. The Siglent has 3 fully independent Channels.

User Interface
The user interface on the Siglent is clunky, you have to press the channel button then use the L-R cursor keys to jump between V, A, Timer, then use the fine button to cycle through the digits, all while turning the single knob. The Siglent display is also hard to see the values when they are selected unless you're looking straight at the screen (rather than from above).  The Rigol controls look a bit weird in their circular layout but work well, you select the channel, and then enter the value, then press the V,A,mV,mA buttons e.g. 50 [mV] - you can still use the dial to adjust values too.  The Rigol display is great from any angle.

[nctnico]

To the OP: what is your budget? There are more expensive options out there which may be worth the extra money.

[Gandalf_Sr]

SPD3303X-E is a little cheaper(389.00), vs ~470 for the DP832?
But is it good enough?
looking at this video [see first post] seems dp832 had some issues, but other posts had good comments about it.
But i couldn't find much info on the  SPD3303X-E

I wouldn't worry too much about Dave's video, that's the only instance I've ever heard of of a failed Power FET in the DP832.

I found the earlier thread when the exact same question you asked (DP832 vs SPD3303X-E) was asked, it's here.

There's a post of mine about 2/3 the way down the first page that includes links to all the upgrades, modifications, and hacks for the DP832.  Many Rigol's can be upgraded simply by using Riglol (not a typo, Google it).  Then there's the awesome trick of creating a 'magic' USB drive that, when inserted, allows many Rigols to be made into their more expensive versions with a 1-line SCPI command.

In the thread I just linked to above, Tautech (a NZ-based Siglent dealer) takes issue with my complaint about the binding posts but the issue is still there on my SPD3303X-E.  In fact I think I'll sell my SPD3303X-E and get a second DP832.

Happy Thanksgiving folks

[jemangedeslolos]

To the OP: what is your budget? There are more expensive options out there which may be worth the extra money.

Which ones ?

Your opinion interests me

[tautech]

In the thread I just linked to above, Tautech (a NZ-based Siglent dealer) takes issue with my complaint about the binding posts but the issue is still there on my SPD3303X-E. 

Yep I sure do !

You have experience of just one unit and an early one at that which Siglent NA provided the free upgraded binding posts and yet you still had to fork with them rather than get some modern banana plugs. 
I've sold some dozens of these PSU's without a single complaint....even about binding posts !
The first 10 pages of a Google search for others with binding post issues shows only your ongoing grizzling or some binding post hack for some Agilent PSU.

Really you did yourself no favors drilling out the binding posts so to enable insertion of substandard banana plugs when for a few $ you wouldn't have had all this grief.
Best you do sell your SPD3303X-E as I'm sure others with modern banana plugs will be very happy with it.

[Gandalf_Sr]

In the thread I just linked to above, Tautech (a NZ-based Siglent dealer) takes issue with my complaint about the binding posts but the issue is still there on my SPD3303X-E. 

Yep I sure do !
You have experience of just one unit and an early one at that which Siglent NA provided the free upgraded binding posts and yet you still had to fork with them rather than get some modern banana plugs. 
I've sold some dozens of these PSU's without a single complaint....even about binding posts !
The first 10 pages of a Google search for others with binding post issues shows only your ongoing grizzling or some binding post hack for some Agilent PSU.

Really you did yourself no favors drilling out the binding posts so to enable insertion of substandard banana plugs when for a few $ you wouldn't have had all this grief.
Best you do sell your SPD3303X-E as I'm sure others with modern banana plugs will be very happy with it.

You want to have your cake and eat it too.  There have been multiple people who had concerns about the binding posts on the SPD3303X-E. In a recent post you said "Early binding posts weren't right and they got changed really early on, the issue was if old short banana plugs were used they didn't engage far enough into the binding posts and be securely fastened resulting that sometimes they could fall out. Not now an issue with later units."

If that's true and, as a buyer of a new unit, and having gotten 'updated' binding posts from Siglent only to find that they were exactly the same as the old ones, Siglent should replace my SPD3303X-E as they have, according to you, sold me a unit with the "[e]arly binding posts [that] weren't right".
 
Readers may like to know that Rob the Siglent dealer offers my "fork with them" binding post modification as a solution to several buyers, try

here

and here

and here

and in this post he states that "I have revisited a new SDP3303X-E than came yesterday. Binding posts do seem a loose fit for banana plugs UNTIL they are fully inserted. The last ~1/4" is quite a firm fit, firm enough that you wouldn't want them that tight all the way"

but what you fail to mention is that, if there are spade connectors fitted to the binding posts too, that pushes the banana plug even farther out.

Rob, we can perhaps agree that my unit is a bad one but, if that's the case, reach out to your US counterparts and get them to replace my unit.  I object to your accusing me of incompetently "doing myself no favors" messing up my product when I'm a Siglent buyer who clearly has been sold a faulty product - let's not even get into my experience with the Siglent scope with the missing capacitors.

[nctnico]

To the OP: what is your budget? There are more expensive options out there which may be worth the extra money.

Which ones ?

Your opinion interests me

Both options from the OP have their issues / down sides. If you are going to spend a couple of hundred then it may make sense to spend even more to get a really good device. That way I ended up with the Keysight E36313A. One of the features I like is the low current range (up to 20mA) which make the PSU capable of showing currents at the uA level. I vaguely remember seeing a PSU from another brand which also had this feature somewhere on this forum.

[Gandalf_Sr]

E36313A? That's an $1,800 power supply!

[nctnico]

E36313A? That's an $1,800 power supply!

But it has none of the downsides compared to the SPD3303X-E and DP832. BTW it seems to be cheaper in Europe.

[maginnovision]

R&S®HMP4000 is also an option if cost isn't a factor

[BillB]

Even though I know nothing of your requirements, use case, or budget, I say that if you're willing to spend a few hundred dollars, you might as well spent eight thousand dollars and pick yourself up a Keysight N6705C.  It really is the barest minimum anyone should consider as it is a supply you can grow into and has none of the problems that plague all of the lesser models discussed so far.   

 

[JxR]

Even though I know nothing of your requirements, use case, or budget, I say that if you're willing to spend a few hundred dollars, you might as well spent eight thousand dollars and pick yourself up a Keysight N6705C.  It really is the barest minimum anyone should consider as it is a supply you can grow into and has none of the problems that plague all of the lesser models discussed so far.   

8k is just for the fancy box .  Be prepared for several thousand more to put the actual power supply modules in it.

[Gandalf_Sr]

Even though I know nothing of your requirements, use case, or budget, I say that if you're willing to spend a few hundred dollars, you might as well spent eight thousand dollars and pick yourself up a Keysight N6705C.  It really is the barest minimum anyone should consider as it is a supply you can grow into and has none of the problems that plague all of the lesser models discussed so far.   

Why not get 3 of them? /s

[JxR]

One of the features I like is the low current range (up to 20mA) which make the PSU capable of showing currents at the uA level. I vaguely remember seeing a PSU from another brand which also had this feature somewhere on this forum.

R&S HMC/HMP/NGM, and the Agilent "Mobile Communication DC Sources" all have mA ranges.  I'm sure there are more as well.

[BillB]

8k is just for the fancy box .  Be prepared for several thousand more to put the actual power supply modules in it.

Well, if you're going to spend $8K, you might as well spend $12K.

Why not get 3 of them? /s

Three would obviously be the minimum quantity someone should even consider, but I realize there might be some hobbyists or students on the forum and am aware that they might only be able to afford $12K at first.  I'm not an elitist!

 

[Gandalf_Sr]

  ROTFLMAO 

[nctnico]

@Billb: Stop making a fool of yourself. Like anything it is a matter of budget and how someone would value an item. You can compare it to buying a car. You basically have 3 options: buying a new cheap one which isn't quite right, buying a higher end used model or (if you can) spend more money to buy a new higher end car. Ofcourse there are always those who think the cheap car is equal to the more expensive car because it gets you from A to B but let's be honest: would you like to drive hundreds of kilometers in a car with poor seats and/or which is noisy like hell? I won't because it will make every trip annoying and I know better options exist so I look further.

Cry once to buy a good tool.

[tautech]

@Billb: Stop making a fool of yourself. Like anything it is a matter of budget and how someone would value an item. You can compare it to buying a car. You basically have 3 options: buying a new cheap one which isn't quite right, buying a higher end used model or (if you can) spend more money to buy a new higher end car. Ofcourse there are always those who think the cheap car is equal to the more expensive car because it gets you from A to B but let's be honest: would you like to drive hundreds of kilometers in a car with poor seats and/or which is noisy like hell? I won't because it will make every trip annoying and I know better options exist so I look further.

Cry once to buy a good tool.

Right. 
Bill equipped his his full lab for less than the cost of just one ‘good tool’ !

[BillB]

nctnico, I agree with you 100%!  As a matter of fact, I was just chatting about this with my chauffeur, I  said, 'Jheeves, aren't you glad I decided to get the extended wheel base Rolls Royce Phantom?'  I would have surely regretted getting the plain, non-EWB Phantom.

Jheeves doesn't know anything about power supplies, however.  I tried to explain to him why it just makes sense to get 3 Keysight N6705C's...   

      

[JxR]

The OP never did provide a budget, so no real reason to hold back on recommendations. Although equating the recommendation of a very good and general $1.8k lab power supply to a ultra specialized +$10k power supply may be a bit over the top. 

I would personally go for something used myself over either the SPD3303X-E vs DP832.  But if for some reason I could only choose between the two, I would go with the SPD3303X-E.  I'm a bit biased against the DP832 though since I used to own one and had issues. 

Based on price alone, what does a DP832 honestly buy you that is better than the Siglent to justify the price increase (besides using standard terminal widths on the outputs).  I do like the big display on the Siglent, looks good and easy to read.

[Plasmateur]

In my opinion this is the current hobbiest lab equipment Trifecta

Code: [Select]

Rigol    DS1054Z   4CH O-Scope
Siglent  SDG2042X  2CH AWG
Instek   GPP-4323  4CH DC power supply
And if you were to upgrade it would probably be something like this....

Code: [Select]

Debatable spot
Siglent  SDG6022X  2CH AWG
Instek   GPP-4323  4CH DC power supply
Same DC power supply.