Siglent SSA3000 plus or Rigol RSA3000 - which one is "best buy"

[SK]

Hello Guys,

the last weeks I read a lot of the threads concerning both devices but I am still not shure which one I should buy. 

As it seems the SSA3021x plus for about € 1800,- can be (slightly) easier "improved " to a 3.2 GHz VNA (SVA1032) without heavy risks...

....on the other hand, the RSA3015N (N!) (?) for about €2500,- can be "updated " to 3.2GHz "realtime" (RSA5032) or even 6.5 GHz. (RSA5065)

(the cheepest Sigent Realtime starts with 3.2GHZ at 4800,-)

...but: wether the 6.5 GHz are possible or not seems to be dependend from the hardware-revision => is this still possible with actually delivered devices?

So even if there are only 3.2GHz - the Rigol delivers Realtime for "only"  700,- add-on (comparing 2500,- with 1800,-)

What about the other aspects of the device: Does anybody know both devices and can make a shortly objective comparison?

The Siglent-SSA-Series seems to be 7 to 8 years in market know - the Rigol RSA is about 5 years newer !?

Thank You very much for your thougts... 

SK

[tautech]

Welcome to the forum.

Do not confuse the earlier release SSA3000X models with the later SSA3000X Plus models.
They are different HW and SW platforms and X Plus are more highly featured.

Touch, mouse and webserver support and a better EMI option are in X Plus models which for a few $ more makes a no-brainer to get the X Plus and for these reasons we no longer stock the older X models.

[baldurn]

I got the Siglent SSA 3032X-R which I managed to upgrade to 3075X-R with all options enabled. It is only €3995 so I am unsure where you got the other price.

I choose this model to get the real time option, but I have found I rarely use that. If I had to buy again I might just go for a cheap SDR to do the RT work. I am however very happy with having 7.5 GHz bandwidth and I also love that VNA is build in.

If this is your first SA I might also suggest starting out with a TinySA Ultra to learn what your needs really are. It is just €150 and goes all the way to 6 GHz. Combine that with a NanoVNA and a SDR (for RT). Could get you going for less than €400 total.

[tv84]

...but: wether the 6.5 GHz are possible or not seems to be dependend from the hardware-revision => is this still possible with actually delivered devices?

Your summary is pretty correct. Don't expect 6.5GHz.

If you really need RT then it's a no-brainer in financial terms.

[drew23]

Hi All

I have a Rigol RSA3015N. Awesome machine. The real-time function is very good and you wonder why it didn't come out sooner. VNA too.

I also have the original version of the SSA3000. A good analyser but not a patch on the Rigol.

I have measured both with a phase noise analyser. The Rigol is down around -155 dbc at 10 kHz, way better compared to about 140 for the Siglent.

I would love to hack the Rigol but not found anything.

Regards Drew VK4ZXI.

[SK]

Thank you all for your first thougts.

Concerning the devices itself - as I summerize for me: The Siglent is good, but the Rigol could be much better...   

On the other hand the "Procedure of Freedom" for the Siglent (as posted here https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/siglent-ssa3000x-spectrum-analyzers/msg3563577/#msg3563577 )

seems to be much easier than that what have to be done with the Rigol (https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/new-rigol-real-time-spectrum-analyser/msg4180021/#msg4180021)

...or is there meanwhile any easier way to free the device from its softwarelimits to get to the real hardwarelimits. If Yes => please post a link or send me a privat message - I would be very thankful

By the way: Can anybody confirm, that the procedure above still work on actual delivered Siglents?


Concerning my needs: about 3 GHZ should be present - 6 GHz would be nice but not needed - for the rest: I am honest: Right now - I don't now 


For the first, I want to do a little bit pre-compliance testing with nearfield-probes (often sold in a package with the Siglent)

...and then ... we will see

What I don't want is to save some €/$ in the present by buying exatly to my needs - to discover in future, that something is missing which I could have got for a little more money spent in the past. 

"Having is better than needing"   


By the way: I rank myself as an ambitious hobbist with ambitions to get a little bit more pro.

To the USB-attached devices (Nano VNA and others...)  I already thought a little bit about them, but there are so many totally identically named "versions" of these devices to very different prices form very different supplieres - and therefore I think I would buy the "cat in the sack" => meaning you never now, whether you make a "bang for a bug" or you buy the worst hardware for the highest prize - what only makes the dealer happy

Thanks to all for your good work an ideas

SK

P.S.: For myself, I already now the difference between Siglent "plus" and "non-plus"-Models, but if somebody else is reading this, it is certainly helpful to add this information also here

[Noy]

Why 1800€??

It is 1545€ for SSA3021X+ from Batronix. And you will probably get a discount about 6% on Top if you ask / wait for the "Embedded World Time"

[Sighound36]

Both a good machines, for myself it was ore of the Phase noise: -108dBc/Hz @ 10kHz  on the Rigol and 98 dBc/Hz.@10 kHz Offset Phase Noise on the Siglent.

Siglent has the max hackable factor, I have a couple of RTA's and the Rigol 5065 is my go to choice unless its uber critical, the I'll use the UXA.

Rebuilding of the psu also helped.

[SK]

@Noy:

...of course Batronix (...what else  )

Watch out: 1545 seems to be the prize including Märchensteuer (VAT) for the Non-Puls-Model !?

The non-Vat-Prize for the 3021-Plus is 1469,-  - incl. Märchensteuer 1748,11 => my rounded 1800,-

Embedded-World-Discount 6% ? - sometimes there were only 3%... (ok - better than nothing)

But: I was unlucky at all => on 24.12. in den "Adventskalender" there were even 10% - as a friend told me some days later 


@TV84: Thanks for the reply...
...are there sources where this "homebuilt apps" are available for download ?

Are these apps "universal" ...

...or does they have to be edited exactly to "my special " device ( e.g. serial-nr. or anything else) ?

Normally I have joy digging into new technical dimensions in a lot of cases...

Searching for a row of special characters in a file with a hex-editor - and then change them => I think I will manage this...

....but I am afraid I won't be able to disassemble a Rigol-Firmware, change the code and re-compile it to run on the machine again...

... especially if I payed €2,5K for it and take a risk to brick it with one forgoten character in the source-Code - the risk of fail is more than a bread with butter here...   

(My PC-Career started with MS-DOS 4 or 5 - so I am not the type of WIN-adict who does not know to use the command line - but Linux is far away from beeing my daily driver)



But for completion: Does anyone can commit, that the actual delivered Siglents are still hackable?

[Noy]

Oh..
picked the price incl. vat bus unfortunally for the non plus model...

Didn't realize.. because i bought the SSA3021X Plus for round about 1400€ incl. VAT back in 2019.. from batronix..
S

[zrq]

Hi all, I'm actually considering the same question recently, but I'd like to ask from a different perspective. Which of SSA3021X plus or RSA3015N is newer? I'm considering buying one for use recently (but can be pulled off till the beginning of next year) while expecting moving to more advanced equipment (higher freq) in a few years and I may be physically moving to a new country too. So I would like to know which of them may have a higher resell value after some time (say 4 years). I tends to believe a newer model would be more future proof.

[points2]

Hi zrq,

I tends to believe a newer model would be more future proof.

I'm like you, I'm looking for future proof, without crazy price of course (although this is relative...)

SSA3021X+ => I've got one, but I'm looking for smth "more" etc...
current price = 1.7kEur
interface = the screen, or thru your PC you have a copy of the screen (VNCviewer ; remote etc)
I'm looking for another SA because... when you go down the RBW, the SSA is slow

RSA3015N => I don't know this SA, thus no comment vs quality.
but,
price = 2.5kEur
RBW min = 10Hz (very high, "to me")

2days ago, as I'm looking for a better SA than the SSA3021X+, I googled... and read pages...
and oups ! => I end up to the web site of Aaronia (well-known producer of SA, but their product were too pricey for me in the past)
=> they just launched the "Eco" series !
for info, watch youtube vids / Aaronia SA... waouh !
to make it clearer => watch their brand new SA => https://aaronia.com/en/shop/spectrum-analyzer/real-time/compact-usb?serie=182

This one is a "basic" SA, with trackGen => https://aaronia.com/en/shop/spectrum-analyzer/real-time/compact-usb/spectran-v6-eco-150xa-6
price, incl. 20% VAT for hobbyist in EU => 4.2kEur
(apparently, dixit their forum, the preoreders got a nice rebate)
4.2kEur for this hardware... if you look at the specs => it is a bargain (RBW min = 0.062mHz !)
then => as it is a headless device (USB) => the interface is the software... and the "RTSA-Suite Pro" software is included into the price of the SSA (the headless box !)
=> I looked at this soft... => stunning !

To concluded vs Aaronia "Eco" series :
1. there is no topic dedicated to Aaronia SA in this part of the forum... it should exist ! 
2. the specs of the Eco series hardware are miles away from any other product on the market (500GHz/s sweep time waouh !)
3. their soft is... an interface... but a bit more, isn't it ?... I let anyone to reply if I missed smth, but these features are miles away from any other SA on the market...

To concluded vs your sentence : "buy new is better".
Aaronia shows that you're right !
Last years, huge improvements were made vs EE hardware (FPGAs etc..). So then, anyone can look at the prices of used SA @ electrorent & Co => there are many old stuff, with no interface to PC (too old), RBW min way above 1Hz, 5-10-20kg the piece, sold at unbelievable prices vs this AAronia Eco series

Apparementy the lead time is quite long @6weeks... but it is future proof and a good asset to put your cash into as a hobyist.

Any comments is welcome to kick my a.. because I've seen the picture the other way around 

[chrisb741]

Can I ask how well does the SSA3021X Plus demodulate ASK/FSK signals.
If I send a an modulated bitstream of about 50bits will it decode the signal and tell me what was sent?

[points2]

Can I ask how well does the SSA3021X Plus demodulate ASK/FSK signals.

hi,
no clue vs your question, that's out of my "spectrum" :-)

[chrisb741]

According to the data sheet it < 10M symbols? / second
Not sure what that exactly means

[zrq]

To me the VNA function matters more, as I already got hands on the cheap NI vector signal transceivers. So although the   aaronia thing looks impressive, they are not exactly what I want and is also much beyond my budget.

[EE-digger]

For those who own either of these series, are you really only allowed 1 cal kit?  Their two choices are an N kit and their "blank" kit with is a 1.5GHz N kit.  Only 1 user cal kit is crippling on this nice unit.