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RE: What kind of oscilloscope is useful for audio work?

Posted by rick_m (A) on August 28, 2014 at 09:03:12

In Reply to: What kind of oscilloscope is useful for audio work? posted by jedrider on August 27, 2014 at 17:02:06:

Actually, any scope is infinitly better than nothing. But some are better yet... I know, it's hard to argue with "logic" like that but there it is.

Test equipment vaguly falls into two catagories in my book: Things that measure parameters and things that make signals sensible. You already have at least one of the latter: your audio system which includes your ear/brain, a fantastically sensitive signal analyser honed by evolution. Music itself is a drug of sorts that spoofs that system for entertainment.

If you need more details then you need more angles: time and frequency to help sort out what's going on. Scopes see well in the time domain while spectrum analyzers see well in frequency. Meters don't see anything well but are good at measuring parameters.

OK! Sorry if you feel that I am stating the obvious but clarity is important. From my lifetime of experience with electronics both professionally and as a hobbiest if I could have only one piece of test gear it would be a scope. Nothing else comes close if you really want to know what's going on. Since today's digital scopes can display the spectrum and voltage values they essentially do everything except directly measure component parameters.

I like Tektronix scopes from long long experience and bias (They are located a ways down valley from me). However you may find better values. The key thing to look for is a high sample rate (a GS/s is usually plenty) and a user interface that appeals to you.

Seeing is believing..

Rick

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