Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 13

Thread: How much oscope?

  1. Back To Top    #1
    A Refined Basshead blockrocker's Avatar
    Location
    Calgary, Alberta
    Vehicle
    2018 Nissan Frontier
    Posts
    623
    Join Date
    Nov 2019

    How much oscope?

    Hi folks. I was curious if there is any reason to purchase more than a bare minimum oscope? I have been eyeballing a $40 Amazon special like this:
    https://www.amazon.ca/Kuman-Handheld...89PRTHH3FEFVQ1
    Should I look for something else or would this be enough for a passionate car audio amateur?

  2. Back To Top    #2
    Banned
    Real Name
    Hic
    Posts
    753
    Join Date
    Oct 2019

    Re: How much oscope?

    What are you using it for ?

    https://knowledge.sonicelectronix.co...l-multi-meter/

    The O-scope will allow you to see where clipping begins as you test an amp for maximum (usable) output.

    https://www.google.com/search?client...63.155ZQirPx_4

  3. Back To Top    #3
    A Refined Basshead blockrocker's Avatar
    Location
    Calgary, Alberta
    Vehicle
    2018 Nissan Frontier
    Posts
    623
    Join Date
    Nov 2019

    Re: How much oscope?

    I’m using it to tune amps and double check clipping at the head unit etc. It seems like a logical tool for the hobby but I’m very unfamiliar with them. So I thought I would get some second opinions on what I should get.
    Cheers.

  4. Back To Top    #4

    Re: How much oscope?

    the easiest to use but most expensive? any of the fluke scopes. the small chinese units can be challenging to find the RMS mode and autoscale correctly. some only support 10v measurements as well, which would be handy for headunits but not amplifiers.

    a few friends have the chinese scopes. after spending 15min with each, we just went back to the fluke scopes

    sometimes they have gains set too high:


    and you have to turn them down by like 1/3:


    and sometimes you see weird stuff clipping in unexpected ways:

  5. Back To Top    #5
    A Refined Basshead blockrocker's Avatar
    Location
    Calgary, Alberta
    Vehicle
    2018 Nissan Frontier
    Posts
    623
    Join Date
    Nov 2019

    Re: How much oscope?

    Thanks for the information. I might be looking to split the difference with cost and performance. I definitely don't want one that isn't accurate. However I'm not sure I can justify hundreds of dollars on something I'll only use occasionally. Maybe I can dig up a used one. I appreciate the reply.

  6. Back To Top    #6
    Refuses to grow up... mumbles's Avatar
    Real Name
    Eric
    Location
    ATL
    Posts
    285
    Join Date
    Sep 2016

    Re: How much oscope?

    Quote Originally Posted by blockrocker View Post
    Thanks for the information. I might be looking to split the difference with cost and performance. I definitely don't want one that isn't accurate. However I'm not sure I can justify hundreds of dollars on something I'll only use occasionally. Maybe I can dig up a used one. I appreciate the reply.
    I am with you... Flukes are the best, but hard to justify the cost! When I worked for a major airline, all the tools we purchased were taken out of our paycheck, and that was capped to a max amount. Whever someone asked me how much a particular tool like a fluke was, my answer was always... $28 a month. I kind of miss having that option!

  7. Back To Top    #7
    Senior Member jrwalte's Avatar
    Location
    Atlanta
    Vehicle
    2007 Corolla
    Posts
    293
    Join Date
    Oct 2019

    Re: How much oscope?


  8. Back To Top    #8

    Re: How much oscope?

    Quote Originally Posted by jrwalte View Post
    Same here. Great purchase for ~$80... Nice multimeter as well as a basic o-scope. Of course, I have no way of knowing how accurate it actually is since I don't have a more expensive o-scope to compare it to, but... :-)

    I do have a few related questions though...

    If I am trying to squeeze the most out of my 75Wx6 amp (JL Audio XD600/6v2), should I set gains with the car running since you would have higher voltage when the car is running? Also - the JL Audio manual says to use 0db test tones for gain setting, but most people seem to say that you should use -5dB tones (some even say -10dB) when setting gains or else you leave a lot of power on the table most of the time. Opinions on both questions?

    Thanks!

  9. Back To Top    #9
    Senior Member jrwalte's Avatar
    Location
    Atlanta
    Vehicle
    2007 Corolla
    Posts
    293
    Join Date
    Oct 2019

    Re: How much oscope?

    For tweeter I use DMM method and set by voltage to keep wattage around where I want. I use -3 for my mid, -6 for mid bass and -10 for sub. Plus I'm also setting that at about 90% of my total available volume (before HU clips, if applicable). So i have plenty of headroom overall and in my bass. I cut where needed in the DSP from there.

  10. Back To Top    #10

    Re: How much oscope?

    Quote Originally Posted by jtrosky View Post
    Same here. Great purchase for ~$80... Nice multimeter as well as a basic o-scope. Of course, I have no way of knowing how accurate it actually is since I don't have a more expensive o-scope to compare it to, but... :-)
    ...
    What is accuracy?
    The volts/division?
    or
    The shape of the traces?


    Quote Originally Posted by jtrosky View Post
    ...
    If I am trying to squeeze the most out of my 75Wx6 amp (JL Audio XD600/6v2), should I set gains with the car running since you would have higher voltage when the car is running? Also - the JL Audio manual says to use 0db test tones for gain setting, but most people seem to say that you should use -5dB tones (some even say -10dB) when setting gains or else you leave a lot of power on the table most of the time. Opinions on both questions?
    Well you probably only need to test it on the woofer side for a 3-way.
    Then depending on where the sub is set, and the cross over for the woofers... sort of has a bearing.

    It may be easiest to use the O-scope on the sub???
    (using tones)

    And it might be worthwhile to use actual music, rather than tones for the rest?
    (It sort of depends on whether the woofers are focussed on playing drum hits, or tones for music... and some clipping on deipum hits may not be too perceptible?)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Back To Top