Need help! Test bench equipment recommendations. $2k+ budget

[geneonline]

My scenario:
Currently a college electrical/computer engineer student wanting to build a test bench for home use for course work, clubs, personal projects, and professional work in the future. Looking to purchase a little bit better than entry level gear for future proofing, quality, and functionally. My current course load is mainly focusing on building simple electronics, making circuits for devices, programming, soldering, measuring, and testing. In the future it will ramp up into analog and digital communications, mircoprocessors, systems analysis, robotics, integrated circuits and devices, feedback control systems to name a few. It will be a wide variety of things and I would like to be prepared to do many of the things at home as hanging out in the college lab after my class is over when other classes are going on isnt really ideal. I also function best during off hours. Plus, the professor doesn't let us take the test equipment home so we must work on anything and everything in the classroom till we get our own equipment at home if we want.

What I would like to do is diagnose and repair everyday electronics, make pc parts, make peripherals from scratch that interface with pc and other devices, build and program drones/robotics from scratch, repair pc components on the hardware level, displays, reverse engineer and build/program my own e-vehicle - ebikes, escooter. Networking and some audio, but not really my main focus. Just building, designing, and programming systems from the ground up. Anything with electricity is far game tbh.

Future: Which career specialization I plan to go into is all up in the air. It's all really exciting and fun to work on many different aspects of tech right now.

At campus we mainly have a lot of tecktronix/keithley and dk precision to work with at each seat:
PC's loaded with all the programs.
Keithley 2231A-30-3 DC power supply
Keithley DMM6500 Bench DMM
Tecktronix TDS 2012B Oscilloscope
Tektronix AFG 1022 Function generator
BK precision's equivalent of items above.
Hantech DSO8072E All-in-one
Solmax 456DLX Soldering Station
A lot of other specialized equipment in the lab that I'm not in the class yet to use.
Cool stuff but out of my price range. I understand that these are more student/lab accurate. Once I find employment I could may get to see better stuff, but I need to keep it somewhat reasonable for now.

I have about $2k Budget for spending on additional gear right now. I can stretch the budget and can build out more as time goes on.

For my DMM I have a Fluke 88V (Purchased awhile ago due to needing to work on some car stuff at home. Also seemed like good idea at the time. Ok for now but know its not a true bench DMM).

DC Power Supply: purchased the Rigol DP832 to hack into a 832A. Seemed like a solid choice as I wanted a multi channel, linear power supply, programmable, quick adjustability on the fly, and I like buttons and a dial to set. Not building my own rn. Maybe later for a higher voltage from an old pc PSU.(Just ordered so can return if there is a strong argument to get something that performs better, more accurate, has a better price, and functionality. the forums here and the videos on build quality were what lead me to pick this).

I have some helping hands, really generic nonadjustable soldering iron, electrostatic mats and a wrist strap, Dremel, power tools, and plenty of manual tools from fixing previous phones, building pcs, daily electronics, fixing my own vehicles, and stuff around the house.

Equipment I currently need recommendations for: Oscilloscope, Function generator, soldering station with fume extractor, heat gun (for loosening up chips, resistors, capacitors).

Recommendations for future items: Bench DMM, Logic Analyzer, Electronic Load, maybe a Vector Signal Generator, maybe some other stuff I can't think of right now.

I noticed that some oscilloscopes have a few of these capabilities already, some better than others. Some forum posts say its better to get a stand alone unit. Oscilloscope are an old debate and keeps getting brought up over which to get, but I would like help for my current situation. The more I read, the more I get confused on which is a good purchase. I've compared charts and read many posts, but would the Rigol MSO 5104(hacked) for the better lead or MSO 5074 be best for my needs? Would the Siglent SDS2104X Plus (hacked) with it's lower front end noise be better for my application? It's a hefty 1000-1300$ investment and trying to cover all my bases with this to last a long time. Both having waveform generators and some ability to logic analyze. I'm fine with recommendations for other brands, models, products. 1500$ is the most I can justify for a oscilloscope since if it's good, I can use it for a lot of different things, but need to leave some money for the other things I need right now. Prob stressing over this topic for no reason and prob overkill.

Should i shoot for a lower cost oscilloscope, and get a better for a logic analyzer to hook up to a pc, and save the rest for other equipment that pops up?

No idea what is highly recommended for a soldering station or heating gun for electronics.  Saw a few videos of some really cool solder vacuum which would be nice to clean up my messes. Advice from you readers who use these daily would be more knowledgeable.

I haven't started looking into a function generator to balance with the other purchases.

Very open to good suggestions about solid bench DMM as I'll prob get one sooner than later.
Any other recommendations for future tools for the bench would be much appreciated too!

Thanks for reading and for any suggestions!

[TopQuark]

Fellow college student here, just about to finish my undergraduate degree and have built up quite a lab throughout my studies. My home lab have allowed me to build projects for school, my robotics club, start a tech company (now defunct  ) and got a EE part time job working from home. I'd say it is well worth investing in a good home lab, it allows you to hone your skill as an engineer and brings you so many opportunities.

My advice is to start with a modest set of equipment and slowly build your collection out. You will know what gear you NEED when you actually need it, and when you don't know what you need, just spend the money on the basics to get you going, and keep the money for later when you need to spend the big bucks for specific equipment. For example, if you later go the embedded route, you'll probably need to spend on a J-Link, a logic analyser, power profiler, high speed probes etc. If you go for RF stuff, you'll need a spectrum analyser, vector network analyser, precision hot tweezers for tweaking 0201 passives etc. Go power electronics? You will need current probes, diff probes, high power supplies, fire extinguishers  etc. Point is, it is hard to tell what route you'll end up going, so it is harder still to say how to spend your money right now.

Also allocate a chunk of budget for a good collection of components, having parts handy allows you to build out prototypes and test ideas much faster! I think 30% to 40% of my lab's worth is in components. Have a collection of opamps (fast ones, low noise ones, high power ones, low drift ones...  ), have a collection of passive components from through hole to SMD, have a collection of BJTs and MOSFETs for signal and power stuff, the list goes on and on.

Can't tell you exactly what gear to buy, as it is your money not mine, and different people have different priorities and quality standards, but I can tell you my journey.

For oscilloscopes I started with a DS1052E I think 8 years ago, sold it and swapped it for a DS1054Z and swapped it again for a SDS2074x Plus hacked to 500MHz, paid a bit over 1k USD for it. If you are entering the market now, I really suggest you look for a scope that can do bode plots, you'll learn a hell lot from it (power supply stability analysis, filter response, component characterisation etc.). Bandwidth is not as important as one think, rarely do I measure stuff up to 100 MHz, and for the rare case I need high bandwidth (high speed digital, RF etc.), even 500 MHz on my current scope won't cut it.

Function generator is something I don't use too often, and for years I was happy with a 20 MHz second hand Rigol DG1022 I got for less than 100 USD. It is until recently I wanted to do bode plots up to 100 MHz, that I ordered a SGD2042x that I plan to hack to 120 MHz. A function gen is not something I use daily, unlike my scope, soldering gear etc.

Soldering station really depends on what you can tolerate I think. Personally I love soldering and I sometimes just solder for the sake of doing it to enjoy a zen moment. I have around 5kg of the best quality silver loaded, leaded, multicore solder on hand in case they ban the sales of the leaded stuff. Like most people I started with a crappy non adjustable plug in iron, upgraded a few times and in the process have tried crappy chinese stations, Hakko Fx-950, Goot Rx-802, chinese JBC knock-off, built my own Weller RT station. What I finally settled on is the Metcal mx-5200 with the standard and ultrafine hand pieces, and a second hand Metcal mx-500 with the Hakko fx-1003 precision hot tweezers. IMO the Metcal induction system is the best performer, period. The heat recovery is second to none, the tip to grip distance and ergonomics is simply the best. I consider it to be my endgame. Could I have settled on the Hakko Fx-950? Of course, but I'll admit I am a snob when it comes to soldering, and I have probably spent to much on soldering gear, but no regrets so far. 

For hot air stations I found the stations with the fan built into the stationary unit performs the best, as opposed to having the fan in the handpiece. I owned the Quick 957DW, loved the simplicity and performance. Later upgraded to the classic 861DW when I had a project involving copper core PCBs. I still miss the UI (knobs) of the 957DW.

I grew up with asthma so fume extraction is a must for me. I have a Quick 6101 fume extractor and it does the job. Also stole my mum's dyson air purifier fan and placed it on my work bench, it works well.

Bench DMM is something nice to have, but not really necessary. I think universities prefer them as it is harder for students to steal them . I have a 2nd hand Keithley 2000 but it does not get used as often as my Brymen 869s by far. You rarely need the extra digits.

For logic analysers I have a DS lab logic analyser, it is the best bang per buck till this day I think. But once again, I rarely use it. If you have a software issue, a debugger (e.g. J-Link) is way way more useful. If I suspect there's some issue in hardware, I use my scope to check for SI issues at the same time. I'd say a logic analyser is not essential for most work. A 4 channel scope and a suitable debugger (depending on what architecture of chips you work with) should be your priority.

Electronic load I have a used 150W unit made by Array, it draws current, it does it's job, but I don't use it often not because it does not perform well, but a electronic load is not always the right load for the job. If I want to test a DUT under load for EMC, I don't use my mains connected load as it messes up the reading. For testing transient response of power supplies, most electronic loads are not fast enough, and you'll probably roll your own dynamic load. What I often fall back to a just a big old 200W pot, it does not oscillate, it does not inject noise into your circuit, it is floating, it is simple and it works.

Hope I have helped a bit in your purchasing decisions, I can talk about this stuff all day ahaha.

[geneonline]

@TopQuark, you've definitely gave me a great place to start! I agree it's still a little early to think about investing big into purchases, but also see the value in skipping over the cheapest alternative and grabbing something a little better to last like some of the items you've currently are using. Does seem like many different items to invest into and may fall into a similar path of joining up with my robotics club, collecting enough equipment to put my skills to use for money on the side, and hoarding a little bit of everything. I do get the feeling regardless what I buy now, it'll never be powerful enough to handle everything. Looking up some of the devices for the areas you mentioned is going to get expensive really quick! Luckily I have a fire extinguisher already and can cross that off my list .

Since you've settled on the SDS2074x plus I can be confident I wont need to trade out for a long time if I get a similar tier like that. I agree it's overkill for me right now and should invest in the other equipment as things pop up. Will put a little more research and emphasis in finding a product with good bode plotting. Function gen will be a lesser purchase since I won't need to go very high frequencies for a while. I'm thankful you pointed out the tips with the soldering station. Coming to the realization now, many going into tech will be spending a lot of time with one and I over looked hot tweezers completely!

For logic analyzers I have a DS lab logic analyzer, it is the best bang per buck till this day I think. But once again, I rarely use it. If you have a software issue, a debugger (e.g. J-Link) is way way more useful. If I suspect there's some issue in hardware, I use my scope to check for SI issues at the same time. I'd say a logic analyzer is not essential for most work. A 4 channel scope and a suitable debugger (depending on what architecture of chips you work with) should be your priority.

Can you recommend a few decent debuggers for typical in use architectures or is there some that may be versatile?

...I can talk about this stuff all day ahaha.

It is so much fun checking out all the gear, but when it's time to buy and settle on just one thing out of everything, the choice gets hard the more you look at it! There is really so much to choose from!

[bdunham7]

Equipment I currently need recommendations for: Oscilloscope, Function generator, soldering station with fume extractor, heat gun (for loosening up chips, resistors, capacitors).

Sure, we'd love to spend your money for you!  But I'd spend some time reading some past discussions so you can understand the pros and cons of each model, there have been extensive discussions about most of these.  My picks are:

Scope: Siglent SDS2104X+ for many reasons, but of course it isn't perfect.  SDS1104X-E is also an excellent budget choice, but don't bother with the logic probe feature.

FG:  Siglent SDS2042X w/ hack.  The SDS2104X+ has a basic FG built in, so you might not even need an FG right now.  Feeltech FY6900 also works if you don't mind the toy-like quality and the need for some easy modifications.

Soldering station:  Hakko FX888D is the minimum, IMO.  It works, they have a nice selection of tips.  Next up is the very nice Pace ADS200B, also IMO.  Consider hot tweezers later (expensive) and make your own fume extractor.

Hot air station:  I have an ultra-cheap Sumsour (generic) 858D that works for small and medium stuff.  If you want to spend a bit more, perhaps the Atten ST-862D.  I'd also recommend a desoldering vacuum of some sort.  I have the Hakko FR-301, but it isn't cheap.  Pro's Kit and others make some less expensive ones that apparently work just fine.

Recommendations for future items: Bench DMM, Logic Analyzer, Electronic Load, maybe a Vector Signal Generator, maybe some other stuff I can't think of right now.

Bench DMM:  Fluke 8846A.  I'm probably the only person who will recommend that and most would consider it outdated and way too expensive--and that's probably true.  You'd have to use one on a daily basis to appreciate it.

Logic Analyzer:  I have the logic probe for the SDS2104X+ and I often need to correlate analog channels to the logic ones.  A separate PC-based one might be handier for other things.

VSG: Those get quite expensive, have a look at Signal Hound.

[TopQuark]

SDS2074x plus (cheaper still, only available in my neck of the woods) / SDS2104x plus is definitely a good buy, think it is the cheapest way to get a 500 MHz bandwidth new scope. The last Rigol scope I had, the 1054z, was really laggy and the software was rarely updated, it really left a sour taste in my mouth. Seeing all the software issues that plague the MSO5000 and the high noise floor made me turn away from Rigol. All the recent purchases (scope, func gen, spectrum analyser) I made was from Siglent, very happy with them so far. My boss at work was so impressed by the Siglent scope that we bought them for work. The only Rigol gear I still own is the DP832.

The used equipment market is quite fluid, especially in your part of the world, I wouldn't worry too much about starting modest and selling stuff once your needs out grow it. I had no trouble selling my previous scopes.

I work on ARM cortex-M (STM32, NRF52, EFM32, SAMD51 etc.) exclusively, and I recommend the J-Link from Segger, it is the least pain in the a** to work with, and the software that works with it (Ozone) is really powerful. If you want to stay completely open source or program in Rust, the Black Magic Probe is a good alternative though less powerful.

edit:
If you go with the Siglent SDS2104x plus, you can make a DIY logic probe for cheap (https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/diy-logic-analyzer-probe-and-pods-for-siglent-scopes/), so you don't even need to buy a logic analyser. Also, the scope has a built in AWG as mentioned, and can do bode plots up to 50 MHz.

[JimLev]

I’ve got a signal generator and frequency counter listed for sale if your interested.
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/buysellwanted/fs-used-bk-1805-precision-80mhz-freq-counter/
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/buysellwanted/fs-used-exact-electronics-122-waveform-generator/

[geneonline]

Sure, we'd love to spend your money for you!  But I'd spend some time reading some past discussions so you can understand the pros and cons of each model, there have been extensive discussions about most of these.  My picks are:

Scope: Siglent SDS2104X+ for many reasons, but of course it isn't perfect.  SDS1104X-E is also an excellent budget choice, but don't bother with the logic probe feature.

FG:  Siglent SDS2042X w/ hack.  The SDS2104X+ has a basic FG built in, so you might not even need an FG right now.  Feeltech FY6900 also works if you don't mind the toy-like quality and the need for some easy modifications.

I was very curious about the other functionality of the oscilloscopes as it not normally covered much in threads. I appreciate reinforcing to go with siglent on this topic. The more I dig deeper into older posts I start to develop a bias against one over time and then second guess it wondering if would be for my case! The use cases tend to be very specific to pick the rigol, but since I shouldn't worry too much about some edge in the logic and sampling area, the cons over shadow it too much making siglent a better over all experience I'm guessing? I'll now need to choose between the sds2104x+ and the sds1104X-E!

I'm going to save the SDG2042x in a shopping cart right now so I don't have to think about it once the situation I need it for comes occurs.

Soldering station:  Hakko FX888D is the minimum, IMO.  It works, they have a nice selection of tips.  Next up is the very nice Pace ADS200B, also IMO.  Consider hot tweezers later (expensive) and make your own fume extractor.

Hot air station:  I have an ultra-cheap Sumsour (generic) 858D that works for small and medium stuff.  If you want to spend a bit more, perhaps the Atten ST-862D.  I'd also recommend a desoldering vacuum of some sort.  I have the Hakko FR-301, but it isn't cheap.  Pro's Kit and others make some less expensive ones that apparently work just fine.

I was at a loss when it came to this as I just started watching videos on the topic and haven't been able to narrow down brands to settle on! I'll be starting some heavier soldering projects in 2 weeks so can't thank you enough for the suggestion. I've always have had trouble with old solder sticking on the boards when trying to fix or salvage parts.

Bench DMM:  Fluke 8846A.  I'm probably the only person who will recommend that and most would consider it outdated and way too expensive--and that's probably true.  You'd have to use one on a daily basis to appreciate it.

It looks to be a beauty and really like the fluke devices I've had a chance to use so far. I do love the ease of use so can totally see why you'd recommend it! I'll try to shoot for something close to it if I'm able to pull a few extra shifts at work. Is there a similar model but a step down that is comparable? I'm seeing now how small it can detect! Justifies the price!

Logic Analyzer:  I have the logic probe for the SDS2104X+ and I often need to correlate analog channels to the logic ones.  A separate PC-based one might be handier for other things.

You mentioned not to bother with the logic probe of the sds1104x-e, but is the probe on the SDS2104X+ still recommended to use? topquark was saying the same to get a pc interface for the logic part as well. Some forum posts says it's easier on pc due to the memory needed, the processing power needed, and ease of use when using with mouse and keyboard, am I on the right track about that?



_________________________________________________________________________________



@ TopQuark So glad you've had more in-depth and experience use with multiple companies and products. I'm happy you like the using the devices. This will save me from a lot of buyers remorse in the future!

The only Rigol gear I still own is the DP832.

How is this holding up and you experience with it? I just ordered so I could cancel if there is any gripes.

Not a lot of great prices for second hand equipment in my current location which why I'm not sure about the viability of selling. Not sure if these equipment hold their value enabling me to trade up eventually.

I work on ARM cortex-M (STM32, NRF52, EFM32, SAMD51 etc.) exclusively, and I recommend the J-Link from Segger, it is the least pain in the a** to work with, and the software that works with it (Ozone) is really powerful. If you want to stay completely open source or program in Rust, the Black Magic Probe is a good alternative though less powerful.

Segger was the company popping up in every search I was doing! I do prefer something that is a little less of a headache but I guess it depends on how locked down the features are. If those are open source I dont mind giving them a try. Would be nice if i could under some of the language in the coding to mod when needed. I may have to learn more than c/c++  .

If you go with the Siglent SDS2104x plus, you can make a DIY logic probe for cheap (https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/diy-logic-analyzer-probe-and-pods-for-siglent-scopes/), so you don't even need to buy a logic analyser. Also, the scope has a built in AWG as mentioned, and can do bode plots up to 50 MHz.

THIS!  I'm all about doing this. The few hundred just for an adapter seemed a little steep!  Thanks for the addition feedback and link!

________________________

Do you mind me asking how were your experiences hacking the firmware? Found a really simple up to date guides. Were keygens best if you tried them?

[geneonline]

I’ve got a signal generator and frequency counter listed for sale if your interested.
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/buysellwanted/fs-used-bk-1805-precision-80mhz-freq-counter/
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/buysellwanted/fs-used-exact-electronics-122-waveform-generator/

I think I'm in the same boat as you wanting something that can create higher frequencies around 10MHz to get used to working with Arduinos. How are you liking the new siglent you got to replace it?

TBH, I'm not sure what to do with a freq counter. I appreciate the suggestion!

[bdunham7]

I'll now need to choose between the sds2104x+ and the sds1104X-E!

Yeah.  They really are two different scopes in many ways--perhaps cousins, not siblings.  The 2014X+ is very nice, but the price difference is also huge.  I have both (I upgraded) and honestly either of them work fine 99% of the time. 

It looks to be a beauty and really like the fluke devices I've had a chance to use so far. I do love the ease of use so can totally see why you'd recommend it! I'll try to shoot for something close to it if I'm able to pull a few extra shifts at work. Is there a similar model but a step down that is comparable? I'm seeing now how small it can detect! Justifies the price!

There's the 8845A, which is slightly less accurate, lacks the capacitance range, the 1G-ohm range, 1000VAC and some other stuff I can't remember.  There is much more competition at that level.  You probably want to read a lot of spec sheets and ask more questions before you pull the trigger on something like that.

You mentioned not to bother with the logic probe of the sds1104x-e, but is the probe on the SDS2104X+ still recommended to use? topquark was saying the same to get a pc interface for the logic part as well. Some forum posts says it's easier on pc due to the memory needed, the procession power needed, and ease of use when using with mouse and keyboard, am I on the right track about that?

I think it is worth it, but I got the whole kit on sale.  The set of grabbers alone almost made it worth it.  As for using a PC logic analyzer, I'm not an expert in that area but I suspect if you do a lot of that stuff you will want both a scope-based and a PC-based logic analyzer.

[TopQuark]

The DP832 is ok, been using it for a few years. I think the leakage current has crept up through out the years, starting to become an issue, think maybe some of the components have degraded a bit. Noise spec and load transient performance is good, though not a big fan of the 1000uF cap right at the output needed to keep it in spec. The big cap affects how quickly the power supply can switch from CV mode to CC mode. The DP832 has issues but not enough for me to look elsewhere for alternatives. I might build my own power supply if I find enough time to do it. For powering digital stuff, it works just fine. For sensitive analog stuff I fall back to batteries, though I am not sure if other power supply options are free of the issues I have mentioned.

Segger offers an EDU version of their J-Link debugger, which works fine other than an annoying pop up reminding you not to use it for commercial purposes when you plug it in. The J-Link does work with languages other than C/C++, but their software Ozone don't work that well outside of C/C++. If you use GDB based software (e.g. cortex debug for vscode) with your J-Link, it works fine with whatever weird and wonderful language you wish to program in, but I digress.

As for logic analysers, I haven't put in the trouble to make my own logic probes for the scope yet, though I might do in the future. TBH having 4 channels is already enough for most bus decoding I need to do. If I need more than 4 channels, I much rather look at the data on a big PC screen rather than on my scope screen. Just personal preferences, not that I have the need to use a logic analyser often.

[geneonline]

Guess the final verdict for an oscilloscope will be the Siglent SDS2104x+. Currently looking for a deal on it and amazon doesn't have anything special for it and I think I saw some people mention tequipment gives deals or something for being in this forum. I have to see if I can find  the post about it They are the only ones actually fulfilling on amazon. Hopefully I can find a bundle with the logic analyzer. Personally it's not going to be needed for a few months, but will be nice to use when more of the print on chips rub off and I have no idea what does what anymore.

I think it is worth it, but I got the whole kit on sale.  The set of grabbers alone almost made it worth it.  As for using a PC logic analyzer, I'm not an expert in that area but I suspect if you do a lot of that stuff you will want both a scope-based and a PC-based logic analyzer.

What type of bundle were you able to find on this? Were the grabber, plugs, and scope and all in one group?

Do you have some recommendations on the probes to use once *updated?

I will need a little bit of time to brood over the level of DMM as I wont need that level of precision for a few years.

The DP832 is ok, been using it for a few years. I think the leakage current has crept up through out the years, starting to become an issue, think maybe some of the components have degraded a bit. Noise spec and load transient performance is good, though not a big fan of the 1000uF cap right at the output needed to keep it in spec. The big cap affects how quickly the power supply can switch from CV mode to CC mode. The DP832 has issues but not enough for me to look elsewhere for alternatives. I might build my own power supply if I find enough time to do it. For powering digital stuff, it works just fine. For sensitive analog stuff I fall back to batteries, though I am not sure if other power supply options are free of the issues I have mentioned.

  I think it's going to be a challenge to find anything that doesnt have quirks around that price range.. I was interested for the timer ability to charge a few odd devices and to set different charging profiles. I guess it can be a overly expensive battery tender so i can use those on the more delicate things.

I gotta admit, I love the ability to pull up information on a bigger screen. My eyes get enough of a work out squinting to read the model numbers on things to get the right data sheet.

[tautech]

Saelig offer 6% for members. Hunt out their discount thread and ask for the code.

SLA2016 was on special with a new scope for 2021 but no longer unless you can find some in stock that haven’t yet sold. There was a free options promo bundle last year too and if lucky you can still find one.

[geneonline]

Saelig offer 6% for members. Hunt out their discount thread and ask for the code.

SLA2016 was on special with a new scope for 2021 but no longer unless you can find some in stock that haven’t yet sold. There was a free options promo bundle last year too and if lucky you can still find one.

Thanks for the tips! Was just on the site, but was seeing a similar price to everywhere else. I'll double check to forums again for a recent post!
I've seen your helpful advice all over the place!

[geneonline]

Bummer they arent running a deal anymore nor was able to find that discount. Sent them a message to see what they were able to do. Never ordered from Saelig, so we'll see what happens. Now I can focus on picking out the other gear mentioned..

[tautech]

Bummer they arent running a deal anymore nor was able to find that discount. Sent them a message to see what they were able to do. Never ordered from Saelig, so we'll see what happens. Now I can focus on picking out the other gear mentioned..

Yeah it was a hot deal and a shame it had to end. 

[nctnico]

Power supply: look at the GW Instek gpp-4323  It is better (features and ease of use) compared to what Rigol and Siglent offer.

Bench DMM: if you don't need high accuracy, then look at the Vici VC8145 (4.5 digits). I have two sitting on my bench for over a decade and they have been sitting on my bench longer than anything else. All other equipment got replaced.

Signal generator: SGD2042x is nice but does have its shortcoming especially when you want to do precision time / frequency stuff using an external reference. Maybe opt for a cheaper model and save up for something better.

Soldering iron: don't save money here. Stay clear of JBC and Weller though; their tips are so bad (not picking up solder and impossible to get going again). Personally I have great experience with soldering irons from Ersa. Their tips just won't go bad.

[RoGeorge]

If I were to live in USA and equip a test bench, I'll buy second hand 30-50 years old instruments.  USA seems to have plenty of these on Ebay and Craiglist at affordable price, while their performance are still on par with the current top notch research instruments (the old ones have better performance than any average grade brand new instruments of today, while the SH are 10-100 times cheaper).

Apart from the recommended instruments in that list, you may want/need to also have:
- 2 x SMU (4 quadrants power supply and active load)
- RF generator
- VNA

The fume extractor is useless, unless you solder 24/7 in a very small room and without windows, but whatever.

[geneonline]

Power supply: look at the GW Instek gpp-4323  It is better (features and ease of use) compared to what Rigol and Siglent offer.

WOW! Really went under the radar for me. This GW Instek gpp4323 even has 4 outputs! Readback resolution and ripple noise is better too! This really has some impressive specs. It is loads ahead of the others from performance. Screen looks great and seems  to have pretty similar settings. How has this model held up for you if you currently have one?

I would prob need to save a little on the DMM and I was thinking of maybe skipping  the sgd2042x for the time being if the oscilloscope I am waiting for quotes back has a  functional one for the time being.
What would be a great reference point for a higher end signal generator? Do you mind me asking which projects were you working on that would help syncing with other devices? I may go budget option till I find myself needing the higher precision work.

This week will be spent digging back into the forums and watching reviews on soldering irons and work stations  as it's a topic I need to make sure I get something decent to make life easier!

buy second hand 30-50 years old instruments.  USA seems to have plenty of these on Ebay and Craiglist at affordable price, while their performance are still on par with the current top notch research instruments (the old ones have better performance than any average grade brand new instruments of today, while the SH are 10-100 times cheaper).

Second hand local listings didnt  have many hits, but seems the north part of USA from the ebay listings seem to have better hits on ebay. I'll refer back it to and see if I can snag a deal! I'm not too knowledgeable about older reputable brands. Would be nice to have some equipment  is like a tank and never die.

- 2 x SMU (4 quadrants power supply and active load)
- RF generator
- VNA

I may have prematurely purchased the previous power supply and will find out more about 4 quadrant power supply. Seems a lot more functional than a normal dc power supply. RF generator and VNA are on next years wish list!

[nctnico]

Power supply: look at the GW Instek gpp-4323  It is better (features and ease of use) compared to what Rigol and Siglent offer.

WOW! Really went under the radar for me. This GW Instek gpp4323 even has 4 outputs! Readback resolution and ripple noise is better too! This really has some impressive specs. It is loads ahead of the others from performance. Screen looks great and seems  to have pretty similar settings. How has this model held up for you if you currently have one?

I don't own one myself. Keysight was ahead with releasing the E3631x series power supplies so I got one of those but if I had to buy a power supply today, I likely end up with buying the GPP4323.
BTW: the GPP4323 can act as a DC load as well!

I would prob need to save a little on the DMM and I was thinking of maybe skipping  the sgd2042x for the time being if the oscilloscope I am waiting for quotes back has a  functional one for the time being.
What would be a great reference point for a higher end signal generator? Do you mind me asking which projects were you working on that would help syncing with other devices? I may go budget option till I find myself needing the higher precision work.

I ended up buying a Tektronix AFG31000 series (business purchase). It is a 'used' unit from a test equipment dealer but the one I got was like brand new in the box with several years of manufacturer warranty left.

Some of the projects I work on involve high accuracy (picosecond level) time transfer where a signal generator must be locked to an external reference precisely (zero frequency offset) in order to create predictable & repeateable offsets / drifts.

[2N3055]

Built in gen in SDS2000X+ has only one ch, smaller maximum output signal level etc.
It is very basic AWG that is great in a pinch and mostly useful for Bode plot, because it's all in one...

SDG2000X might be a good match for you.

2CH is useful any time you need to create two signals at the same time.
AWG is a laboratory instrument that doesn't have predefined use. It's more of a universal building block you can use in many ways for your experiments.

I have DP831A from Rigol and it has good performance as PSU. Noise is much less than specified, and works well. I has a problem with overvoltage protection that is basically useless. It is done in software, it takes good fraction of second to kick in (as in too late) and is even so stupid that it will let you enable channel with voltage set higher than OVP limit, it will enable that high voltage on output, burning everything connected for 200 ms and then software will disable it. It would be trivial for software to recognize you want something not allowed and simply refuse to enable channel with error message. Also it will let you raise output voltage higher that OVP limit hile output is enabled. It will also let you type in 30V with 3,5V OPV limit set. And it will happily raise output to 30V and 0,2 s later it will disable output with OVP message. With smoke coming out of anything connected. Instead just simply refusing to set anything over set limit. So I treat it as if it doesn't have OVP (because it doesn't).

[geneonline]

I had to buy a power supply today, I likely end up with buying the GPP4323.
BTW: the GPP4323 can act as a DC load as well!

This will be very helpful and is potentially saving me from needing to purchase a separate active load.

I ended up buying a Tektronix AFG31000 series (business purchase). It is a 'used' unit from a test equipment dealer but the one I got was like brand new in the box with several years of manufacturer warranty left.

The Tektronix are seemly becoming a more worthy investment to last over time if I can swing a few more funds into it. I'm gonna have to rethink the used test equipment dealers have as I've always thought most industries would have put the instruments through their paces. Have you also had good luck other purchases?

____________________________

Built in gen in SDS2000X+ has only one ch, smaller maximum output signal level etc.
It is very basic AWG that is great in a pinch and mostly useful for Bode plot, because it's all in one...

SDG2000X might be a good match for you.

2CH is useful any time you need to create two signals at the same time.
AWG is a laboratory instrument that doesn't have predefined use. It's more of a universal building block you can use in many ways for your experiments.

I didn't know that the SDS was crippled in that feature! I'm seeing where a lot of differences are beginning to matter and stay budget oriented and get a device for each specific use case and then go in for higher end equipment  when needed in professional setting where  precision and accuracy is of a higher importance! Talking these nuances out are helping me see not to go over board on at this moment.

[2N3055]

I didn't know that the SDS was crippled in that feature! I'm seeing where a lot of differences are beginning matter to stay budget and get a device for each specific use case and then go in for higher end equipment  when needed in professional setting where  precision and accuracy is of a higher importance! Talking these nuances out are helping me see to go over board on at this moment.

Well you need to start reading datasheets and compare.

But my best advice is to not buy equipment for what may be but for what you really need.
You have a multimeter, PSU, get a scope (SDS2104X+ is a good choice) and then stop..
Put money on the side and wait for the need. And also, in USA, you can get all kinds of used PSU that might be used but still OK for very little money.  Also other equipment.
But you need to have few hundreds at a ready to jump in when opportunity presents..

Also, when in uni lab, pay attention what you use most on which projects... make note..

[AVGresponding]

You might want to consider a used Metcal soldering station. There's plenty of them about, and their performance is going to be better than an FX888, even if it's a real one, which is by no means guaranteed. There are tons of fake FX888/951 out there, and they're getting harder to spot.

[JimLev]

At first I was concerned about buying Siglent products as they are made in China, but then I found out there was US (Ohio) tech support And a 3 year warranty. I spoke with a few of them and decided to go with Siglent.
The SDM3055 is great, not sure I’ll need everything it can do however it’s there if I need it.
A few weeks ago I ordered the SDG1032x, love it.
Last year I was at an estate sale and pick up a Tektronix TDS3054B 500MHz DPO with all 4 probes and the battery for $250. It’s also has way more functions than I’ll probably ever need.
The Siglent equipment doesn’t come with a complete manual, you can download them as well as the service manual (100+pages).
I had them printed and then put them in 3 ring binders. I prefer paper, I can put notes in them.

I looked at the DP832, 3 outputs is nice, is 3 amps really enough?

[bdunham7]

What type of bundle were you able to find on this? Were the grabber, plugs, and scope and all in one group?

Do you have some recommendations on the probes to use once *updated?

I will need a little bit of time to brood over the level of DMM as I wont need that level of precision for a few years.

There was a promotion that included the logic probe kit, MSO license and AWG license for $1521 after 6% EEVBlog discount but before tax.  Now the scope and logic probe kit together would be $1662 and the licenses are hackable so far.  Hackability is what makes the SDS2104X a good deal, without that there would be a lot of licenses to buy.

You don't need any new general-use probes, the originals work fine at 200MHz+.  Beyond that with general-purpose high impedance probes is problematic and I'd not worry about it until you have a specific need.

Where you're at, I wouldn't spend the money on a high-end DMM either.  There's been endless discussion on this issue over the years and you have many options.  Used equipment used to be a good way to go, but prices have gone up and good deals are much rarer these days.  It wouldn't hurt to look around, but be wary.  One DMM feature you won't get on low-to-mid end units is high input impedance--and once you figure out why that is important, you'll want it.