I have the older (2-channel) DS1052E. Hemmed and hawed before purchase, but have used it a lot. And I'm even considering getting that 4-channel scope...bigger screen and tons of new features. You won't regret it. Especially since it's your first scope.

Check out the EEVBlog for how *not* to fry your scope. He might also have a video on general use.

Thanks. I’m sure I’ll enjoy learning to use the scope. I’ve already seen the video you recommend and many others. I wonder if you, or anyone else for that matter, can recommend a book that primarily addresses scopes and audio equipment? I haven’t been able to find anything yet and I’m not sure there’s anything available with that narrow a subject.

 

Hello all. I’m new to the forum and have never used an oscilloscope. I need advice on which scope you would recommend. I’m an audio enthusiast and want to acquire a scope for amplifier and power supply work. I’ll be working on solid state and tube amplifiers. I had pretty much decided on the Rigol DS1054Z, 50MHz 4 channel, but now see the DS1202E-Z, 200MHz 2 channel, is being offered from Rigol for $50 less. Not knowing what all I’ll ultimately be doing with the scope I’m undecided which would be the more appropriate purchase. Could you guys please offer your opinion?

A while back, I got a RIGOL 2-ch scope.

After I had a chance to play with it, I was somewhat distressed by the transients I saw on the traces.

Years ago, I had tube scopes, with a nice clean sine wave trace, etc. 'purty, blue, smooth trace line'

After a bit, I called my brother and we talked about the transients issue.

Our conclusion was that the RIGOL scope (and no doubt others) showed stuff the older scopes had no chance of registering, the transients were swamped by the slow response times of the older scopes.

The RIGOL scope is set up like so many others out there, that they are all fairly similar, it appears, and are SO MUCH better than what I have been used to, that I will probably never outgrow this one, which is 2-ch, 100 MHz.

The RIGOL scope is like two new shop saws I recently got - the old radial arm saw was 20+ years old but fine for what I wanted to do, but it died. The new saws, like the RIGOL scope, are SOOOOOOOOO much better that I simply will probably never outgrow them, and the degree of precision in saws and scope are now just 'how they make them', so it is my ability left behind, not the equipment's problem.

 

A while back, I got a RIGOL 2-ch scope.

After I had a chance to play with it, I was somewhat distressed by the transients I saw on the traces.

Years ago, I had tube scopes, with a nice clean sine wave trace, etc. 'purty, blue, smooth trace line'

After a bit, I called my brother and we talked about the transients issue.

Our conclusion was that the RIGOL scope (and no doubt others) showed stuff the older scopes had no chance of registering, the transients were swamped by the slow response times of the older scopes.

The RIGOL scope is set up like so many others out there, that they are all fairly similar, it appears, and are SO MUCH better than what I have been used to, that I will probably never outgrow this one, which is 2-ch, 100 MHz.

The RIGOL scope is like two new shop saws I recently got - the old radial arm saw was 20+ years old but fine for what I wanted to do, but it died. The new saws, like the RIGOL scope, are SOOOOOOOOO much better that I simply will probably never outgrow them, and the degree of precision in saws and scope are now just 'how they make them', so it is my ability left behind, not the equipment's problem.

Thanks for your comments. I’m very happy with my decision to buy the Rigol DS1054Z. As a hobbyist, I’m amazed by how much scope I was able to buy for $349, delivered. While it’s only 50MHz, it’s way more scope than I’ll ever need for working on analog audio circuits.