So You Want To Repair Audio gear, Eh? Here's the tools you need...
- Thread starter EchoWars
- Start date
For troubleshooting, a simple resistive load is fine and all that is really necessary.
stillspin'n
Active Member
My most used test equipment besides hand tools and soldering iron and DMM is my signal tracer, easy to probe through a circuit and hear whats going on. If its stereo, you can hear the difference between channels, or find where your signal is distorted, or where the level falls off, ect. Just get a good one, most are ok but some have small cheap speakers in them so use a external speaker or get one with a good speaker in it, I use a tube unit which has a high input resistance which dosent load down the circuit.
Don't use square waves too often. I'd prefer a decent oscillator...function generators usually shape a sine wave from a square wave through filters and the resultant sine wave is less than ideal.
Don't forget the Dim-Bulb-Tester which I have used more than anything other than my multimeter...Saves your bacon...!
Under EW's very first post about tools for us newbies, he comments about not having auto-ranging on a multi-meter for rookies?
Although there was a comment about being forced to learn is the auto-range units assumed more expensive, therefore stay with the cheaper units?? I'm looking at an Ideal auto-range unit for $35 which is about as much as I want to spend.
Also there is some confusion that some testers may not have capacitance capabilities? What is the hfe function?
Although there was a comment about being forced to learn is the auto-range units assumed more expensive, therefore stay with the cheaper units?? I'm looking at an Ideal auto-range unit for $35 which is about as much as I want to spend.
Also there is some confusion that some testers may not have capacitance capabilities? What is the hfe function?
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After reading this thread I went and bought a nice Tektronix 465B, watching a lot of YouTube videos on how to use a scope I have a pretty good handle on it, I also picked up a cheap function generator and intend to use it to test out my creations.
Threads like this make AK what it is, thanks Echowars and everyone else.
Threads like this make AK what it is, thanks Echowars and everyone else.
NavinJohnson
Professional Amateur
i have most of the list except the scope. i also like to use my insulated screwdriver.
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Function generators usually have a distortion greater than 1%. That's because all that I've seen start out as a square wave generator and then convert the square wave into a sine/triangle wave. It's perfectly fine to use a function generator as long as you don't need to measure distortion.
You can build a great low distortion oscillator for a few dollars. See post number nine hereOscillaotr link Make sure to read note 4 on the first page. Also click on the HP200 oscillator link.
Lastly, everyone should have a nice rack
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milanomike
Well-Known Member
How about a Fluke 83 for this Work
Hi Guys,
Found a Fluke 83 for sale, price seems reasonable, if no issues. Best I can tell this thing will check capacitance, diodes, and do anything a beginner like me should need. Am I on the right track here?
Mike
Hi Guys,
Found a Fluke 83 for sale, price seems reasonable, if no issues. Best I can tell this thing will check capacitance, diodes, and do anything a beginner like me should need. Am I on the right track here?
Mike
I was lucky in that I was given a 20mhz Tenma scope. Literally, it was given to me. My grandfather knew someone looking to get rid of it...next thing I know, I have a scope. I don't know if he gave anything for it (he's got a habit of buying stuff for me then telling me he didn't pay anything for it). Its not a horrible scope...accurate enough for audio work. I used it to check the output of my soundcard, which gave me clean accurate waveforms all the way to 48khz.
On the subject of Harbor Freight meters; I bought one of their premium $50 meters. Autosensing with temp probes, light sensors and will measure just about anything I could want (excluding HFE, which honestly, my Wavetek that looks similar to the one you posted will do...if I ever needed it). But, anyway, the one I have will light the proper jack for the function you're using. If its not connected or connected improperly...it beeps at you.
Its become my favorite meter despite its cheap brand name. I compared it with the True RMs Wavetek in the shop and they're both about as accurate. Also love the fact it will tell me the ambient temp and R.H. of the room.
Sent from my SPH-M910 using Tapatalk
On the subject of Harbor Freight meters; I bought one of their premium $50 meters. Autosensing with temp probes, light sensors and will measure just about anything I could want (excluding HFE, which honestly, my Wavetek that looks similar to the one you posted will do...if I ever needed it). But, anyway, the one I have will light the proper jack for the function you're using. If its not connected or connected improperly...it beeps at you.
Its become my favorite meter despite its cheap brand name. I compared it with the True RMs Wavetek in the shop and they're both about as accurate. Also love the fact it will tell me the ambient temp and R.H. of the room.
Sent from my SPH-M910 using Tapatalk
Fluke made the 83 for years...there's many different versions. I seem to recall that a few had issues with the display getting funky, but I can't recall which one. At any rate, if the price is right, I'd certainly go for it.
The Harbor Freight meter is likely an average responding meter, calibrated to read the RMS value of a sine wave. It's fine if all you want to read is sine waves. If you use it to measure something like the AC current into a power supply (which is not a sine wave) it will readd low.
The early Fuke 70 and 80 series used to get resistive connections between the PCB and the display. It could usually be fixed with a pencil eraser on the contacts. There was a repair kit at one time that Fluke shipped out no charge.
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