benny_profane
Well-known member
Two-channel scopes allow you to compare signals (e.g., input and output).
Korg oscilloscope?
- Thread starter giovanni
- Start date
benny_profane
Well-known member
Okay.
Robert
Reverse Engineer
If you don't do a lot of troubleshooting with an audio probe, circuit design, or have projects in mind that require one then you probably don't need one. I don't think I'd buy a scope just to calibrate a couple BBD delays, but if you plan to build a lot of them, maybe...
I used a dual channel oscilloscope at work for years and never used the second channel until the first channel died. We didn't do a lot of audio work though, and a single channel was all we needed.
But like @benny_profane said, if you ever need to compare two waveforms you'll be glad you have two channels. Dual channels are useful for comparing input/output, comparing waveforms between two builds, comparing phase, bode plots, etc.
I can't imagine there are a lot of quality single channel oscilloscopes out there.... I'd suspect most decent scopes will start at two channels and go up.
I used a dual channel oscilloscope at work for years and never used the second channel until the first channel died. We didn't do a lot of audio work though, and a single channel was all we needed.
But like @benny_profane said, if you ever need to compare two waveforms you'll be glad you have two channels. Dual channels are useful for comparing input/output, comparing waveforms between two builds, comparing phase, bode plots, etc.
I can't imagine there are a lot of quality single channel oscilloscopes out there.... I'd suspect most decent scopes will start at two channels and go up.
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Robert
Reverse Engineer
Probably not, you'd know if you did. If you don't know, you probably don't.
On the other hand, there's plenty of tools you really don't need but can make your life much easier and you don't realize that until you have them (or don't have them anymore). For me that would be SMD rework tweezers.... I knew they existed but managed to do this for years without them. Now that I've used them I'd just throw in the towel and call it a day if I had to measure a board full of SMD components without them.
There are times when there's no substitute for a scope but those times are rare when it comes to building pedals, and you don't have to spend a fortune... You can find an old CRT scope for pretty cheap on eBay these days and honestly I'd prefer them over fancy digital scopes any day for analog audio work... the catch is that they weigh a ton and take up about as much space on the bench as a small refrigerator.
I could fit at least four of my digital scopes in the space my old CRT scope used to occupy.
benny_profane
Well-known member
Can you recommend a pair that isn’t total garbage? Most of the ceramic tip tweezers I’ve come across have a significant gap when closed.
Harry Klippton
Well-known member
I have a growing pile of unlabeled audio transformers that I'd be interested in repurposing. I think I need a scope for that but 
Robert
Reverse Engineer
I use the Pace ADS200 with MT-200 tweezers.
They have adjustable spacing and tip rotation to make sure things line up right.
The only negative I can say is that the tips are a little bulkier than they appear and can be tough to navigate into really tight spaces. In those situations you'll be going back to two irons in "chopstick" fashion.
They're wonderful to work with though. Components usually just lift right off the board like they weren't soldered at all.
benny_profane
Well-known member
Robert
Reverse Engineer
Ahhh, no, haha, I just have some random tweezers that I use for that. They weren't even meant for electronic work...
I have some tweezers meant for SMD work but I really like these better, or maybe I've just become used to them.
They look like these, but I can assure you they did not cost $70.... most likely not even $7.
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fig
Village Idiot
finebyfine
Well-known member
Vape coil building ceramic tweezers are my ride or die. I probably have a dozen of these laying around my workspace and use them more than any other tool on my bench, including my iron. Here's a pair I have a few of, the main listing I buy isn't shipping for 20 days lol https://m.fasttech.com/products/304...inless-steel-ceramic-tweezers-for-e-cigarette
