DMM Recommendations?

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Deadly Mix

Audio-engineer
Joined
Sep 27, 2021
Messages
77
Location
Detroit
As some of you know, I'm wrapping up a Hairball 1176 Rev A build. I've been using this shitty little $12 DMM I happened to have but, for calibration, I wanna use something better because this thing sucks in just about every way there is to suck

What are you using that you like? Auto-only, please.
 
Is that the $411usd Fluke 87-V?
I need good but idk about going that far. Its one of those tools I won't need to use iften but, when I do use it, it needs to be able to do the job.
 
The 187 is an older model , similar to the 87-v though .
I was lucky I managed to get it for 80 euros although it needed a minor repair job I was able to do myself .
I also have a Uni-T 171b ,retails for about 240 euros now , doesnt get much use as the fluke beats it in every respect. I have a Wavetek meter for at least 20 years , good reliable bit of kit , again though it doesnt see much use these days . I keep an Avo model 8 handy just in case of an EMP strike or break out of WW3 ,more of a museum piece at this stage though .
 
One thing to keep in mind is the frequency response of the AC ranges in a cheap meter does NOT cover nearly all of the audio range.

Inexpensive meters typically are accurate from 50 Hz to 400 Hz (which was/is used in some aircraft).

Bri
 
Thanks. This meter has been barely better than nothing.
I'd like to be able to just set it to AC, DC, impedance, etc. and get the result I'm looking for.
I also don't like sitting for up to ½ a minute watching the numbers change before I get my reading, so something that does that quicker would be great.

This thing is so... whatever the opposite of fool-proof is lol that on at least one occasion I had to send a picture of the DMM to our tech (who's home with Covid), along with what the result I'm looking for is, and confirm that it was correct.
I need one that I just tell it what I'm looking for (ACV, DCV, ohms, etc), poke what I need to poke, and get the answer I'm looking for quickly.
 

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Anything that will "cut the mustard" for audio equipment builds and calibration under $100?
Or should I break the budget for a Fluke I'll probably only use on maybe 12 or so builds then on occasion when something needs re-capped or repaired?
 
I just checked, and the Uni-T and 179 mentioned above are only rated for AC voltage accuracy to 1000 Hz. Maybe not a big deal for some folks/situations, but not suitable for general purpose audio measurements.

Bri
 
I just checked, and the Uni-T and 179 mentioned above are only rated for AC voltage accuracy to 1000 Hz. Maybe not a big deal for some folks/situations, but not suitable for general purpose audio measurements.

I don't see that being a concern for 99% of uses over here.
It definitely wasn't any concern at all ever in all the electronics work, builds and troubleshooting I did in the last 15 years
 
Perhaps John Roberts will chime in here since he designed a widely known and respected audio test instrument, the Loftech TS1.

No test instrument can ever be 100% accurate; there will always be a margin of error. However, I always want my instruments to be as "accurate as I can afford <g>".

For a hobbyist building a DIY kit, I agree that a ballpark measurement is likely close enough. But, for checking frequency response I believe that an AC meter needs to have as flat as possible frequency response well above and below 20 Hz to 20 KHz. That's why HP sold the 400 series analog meters with a high end out to 10 MHz (?). Overkill for audio but a trusted instrument.

Likewise, an oscilloscope needs to have a bandwidth that extends far above 20 kHz. A sine wave generator should have frequency response flatness at least +/- 0.1 db over the audio range. etc etc.

Just my opinion....FWIW.

Bri
 
For a hobbyist building a DIY kit, I agree that a ballpark measurement is likely close enough. But, for checking frequency response I believe that an AC meter needs to have as flat as possible frequency response well above and below 20 Hz to 20 KHz. That's why HP sold the 400 series analog meters with a high end out to 10 MHz (?). Overkill for audio but a trusted instrument.

Likewise, an oscilloscope needs to have a bandwidth that extends far above 20 kHz. A sine wave generator should have frequency response flatness at least +/- 0.1 db over the audio range. etc
The equipment I build is intended for use in a professional setting, so it definitely matters how well it's calibrated. If how much I spend affects that, then I have no choice but to shell out whatever it takes. Otherwise, I'd rather put the savings toward more essential hardware.
 
The equipment I build is intended for use in a professional setting, so it definitely matters how well it's calibrated. If how much I spend affects that, then I have no choice but to shell out whatever it takes. Otherwise, I'd rather put the savings toward more essential hardware.
You can calibrate an 1176 just fine with the meter you have, but if you want something else just for that task, you could perhaps borrow one?

Gustav
 
lol Yes, I'm sure Cory would let me borrow his expensive one but I'd prefer to have my own on hand.
I was just hoping someone would say they have something for $50 or even just $100 that fits the bill.
 
Am i a heathen for preferring an oscilloscope for AC measurements? Surely several different waveforms could result in the similar numerical AC voltage reading.

For DC & resistance measurements, the Brymen stuff looks quite tempting - i've got one or two on my "to buy"-list. Cheapest one with audio-range on the ACV measurement seems to be the $200-250 area BM525 though (rated to 20kHz up to 600mV and 15kHz on 10V, 100V as 3dB).
 
As Scott mentioned the Fluke 8060A.... or it's hand held/benchtop equivalent is one of the best for accuracy with it's only 'downside' is it isn't autoranging which would then be seriously good.
I have 2 of the handheld ones (the second because the display faded out and died after many years).
It is difficult to get anything that is particularly good for audio type measurements as range changing seems to occur at the levels 'just too much/not quite enough'.
matt S
 

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