DMM Recommendations?

[FIX]

You didn't say it was "just" for that. It's a nice meter.

 

[Deadly Mix]

You didn't say it was "just" for that. It's a nice meter.

I'll also be using it to build 6 500-series lunchboxes whenever CAPI gets their **** in order along with a whole lot of CAPI EQs, comps, and maybe some other stuff if I come across any builds that hold up to the high-end standards of the studio.
So, $729 might be a bit much but you're right that the Fluke I bought will be used for more than just one 1176.
I have another Hairball 1176 Rev A w/stereo link on its way arriving any day now. I wanna have this one up and running before I start the next. Otherwise, I'm probably just gonna throw our tech some money to go over everything and let me know what, if anything, he had to fix.

 

[Gold]

I've been thinking about this thread and what I really need from a DMM. Most of the time I'm measuring continuity, or DCV. After that the most common measurement is ohms and diodes. I need to measure audio fairly rarely but when I do it needs to be spot on. This lead me to think that since wide AC bandwidth is the feature that adds the most cost to a DMM I should use two meters. One for ACV measurements and another for everything else. I have a Fluke 8060A which is accurate but missing a couple of buttons and feels a bit fragile at its advanced age. It occurred to me that I should just leave it on ACV and only use it for that. I'm looking at picking up a Fluke 107. It's their most basic meter and just a little over $100. It's small which is nice for crawling behind racks. If the continuity beep is as fast as on other models it has everything I need. A used 860A goes for between $100-$150. For $250-$300 you could have a really nice DMM setup.

 

[warpie]

I've been thinking about this thread and what I really need from a DMM. Most of the time I'm measuring continuity, or DCV. After that the most common measurement is ohms and diodes. I need to measure audio fairly rarely but when I do it needs to be spot on. This lead me to think that since wide AC bandwidth is the feature that adds the most cost to a DMM I should use two meters. One for ACV measurements and another for everything else. I have a Fluke 8060A which is accurate but missing a couple of buttons and feels a bit fragile at its advanced age. It occurred to me that I should just leave it on ACV and only use it for that. I'm looking at picking up a Fluke 107. It's their most basic meter and just a little over $100. It's small which is nice for crawling behind racks. If the continuity beep is as fast as on other models it has everything I need. A used 860A goes for between $100-$150. For $250-$300 you could have a really nice DMM setup.

I see some people recommending the Brymen BM789, which apparently has 100kHz bandwidth. Not sure how it compares to a fluke though.

 

[Gold]

I see some people recommending the Brymen BM789, which apparently has 100kHz bandwidth. Not sure how it compares to a fluke though.

I tried the EEV Blog one that a friend had. I’m not sure of the model. The continuity beep had a noticeable delay. The Flukes are really good for that. Continuity is my most used function so I wouldn’t want to compromise on that. It’s nice to be able to rake a probe over a multipin connector to find the connection.

 

[zamproject]

One for ACV measurements and another for everything else. I have a Fluke 8060A which is accurate but missing a couple of buttons and feels a bit fragile at its advanced age.

Same as you, I have a 8060a since long time and recently decide to use it as single purpose for "safe" audio AC measurement and dB calibration, replaced for all other tasks by a 175

As side note, I compare basic reading of the 8060a with the new 175 (saying correctly calibrated I guess), and the old 8060 was spot on !! This old fluke should be in all studio/audio workshop, conductance measure help me some times, as dB relative option for inductor resonance or any filter band measurement.

Best
Zam

 

[Gold]

As side note, I compare basic reading of the 8060a with the new 175 (saying correctly calibrated I guess), and the old 8060 was spot on !!

Same here. I checked the 8060A against the Fluke 287 and AP Portable One and it was spot on. I’m thinking of picking up another one to keep in the studio for stereo calibration duties.

 

[abbey road d enfer]

https://www.amazon.com/Siglent-Tech...qid=1634910775&sprefix=siglent,aps,89&sr=8-24

Who needs 6 1/2 digits?
I never did... I some times felt the need for measuring resistance down to 0.01 ohm or up to several gigaohms, but never with an accuracy that goes beyond 2 digits.

 

[Khron]

I don't know about "need", but in some cases of charging / discharging batteries etc, it can be useful to have enough digits to see the value slowly rising or falling.

 

[Deadly Mix]

I went with a Fluke and I'm very impressed with it. I left it over our tech's house when I brought the 1176 over there for him to go over and double-check my work, so I don't have it here at the moment, but I believe its an 87

 

[Cqwet Dbdfte]

Looking at Fluke's inflated prices, and mediocre specs, and questionable service practices (from Amazn reviews). I bought several Tektronix DMM196 for ~ $180 years back, RMS AC+DC, AC to 20KHz, –80 dBv to +50 dBv, Min/Max/Average recording, peak hold for 1ms pulses, etc, etc. Fluke did not have any handheld DMM close to it, at any price.
Not sure why Tek discontinued it. Maybe they got an offer they could not refuse?
Rather than a (err.. any) Fluke I would get the equally overpriced Keysight U1282A. If you can handle a 6lbs. benchtop DMM, the Rigol DM3058e is a good value, ACV to 100KHz. AC-coupled only, no AC+DC. (AC+DC should have a separate display for each component).
The handheld Elma BM789 cuts off Fluke at the knees. €202.00 VAT excluded. 100KHz, AC+DC, dB etc

 

[Khron]

Elma BM789

Elma? Rebranded Brymen?

 

[Cqwet Dbdfte]

Sure looks like it.

 

[rock soderstrom]

B&K 388B would be the DMM that I would get if I needed a new one.

Looks good. Does it beep when it goes into Power Safe mode?

I have two Uni-t DMM that I'm really happy with. What's really annoying is the beeping, first a warning and then when it goes into power safe mode. Terrible, completely unnecessary

 

[Cqwet Dbdfte]

BM867s has all the features, including AC metering up to 100kHz, dB scaling, dual display etc etc.
Greenlee rebrands it and triples the EU price, baby needs new shoes.

Edit: Brymen 869 is better.

 

[Philbo King]

I've been thinking about this thread and what I really need from a DMM. Most of the time I'm measuring continuity, or DCV. After that the most common measurement is ohms and diodes. I need to measure audio fairly rarely but when I do it needs to be spot on. This lead me to think that since wide AC bandwidth is the feature that adds the most cost to a DMM I should use two meters. One for ACV measurements and another for everything else. I have a Fluke 8060A which is accurate but missing a couple of buttons and feels a bit fragile at its advanced age. It occurred to me that I should just leave it on ACV and only use it for that. I'm looking at picking up a Fluke 107. It's their most basic meter and just a little over $100. It's small which is nice for crawling behind racks. If the continuity beep is as fast as on other models it has everything I need. A used 860A goes for between $100-$150. For $250-$300 you could have a really nice DMM setup.

I agree with your DMM use case. DCV, small ACV (-10 to +20 dBu audio), Ohms, diode Vf, and continuity are by far the most common use for DMMs in my studio. Also useful when troubleshooting is capacitance measurement capability. Especially handy is a min/max hold function when measuring high tube voltages. The talking feature also sounds nice.

For AC audio, power supply ripple, HF noise measurements and troubleshooting oscillation problems a scope is the tool of choice. Especially handy are digital numeric time, freq, and voltage readouts based on cursor positions.

A 2 channel digital storage scope is kind of essential for diagnosing digital serial transfer issues like USB, and other low voltage differential signal bus stuff. The next level up gets into logic analysers (more of a design tool than a diagnostic tool).

Some scopes also have FFT spectrum displays, but for audio this is easily and probably more accurately done using a PC with a soundcard or audio interface, especially if you are handy with dBu to/from ACV conversion.

 

[Newmarket]

If you need pro standard calibration then bare in mind that a DMM requires periodic calibration.
fwiw where I work (non audio) for handheld it's basically stacks of Fluke DMMs of various models on a calibration schedule.
Beyond that it's Keithley bench DMMs. Big £s depending on number of digits.
The alternative that @Whoops mentioned seems worth a look.
Might a DSO with DMM function be a better option ?

 

[doorunrun]

A nice feature to have on a DMM is some sort of analog scale.
I've started using a Kaiweets HT118E. Styling leaves something to be desired, but is modestly priced, has a bar scale and offers a lot of functions.

I also have a Fluke 107, bought for that company's reputation and price point. It's just a little too small and slides around the bench too easily. I got annoyed with the length of the supplied test leads being, IMO, too long. I've had it for a little over a year, so for now it's my "second opinion" meter.

 

[CJ]

Good for checking car turn signals also. Or anything else with a periodic on off at 1 or 2 CP's. (Spell check Messina with me)

 

[Ivan K.]

Lots of interesting choices...My daily driver is an Agilent U1253B, 4.5 digit, TRMS to 100kHz, Sq wave, gen, 20MHz counter, etc. Pricey at $721. It also has a Bluetooth accessory (very useful) for remote viewing on your smart phone/PC / datalogging. U1250 Series Handheld Digital Multimeters

I also do test and measurement repair and have everything from an 8.5 digit Keithley 2002, to an Owon B35T 35/6 digit, TRMS, but unlisted AC freq. specs, probably OK to 1 kHz. Many features including a nice built-in Bluetooth & data logging, big, backlit display. $59-$69-may be newer models. OWON Handheld Multimeter with True RMS Measure, 6000 Count Precision and Bluetooth Connection Through Ios/Android App Manufacturers and Suppliers China - Quotation of Brands' Products - OWON