Would I be happy with Rigol MSO5074 - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: kevping
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 08, 2024, 06:41:30 pm
content: Currently I have a unlocked Rigol MSO2072 Im thinking of getting the Rigol MOS5074 and upgrading that unit. I've heard about a noisy front end and some quirks in its operation. I mainly design in audio and embedded design projects, Thoughts?Thanks.

author: pcprogrammer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 08, 2024, 07:04:04 pm
content: I own one and am happy with it. Yes the front end seems to be a bit noisy, but for the stuff I do I don't care. Like you embedded stuff and audio (synthesis) stuff. Have not even bothered with the upgrading yet.But I bought it when the 12bit versions were not released and those might provide you with something better for the same price. Browse the different threads on here about both the Rigol and Siglent variants. Or maybe even a Micsig might suit your needs for a good price.

author: NE666
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 09, 2024, 10:43:48 am
content: FWIF, I'm still very happy with my purchase of a 5074 (upgraded), now a little over 12 months old and I do also own a newer 12-bit model. I'm not considering moving the MSO on.As has been said, for audio work you could be happier with a 12-bit offering from Rigol or Siglent. I also own Rigol's DHO1074 and the two are chalk and cheese: the new Rigol touch UI combined with a near 10" screen makes the MSO feel a bit clunky, but importantly, only by comparison. I was using the MSO for nearly an entire day last week, and once you've learned the UI and manual controls, you really don't notice any major inconveniences or incongruities. However, the front-end of the DHO is clearly superior.For my use cases, which are mostly embedded/digital, I still wouldn't be without the MSO. The large memory depth, 350Mhz bandwidth and 8Gbps sampling, along with a serviceable LA/mixed signal implementation are more useful to me than a lower noise front end and 12-bit DAC. It's the one sitting on my bench, rather than in the storage rack. My compromise has been not to compromise, and to own 2 scopes, although in reality the DHO is there as a luxury and "just in case" I need a lower noise floor at some point.It is often pointed out in other threads that the FFT implementations on the Rigol scopes are flawed, and that if that's important to you, another manufacturer's kit might be a better option. However, if you're looking mostly in the audio spectrum, there are other, better options than scope-based FFT.

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 09, 2024, 12:48:05 pm
content: I agree with what others have said -- if analog/audio work is one of your priorities, the lower noise and higher dynamic range of a 12-bit scope are probably relevant. Since the MSO5000 series has more front-end noise than other 8-bit scopes, it may not be what you want.If you also want to use mixed-signal capabilities (with the optional logic analyser, i.e. going beond the four analog channels), unfortunately Rigol does not have any viable 12-bit offering in the entry-level range. The DHO800/1000/4000 don't support a logic analyser at all, and the DHO900 has a severely compromised implementation -- splitting its already limited 1.2 GSa/s sampling rate across the analoganddigital channels.Hence, if you are interested in 12-bit analogand16 digital channels, the Siglent SDS...X HD scopes are probably the best bet. SDS804X HD with the small 7" screen, or SDS1104X HD with larger screen, higher bandwidth off-the-shelf, and 50 Ohm inputs. (And at more than twice the price, annoyingly...)

author: Conrad Hoffman
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 09, 2024, 01:21:34 pm
content: I do audio and it took the intro of affordable 12-bit scopes to get me to abandon analog. I went with Siglent SDS8xx and am pretty happy.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 09, 2024, 01:49:09 pm
content: For "audio" you can use a 16/24-bit PC USB sound card - it'll beat any oscilloscope.You can use the Analog Discovery software with your sound card for free:https://digilent.com/reference/software/waveforms/waveforms-3/start

author: macboy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 09, 2024, 03:01:31 pm
content: I have the MSO5074 ("upgraded") and I think it is pretty great. It is a little noisy, and the "10 bit" mode which applies a filter to increase resolution (effectively by averaging multiple samples) only results in 9 bits, not 10 bits of resolution, in my experience. Honestly, for most of what you need to do in audio, the resolution doesn't matter that much. You are only looking at the shape of the waveforms, and looking for anomalies (zero-cross distortion for example). An 8-bit scope can do that. For distortion measurement or FFT of the signal, you need something better than even a 12-bit scope, like a good PC sound card (with >=96kHz sampling and preferably 24 bits) or a dedicated instrument. The MSO5074 can zoom way in to the peaks of the waveform, or the zero-cross, and digitize without overloading the input amplifiers or ADC, so you can get some real resolution where it counts. Many scopes can't gracefully handle signal swing far outside the sampling range / visible range, and will end up distorting the captured signal if you aren't careful. The MSO5074 is specifically designed to handle this, and it does it well.Last time I checked, Arrow had the MSO5074 atdeepdiscount as part of their overstock clearance, around $512 USD IIRC (compared to $999 MSRP). It's an absolute steal at that price. 4 channels at > 500 MHz (after unlocking) and 8 GSps for five hundred bucks? Wow.