Question regarding these 2 pieces of test equipment - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: tedsorvino
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2025, 09:30:19 pm
content: Hi everyone.Could any of the knowledgable members explain to me what is the use of these 2 units for audio work please?They were given to me by a friend who had access to a closed lab and didn’t want them. They are guaranteed to work well. The “escort” apparently is a renamed “kenwood”unit.Could any of these replace or work in conjunction with a normal analog signal generator?Any info on the “ed laboratory” unit? What is the difference between the two of them?Have never worked (and have no clear idea what it is) with any sweep generators and can’t figure what’s the use for cmos out etc.I’m willing to read and watch tutorial if they are useful for audio work so any advice is welcome.Thanks in advance

author: TimFox
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2025, 10:28:05 pm
content: The sweep function generator allows quick measurement of the frequency response of an audio amplifier.The “main” output can be selected for a sine wave.The TTL/CMOS switch is for digital/binary signals.You can also adjust the frequency manually.The sweep/marker generator is for adjusting RF receivers, including FM, where the markers are visible on an X-Y oscilloscope trace.

author: tedsorvino
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2025, 10:41:49 pm
content: Quote from: TimFox on August 27, 2025, 10:28:05 pmThanks for the reply and advice Tim. It seems to me like the sweep marker is not so useful, unless I work on an fm receiver (way too rarely) or fm synthesizer (slightly more frequently). Of course I must research further.

author: tedsorvino
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2025, 07:49:19 am
content: Studied a bit the “escort” unit.It works well as a normal sine signal generator. Goes down to 1mv rms (maybe less) easily. Didn’t try the max amplitude but 10v rms seem easy for it (I wouldn’t like ever to feed more to any of the units I work).The other (the “ ed laboratory” one) is still a mystery. Nothing online about it.

author: Performa01
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2025, 08:15:48 am
content: The Escort Unit is a long obsolete analog function generator with sweep capability. It produces sine, square, triangle and ramp, all of them at a mediocre quality. And yes, it can also produce pulse trains at TTL/CMOS level.This device could be used for undemanding tasks, but the limitations are:- high distortion sine wave (probably about 0.5% THD)- slow rise time on the square wave- Linearity on the ramp signal limited by the quality of used components- Inaccurate frequency settings. Only the final output frequency is desplayed on a low resolution counter.All in all, it's not at all comparable to a modern digital AWG, even if use cases are restricted to audio.The SM-1310 apparently is an old obsolete HF sweep generator with marker function. It is useless for audio or analog synthesizers. It is intended to be used with RF/IF circuits in the range from 2 MHz to 260 MHz.

author: tedsorvino
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2025, 08:24:22 am
content: Quote from: Performa01 on August 28, 2025, 08:15:48 amThanks Performa01 for the useful info.

author: egonotto
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2025, 11:01:07 am
content: Quote from: tedsorvino on August 28, 2025, 07:49:19 amHello,it has 20 Vpp, which is approximately 7 Vrms maximum.Best regardsegonotto

author: tedsorvino
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2025, 11:26:47 am
content: Quote from: egonotto on August 28, 2025, 11:01:07 amGreat to know Egonotto. I would not feed aidio things with more than a couple of volts rms, (unless i wanted to test the maximum op amp tolerance pr smthng extreme - but i wouldn't).