# Cheap handheld oscilloscope to set gains?



## pandalizer (Dec 26, 2014)

Is there anything specific to look for when searching for a little oscilliscope to use to set amplifier gains?

I am searching on amazon and found some cheap oscilloscopes that have good reviews:

Amazon Link #1[1]

Amazon Link #2[2]

Would these two be okay to use? Want something that will show me when my head unit starts clipping and then set my 650w rms monoblock gain.

Or if you can find anything else on amazon that's under $100 would be great if the two i listed aren't good.

Thanks a lot!


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## chasinbass (Jul 23, 2014)

Ya I have the older model of it and it works good for what we need it for.


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## pandalizer (Dec 26, 2014)

Which one? The first or second link?


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## chasinbass (Jul 23, 2014)

pandalizer said:


> Which one? The first or second link?


The one in the first link.


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## chillaxing (Nov 25, 2014)

I was thinking about one of these cheap ones. good to know they work


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## pandalizer (Dec 26, 2014)

chasinbass said:


> The one in the first link.


Will it be able to help me set the gain on a 650W RMS @ 2 ohm monoblock? That's approximately 34V with ohm's law. 

I did some researching but couldn't figure out what the maximum voltage was.


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## gijoe (Mar 25, 2008)

Others will disagree, but I think an o-scope is among the most useless tools for a car audio hobbyist. Technically, you can use them to set gains with precision, however, gains don't need to be set with this level of precision. Music is recorded at wildly different levels, so it becomes pointless to get gains perfect with say a 5db track.

O-scopes are fun, but they won't create a better setup than using your ears or a DMM to set gains. Setting gains isn't this incredibly scientific process that people here like to make it out to be. Personally, I wouldn't buy one, you'll use it a couple of times to do what you could have done with your ears, and then it'll sit in a toolbox.


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## maggie-g (Aug 20, 2014)

O-scopes are great for determining the sweet spot in volume for OEM head units if using an interface unit. They are also a must when tuning if you are using an Aperiodic environment.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-Pocket...169?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a41ca9231


this is the one I bought. Read the reviews on amazon for it and do the updates the users suggest.


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## pandalizer (Dec 26, 2014)

maggie-g said:


> O-scopes are great for determining the sweet spot in volume for OEM head units if using an interface unit. They are also a must when tuning if you are using an Aperiodic environment.
> 
> 
> Mini Pocket Sized Handheld Digital Storage Oscilloscope Arm DSO Nano DSO201 | eBay
> ...


Yeah just ordered the DSO nano 201 on amazon. Hopefully it works for what I need. 

I feel like the oscilloscope will help me know when my stereo starts to clip from the RCA outs. I would have no idea what to listen to to figure that out with no tools. Also, a DMM would help, but using ohms law to view the output voltage of the amplifier is all based on assuming a specific RMS rating at a specific voltage and specific resitance, but all that isn't constant, so while it could very well be close enough, i would feel much better seeing the waveform and visually knowing that the output at a specific test tone does not clip than doing math based on assumptions.


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