334A vs 8903 for Distortion

Started by PurelyNonsense, 01-03-2017 -- 09:20:28

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PurelyNonsense

01-03-2017 -- 09:20:28
I had a previous post about the 334A Distortion Analyzer. In the Army they decided to go with Boonton and we have one 8903B. I was trying to remember something that is lost in my fragmented mind. The 334A and 8903 measure two different types of distortion. What are they and what's the difference. I know one does THD but the other I can't recall. Please help refresh my brain! I know I love working with the 334A more for a few reasons but the Army guys don't seem to get that it's a better piece. Thanks all!

briansalomon

#1
01-04-2017 -- 07:38:04
We have both the 334A and 8903B in the lab I currently work in. I was curious so I dug into both manuals and found they appear to be very close in terms of how they function.

Both are true RMS meters and both measure THD using a notch filter.

The 8903A/B is far more versatile.
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silv3rstr3

#2
01-04-2017 -- 08:10:42
The 8903B only registers from 20Hz to 100kHz.  Anything higher than that I set up my E4446A PSA to measure harmonic distortion out to 5 harmonics and then select the THD option.  If you choose to view 5 harmonics instead of 10 you can view the harmonics and the THD percentage on the same screen.
"They are in front of us, behind us, and we are flanked on both sides by an enemy that out numbers us 29:1. They can't get away from us now!!"
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Hawaii596

#3
01-05-2017 -- 16:33:52
The ones that look really nice are some of those made by Audio Precision.  Quite a bit better THD floor, and I don't recall the max frequency.  Seems like one of the good models is the SYS-2722 (or something like that).
"I often say that when you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you cannot measure it, when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meagre and unsatisfactory kind."
Lord Kelvin (1824-1907)
from lecture to the Institute of Civil Engineers, 3 May 1883

microwave-kevin

#4
03-06-2017 -- 01:31:04
The big difference is 10 Hz, in my lab I need this..... if you don't them 8903 is K....... Unless, do you need a high selectivity filter???? You may need the 334, I have one in my home toolbox on a 1000 year interval
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