Repair Tektronix 485 or purchase B&K 1590a?

[Tim Dudley]

Hello,
I have a Tektronix 485 in the shop. The repair bill could be as high as
$300. I have been offered a B&k 1590a for $380 . I do not know the B&K
and have never owned one of their scopes. I like the 485 but it is pretty
old. What should I do-fix or buy the B&K?
Thank you,
Tim

 

[Len S]

I recommend doing neither. After using Tek, you will be very unhappy
with B&K. I would buy another used Tek scope. The market for
non-digital scopes has plummeted. Look on ebay. I bet you can replace
your Tek with something similar for under $200 - more like $100 if you
willing to wait for a deal. My favorite deals generally occur on
slightly older scopes like 453 and 454. Look for the "A" versions
which have larger screens. These may be slightly lower BW than the 485
but they were built better and do not have ICs (all transistors) so if
something dies you have a chance of fixing it.

 

[Tim Dudley]

Hi,
I am using an old 453a as a sub for the 485. I will forget about the B&K.
The 485 is functional right now (repair bill-$70) but the bandwidth is
limited. I believe it will still be alright for audio applications.
Thank you for all the help!
Tim