[volt-nuts] HP 3457A

[MARVIN]

For USA buyers, Barrytech tracks eBay sold prices for > 10 years and I find his estimates accurate. Despite the site's lack of updates, it compares well to the 3+ years I've tracked weekly prices on various Tek and HP models. I've used his low price estimate as a guide to model's I don't track and had much success. 

http://www.barrytech.com/hewlett-packard/meters_digital/hp3457a.html 

That said, here's my gestalt of prices; you can decide which model is best. 

3455a: $50-100 
3456a $50-100 
3457a $180-300 
34401a $300-700 [ new its $1000]. 

The 34401a range is particularly wide because its still in production and in catalog, although its days are numbered. 

The 3455a does not use the dual slope ADC patented by HP back when, but is now commonplace in many DMMs, so its the least accurate of DMM in the listing. 

I would not pay a premium for a "NIST traceable" certificate of an eBay sold device. A good cal is a trust-me event, so impeccable credentials and adherence from the calibrator are needed. Properly done, its easily > 50-100% of low end prices. 




----- Original Message -----

From: "Joseph Gray" <jgray at zianet.com> 
To: "Discussion of precise voltage measurement" <volt-nuts at febo.com> 
Sent: Sunday, August 11, 2013 2:00:29 PM 
Subject: Re: [volt-nuts] HP 3457A 

Would a 34401A be a better choice, over a 3457A for a budding volt-nut? It 
is newer and smaller, and the ebay pricing is similar. Would having that 
extra digit via GPIB on the 3457A really be of any practical value? 

Joe Gray 
W5JG