Spectrum Instruments, specialists in PC-based test, measurement and signal generation instrumentation has announced a new range of RF pre-amplifiers. Together with a Spectrum digitizer these low noise pre-amplifiers can greatly increase the measurement systems overall dynamic range and sensitivity. The pre-amps are designed to complement the built-in amplifiers of the digitizer, effectively extending the available input ranges and improving sensitivity.

Seven different pre-amplifiers offer gain ranges from 20 dB to 60 dB, bandwidths from 10 MHz to 2 GHz and 50 Ω or 1 MΩ terminations. Most of the pre-amplifiers also have true DC coupling and an adjustable output offset control.

Spectrum digitizers already have configurable input amplifiers but these new pre-amps extend the useful ranges even further. All SPA series pre-amplifiers are optimized for minimum input noise with models available that reach values as low as 0.9 nV/√Hz. Averaging and filtering can also be applied to the digitized data to help reduce the effects of random noise on the signal. For more information check out Spectrum Instrumentation.