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Elevated capabilities in entry-level signal analyzer
Keysight Essential signal and spectrum analyzers come in two classes. The XA1-class includes BSA, CXA, and EXA models, and the XA3-class includes the MXA and MXE models. They go far beyond standard expectations, providing enhanced capabilities in an affordable entry-level model. They deliver the dynamic range, phase noise, and signal fidelity that you need for general-purpose testing including RF spectrum analysis, signal monitoring, and transmission / reflection measurements. The XA3-class offers real-time signal analysis for continuous acquisition of RF signals and deliver precise signal measurement and interference detection up to a max frequency of 50 GHz for general-purpose measurement and millimeter-wave applications. Choose one of our most popular configurations or build the one you need for your application. Need help selecting? Check out the resources below.
Low phase noise
Detect weak signals and ensure signal integrity in high-frequency communication, radar, and aerospace applications due to a stable internal reference oscillator.
High dynamic range
Accurately measure complex real-world scenarios with weak or strong signals and interference across a wide frequency range.
Enhanced signal analysis
Analyze and troubleshoot complex signals with support of more than 75 signal standards and modulation types to ensure signal quality, spectral emissions, and compliance.
Fast sweep speeds
Rapid spectrum analysis and transient signal detection, as fast as 1 millisecond per point, boosting efficiency in time-sensitive tests.
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Maximum frequency
4 GHz to 50 GHz
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Maximum analysis bandwidth
1 MHz to 510 MHz
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Phase noise @1 GHz (10 kHz offset)
-130 dBc/Hz to -90 dBc/Hz
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DANL @1 GHz
-167 dBm to -152 dBm
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Real Time Spectrum Analysis
Varies
Most popular configurations
XA1-class Signal Analyzer
XA1-class Signal Analyzer
XA3-class Signal Analyzer
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Frequently asked questions
A signal analyzer and a spectrum analyzer are both essential tools in wireless and communication applications. While both instruments analyze signals, a signal analyzer offers a more comprehensive analysis including time-domain characteristics, whereas a spectrum analyzer excels in frequency analysis.
Signal Analyzer
- Functionality: A signal analyzer examines the characteristics of a signal in the time domain. It provides detailed information about a signal’s amplitude, frequency, phase, and modulation characteristics.
- Applications: Signal analyzers are often used in wireless communications, audio/video broadcasting, and radar systems.
- Focus: They focus on providing a comprehensive analysis of signals, encompassing both time-domain and frequency-domain characteristics.
Spectrum Analyzer
- Functionality: A spectrum analyzer measures the amplitude of signals at different frequencies. It provides a graphical representation of the signal amplitude spectrum, allowing the user to visualize signal strength and identify frequency components.
- Applications: Spectrum analyzers are commonly used in RF and microwave testing, audio measurements, and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) testing.
- Focus: They prioritize frequency analysis, making them ideal for identifying and analyzing emissions from various sources.
Dynamic range in a signal analyzer refers to the difference between the smallest signal the analyzer can detect and the largest signal it can measure accurately without distortion or overload. This specification is critical because it determines the analyzer’s ability to distinguish low-level signals in the presence of much stronger ones. A high dynamic range is essential for detecting weak signals that might otherwise be masked by noise or by stronger adjacent signals.
It also helps minimize distortion, such as intermodulation products, that can obscure nearby signals. This capability is particularly important in RF and wireless applications, such as 5G or radar testing, where signals of varying strengths often coexist. In practice, dynamic range is limited by factors such as the analyzer’s noise floor, third-order intermodulation distortion (TOI), phase noise, and input compression. A wider dynamic range enables cleaner, more accurate spectral analysis, making it a key performance metric in signal and spectrum analyzers.
Noise floor and dynamic range are not the same, though they are related concepts in signal analysis. While the noise floor sets the lower limit of what can be measured, the dynamic range spans from this noise floor up to the maximum measurable signal level, encompassing the full range of signal levels the analyzer can handle.
Noise Floor
- Definition: The noise floor is the measure of the signal level at which the noise becomes significant. It represents the lowest level of signal that can be distinguished from the inherent noise of the system.
- Importance: A lower noise floor allows for the detection of weaker signals, improving the overall sensitivity of the analyzer.
Dynamic Range
- Definition: Dynamic range is the difference between the maximum signal level that the analyzer can measure without distortion and the noise floor. It indicates the range of signal levels that the analyzer can accurately measure.
- Importance: A higher dynamic range means the analyzer can handle a wider range of signal amplitudes, from very weak to very strong, without losing accuracy.