[Arizona Dan]

Hi

I need to buy a multimeter and need some help.  I would like to be able to measure line level and speaker level voltages at audio frequencies.  I highest AC frequency that a low cost meter can measure, that I have found so far, is 1000 Hz.  Does anyone have any recommendations or advice for me.  I looked at the Fluke 15B+ and the AC voltage is limited to 500 Hz.

Dan

[FullRangeMan]

Hi

I need to buy a multimeter and need some help.  I would like to be able to measure line level and speaker level voltages at audio frequencies.  I highest AC frequency that a low cost meter can measure, that I have found so far, is 1000 Hz.  Does anyone have any recommendations or advice for me.  I looked at the Fluke 15B+ and the AC voltage is limited to 500 Hz.

Dan

IMO dont buy used meters usually they have probs.

[Arizona Dan]

Um  OK

Any advice for a new one?

Dan

[FullRangeMan]

Um  OK

Any advice for a new one?

Dan

I would have to search and evaluate.
I always used cheap meters like Minipa, Icel and others,
why eventually they broke just like Flukes.
However speaker audio signals are DC.
I would like a Fluke 43 for home AC outlet,
but they are rare and expensive even used.

EDITED

[Arizona Dan]

Thank you so much for your reply.

Anyone else?

Dan

[AVnerdguy]

If you have a laptop a USB oscillosope is a better solution. A Hantek 20MHz version is around $80. Much better to be able to see the waveforms than relying on a digital VOM that will be bouncing digits and very difficult to read accurately.

[newzooreview]

I own a Brymen 869s. Very very well made and well suited to accurate measurements in the audio range.

"Measuring audio voltages, especially at higher frequencies up to 20 kHz, requires a multimeter with good AC bandwidth specifications to ensure accurate readings. Most low-cost meters (like the Fluke 15B+ you mentioned) are limited to lower frequencies (e.g., 500-1000 Hz) because they're optimized for power-line applications (50-60 Hz). For audio work, look for true RMS meters with at least 10-20 kHz bandwidth, as they handle complex waveforms better."

"Brymen BM869s — $220-250 — Up to 100 kHz (with 4% accuracy up to 100 kHz at lower voltages) — 500,000 counts (high resolution), dual display, temperature (dual channel), VFD mode for noisy signals, CAT IV 1000V safety, optional PC interface. Excellent bandwidth for full audio range (20 Hz-20 kHz) and beyond. High precision and build quality rival premium brands at a lower cost. Ideal if you want something reliable without breaking the bank."

Quoted text is from a DeepSearch AI query. I own the 869s, and it has been going strong for years. The counts to provide precision and the full audio bandwidth are the primary relevant features. The only downside is ordering one since it's not sold on Amazon. It's also not cheap, but the resolution and bandwidth are what drive the cost.

https://www.tme.com/ux/en-us/details/bm869/portable-digital-multimeters/brymen/bm869s/

The UNI-T UT161E tops out at 10 kHz, but if the >10 kHz range is not critical for your needs, it's only $95. https://www.amazon.com/Multimeter-RockyMars-Continuity-Capacitance-Transmission/dp/B093BS9MYM?sr=8-2

And the Fluke 87v tops out at 20 kHz, but it has only 20,000 counts vs. 100,000 on the Brymen. It's also more expensive, but also available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Fluke-FLUKE-87-V-Digital-Multimeter/dp/B0002YFD1K?sr=8-1

[newzooreview]

Here are some tutorials on using Hantek 6022BL/BE for audio measurements:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_a04PDnLt-8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPf-OgCEUcU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5D85u-5NB4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgd0YTBv9hE

[Arizona Dan]

Guys

Thank you so very much for all of the information.

The UNI-T UT161E looks like it will do what I need it to.  The 10 kHz limit for measuring voltage is not an issue.  This range will allow me to input various frequencies (from REW) and compare left to right voltages for woofer, midrange and tweeter.  Excellent.

I have had a mismatch between left and right and this will help me find the issue.  I can start at the preamp and work my way to each driver.

The oscilloscope is probably better, but I'm not ready for another learning curve.  Thanks for the suggestion, but maybe later.

The BM786 is even better but cost more.  It does not seem to be available in the US.

I need to read up on what the USB function does.  Maybe there is a similar model without the USB.

Thanks again for all of your help.

Dan

[brj]

After years of using very inexpensive DMMs that ultimately became unreliable, and a ton of research, I picked up a Hioki DT4282 on Black Friday last year.  (I looked at the Brymen 869, in particular, as well as the EEVblog and Fluke products.)  It's a 4.5 digit, 60000 count unit with excellent speed and accuracy and dual display capability.  It cost more than the Brymen, but less than a Fluke 87V or similar.  (It has internal storage and an optional USB interface, though I don't have it.)  It's likely more than I need, but it's a joy to use and seems likely to last as long as I'll ever need it.

I also looked for a higher-quality but less expensive unit to add to my car's toolkit, and settled on a Kaiweets HT206D clamp style.  It's definitely not as nice as the Hioki, but it's sufficient to that use case and likely common audio needs as well.