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Top 5 Waveform Signal Generators (2021)

If you’ve landed on this page, chances are you already have a good idea what a waveform or signal generator does and why you’d need one.  You may even be close to deciding on a new unit for your lab.  If so, you’ve come to the right place!

We’ve compiled a list of 5 great signal generators, and they cover all different price points, so there’s bound to be something for every budget.

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You may be interested in a similar post where we covered great multimeter options for any budget.

Enough small talk!  Take me to the list!

Top 5 Waveform Signal Generators

1 KKmoon XR2206 DIY Signal Generator Kit

XR2206 DIY Signal Generator Kit

Alright, this one barely qualifies a “real” signal generator.  That being said, for the hobbyist who also likes DIY kits you have to assemble and solder yourself, this KKmoon XR2206 is a perfect starter signal generator.

The XR2206 can output sine, triangle, and square wave outputs from 1Hz to 1MHz.  The kit comes with all of the PCBs and components needed to assemble it yourself.  Essentially, this is a reference design circuit for the 2206 chip.  It’s not exactly “high precision,” but for less than the cost of couple of fast food burgers, it ain’t bad!

2 Koolertron 60MHz DDS Signal Generator 

If you’re ready to graduate from the cheap DIY kit, this 60MHz DDS Signal Generator from Koolertron is a decent choice.  For the price. The build quality is okay, but won’t win any beauty pageants.  The Koolertron Signal Generator offers dual channel outputs and the DDS offers precise and stable outputs.  The available output signals include: sine waves, square waves, triangle waves, sawtooth waves, pulse waves, white noise, and user defined waveforms.

This Koolertron Signal Generator can store 60 user defined waveforms.  Each one has a length of 2048 points at 14 bit vertical resolution.

A few potential drawbacks to this unit are the lack of additional software available on higher end units on this list, and the relatively small distillation screen.  

That being said, if this is the first signal generator for your lab, it is a solid choice.  Koolertron often has coupons available for additional discounts when ordering through Amazon, so make sure to click through and see if there are any current offers!

3 Siglent SDG1032X Arbitrary Waveform Signal Generator (30MHz)

This model from the folks at Siglent consistently ranks among the best selling signal generators.  The SDX1032X has extremely high build quality and an intuitive interface.  This signal generator has an output frequency range up to 30MHz.  The unit has dual channel outputs that can even be combined for more complex waveform generation.

Some of the other great features that make this unit stand out are very low output distortion, ability to generate harmonics with independent amplitude and phase adjustments, and Siglent TrueArb architecture.  TrueArb, with the combination of the EasyWave software, allows users to define waveforms and recreate them point-by-point with extremely low jitter (<150ps).

The pricing on the SDX1032 changes from time to time, so be sure to check the latest pricing and availability here!

4 Siglent SDG1062X Arbitrary Waveform Signal Generator (60MHz)

The Siglent SDG1062X Signal Generator has all of the great features of the SDX1032X above, but with an expanded frequency range.  This unit has a maximum output frequency of 60MHz over dual independent channels.  The channels can be combined for very complex waveforms.  There is also a good assortment of both analog and digital modulation types: AM, DSB-AM, FM, PM, FSK, ASK, PSK, and PWM to name a few.

The SDG1062X has a large 4.3” TFT-LCD display that is useful for visualizing different functions and waveforms.  The proprietary EasyPulse & TrueArb features help solve the major drawbacks with traditional DDS generators when generating pulse waveforms.  Additionally, the special square generator is capable of generating square waveforms up to 60 MHz in frequency with low jitter.

One word of caution for the SDG1062… the stock levels frequency drop very low, so be sure to check before you’re ready to buy.  There’s nothing worse than making up your mind only to find the unit you want is out of stock!

5 Rigol DG4102 100MHz Signal Generator

How could we compile a list of great signal generators without including this monster!  The Rigol DG4102 is not for the faint of heart.  It’s a serious piece of test equipment for a serious price tag.  The DG4102 has a maximum output frequency of 100MHz!  The full color display measures a whopping 7” across!  

This dual channel waveform generator can be controlled via USB or LAN.  There are multiple functions available that are intuitive and easy to set.  There is a built-in harmonic generator, analog and digitize modulation and all controlled through a user-friendly graphical interface.  If you’re looking for a top of the line signal generator, the DG4102 won’t disappoint.


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