SDRplay RSPdx review and interview

Hello everyone,

This video is part review of the new SDRplay RSPdx receiver and part interview with SDRplayer Mike Ladd KD2KOG and Jon Hudson G4ABQ. Hope you like the format.

73 Pascal VA2PV

 

I watched 5 minutes of "uuummmm..........aaaahhhhhh...........eeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrr..........hhhhhmmmmm........ then I decided NOT to waste another 27 minutes watching the rest of the video. I went to sdrplay.com and I read about the improvements in about 1 minute. Here's the text from the website:

RSPdx

The SDRplay RSPdx is a single-tuner wideband full featured 14-bit SDR which covers the entire RF spectrum from 1kHz to 2GHz giving up to 10MHz of spectrum visibility. It contains three antenna ports, two of which use SMA connectors and operate across the full 1 kHz to 2 GHz range and the third uses a BNC connector which operates up to 200MHz.
The RSPdx is a replacement for the highly successful RSP2 and RSP2pro SDR receivers, which have been extensively redesigned to provide enhanced performance with additional and improved pre-selection filters, improved intermodulation performance, the addition of a user selectable DAB notch filter and more software selectable attenuation steps . The RSPdx , when used in conjunction with SDRplay’s own SDRuno software, introduces a special HDR (High Dynamic Range) mode for reception within selected bands below 2MHz. HDR mode delivers improved intermodulation performance and fewer spurious responses for those challenging bands.

 

I thought it was an informative video.

 

I personally liked it. Learned a lot of useful information.

 

Honestly, is it really the winner in the new housing because of 1 or 2 filters?

 

It's more than just 2 filters. They replaced the "Hi-Z" connector (1kHz - 30MHz) with a BNC (1kHz - 200MHz). There are additional AND IMPROVED band-pass filters, a DAB notch filter, improved IMD performance, and more attenuator settings. If you use the SDRuno software, they claim better IMD and fewer spurs below 2MHz. I don't have a new RSPdx with which to do an A/B comparison with my RSP2 Pro, but these appear to be significant, albeit incremental, improvements to an already great product. It's nice to see that the folks at SDRplay are continuing to improve upon the limitations of an SDR receiver. I'd like to see Rob Sherwood do a test on one of these so that their performance could be compared to other radios.

 

Thanks for sparing my time

//Mats SM0FPR

 

I did notice it's less expensive than the radios it's replacing.

 

Well...let´s wait for the first comparion with other SDRs....
It would be great if it was really as good as the advertising promises.

Andre

 

Thank you so much for this great video. I have wanted to get into using a SDR unit of yours - but I am not good with computers. Maybe I will try it because of all the help that is out there. Thanks again Carl KA0IBF

 

Well I own 3 SDR receivers.

1. SDR Play RSP2pro
2. SDR Play RSPdx, replacement for RSP2pro
3. AirSphy HF+

Each has its own advantages, but if your interest lies in 10 Khz to 30 Mhz it is no contest the AirSpy HF+ is the hands down winner. No question about it. If you interest lie outside that band, the SDR Play is a better choice as it covers a much broader frequency range. I do not have any vested interest in any of the products or favor any of them. I mostly listen to MW, HF, SWL, 2 meter, 70 cm, and broadcast FM. For those bands HF+ holds a big advantage. Those two extra bits in the A/D converter add up to 12 db more dynamic range in AM modes. That is extremely significant in terms of performance.

 

This new "dx" version was announced about 2 weeks after I bought the "duo" on sale at Pacificon. Not sure how to feel - as the person I talked with (works for SDRPlay) MUST have known this new model was coming very soon - but never mentioned or hinted about it. I like the bnc connector and other apparent improvements on the dx model, and wonder if the duo is not as refined as the dx. Oh well...

Mind you, I like the duo, but would have waited for the dx had I known it was 2 weeks away, and less expensive than the duo (even on sale).

 

It seems the DX only has an advantage below 2 MHz. The duo has 2 independent RX. With it noise canceling is possible which you cannot do with the DX.

73, Peter - HB9PJT

 

The duo is still the top end model. Whether it is better or not depends on what you do with it. The point of the Duo is that you can monitor two different pieces of spectrum at the same time and the new model cannot do that.

 

Thanks um err uh for the warning. I hate video like that