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The Keysight B2961A/B2962A 6.5 Digit Low Noise Power Source is a bench-top precision power source available in 1-channel (B2961A) and 2-channel (B2962A) configurations. The instrument combines 6.5 digit source resolution with 100 nV and 10 fA minimum step sizes, ±210 V and ±3 A DC output (±10.5 A pulsed), and bipolar 4-quadrant operation in a single chassis. Built-in 4.5 digit voltage and current monitoring eliminates the need for a separate DMM during many bench measurements.
Application areas listed in the product literature include A/D and D/A converter evaluation, high-precision analog IC and circuitry characterization, RFIC testing, medical applications, cable and wire harness evaluation, voltage-controlled oscillators, sensor and transducer characterization, solar cell and interface circuitry testing, electrochemical applications, research and education, crystal oscillator measurement, current sourcing for small-voltage measurement, battery management, and advanced materials evaluation. The wide bipolar output range and high-resolution sourcing extend the instrument into measurement situations that conventional 4.5 digit bench supplies cannot address.
Keysight Technologies is the direct successor to Hewlett-Packard's test and measurement business. HP spun off its T&M and life-sciences operations as Agilent Technologies in 1999, and in 2014 Agilent further separated its electronic measurement business as Keysight Technologies. Instruments carrying the HP, Agilent, and Keysight names share a continuous engineering lineage in precision sourcing and measurement.
The B2961A and B2962A share the same precision sourcing architecture — 6.5 digit resolution, ±210 V / ±3 A DC output, ±10.5 A pulsed capability, 31.8 W maximum power, bipolar 4-quadrant operation, and the same arbitrary-waveform and programmable-output-resistance feature sets. They differ only in channel count: the B2961A is a 1-channel instrument, and the B2962A is a 2-channel instrument with the second channel accessible on the rear panel.
Both models accept the same three optional external low-noise filters (High Current Ultra Low Noise, Ultra Low Noise, and Low Noise) and share identical connectivity (GPIB, USB 2.0, LAN with LXI Core Conformance, and 25-pin Digital I/O). The decision between the two models is driven entirely by whether a given bench requires one or two independent precision channels.
Each pre-owned B2961A and B2962A linked below is its own product page with condition-matched pricing, availability, and accessory inventory. Selecting the right channel count for the application is the first decision; the listed product pages then provide the specific unit information for that model.
The B2962A's second channel is exposed on the rear panel and shares the chassis, display, and interface infrastructure with channel 1. Both channels are independently programmable and operate within the same 31.8 W envelope, subject to the combined-current limitation table for output regions involving the 6 V and 21 V ranges.
Channel count is the only functional difference between the B2961A and B2962A. Both instruments deliver identical per-channel specifications: 6.5 digit resolution, ±210 V / ±3 A DC, ±10.5 A pulsed, the same noise performance with optional filters, the same 4.3-inch color LCD, and the same arbitrary-waveform and programmable-output-resistance capabilities. Net weight is 5.1 kg for the B2961A and 6.5 kg for the B2962A; shipping weights are 7.6 kg and 9.0 kg respectively.
The comparison table that follows summarizes channel count and the resulting weight difference. For applications that require two independent precision sources on a single bench — for example, biasing two terminals of a device under test, or simultaneously stimulating an input and monitoring an auxiliary supply rail — the B2962A consolidates that capability into one chassis. For single-source applications, the B2961A delivers identical per-channel performance at a lower price and footprint.
| Model | Channels | Max Voltage | Max Current (DC / Pulse) |
|---|---|---|---|
| B2961A | 1 | 210 V | 3 A DC / 10.5 A Pulse |
| B2962A | 2 | 210 V | 3 A DC / 10.5 A Pulse |
Additional differences in specifications beyond the few shown above are not listed here — see each model's full specifications below.
| Specification | B2961A / B2962A (No External Filter) | With High Current Ultra Low Noise Filter (N1294A-020) | With Ultra Low Noise Filter (N1294A-021) | With Low Noise Filter (N1294A-022) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of channels | 1 or 2 | 1 or 2 | 1 or 2 | 1 or 2 |
| Maximum voltage (DC or arbitrary waveform output) | ±210 V | ±21 V | ±42 V | ±210 V |
| Maximum current (DC or arbitrary waveform output) | ±3.03 A | ±500 mA | ±105 mA | ±3.03 A |
| Maximum voltage (Pulsed) | ±200 V | ±21 V | ±42 V | ±200 V |
| Maximum current (Pulsed) | ±10.5 A | ±500 mA | ±105 mA | ±3.03 A (10 A pulse range not supported) |
| Maximum power | 31.8 W | 10.5 W | 4.4 W | 31.8 W |
| Output polarity | Bipolar (4-quadrant operation) | Bipolar (4-quadrant operation) | Bipolar (4-quadrant operation) | Bipolar (4-quadrant operation) |
| Source resolution (digits) | 6.5 digit | 6.5 digit | 6.5 digit | 6.5 digit |
| Minimum resolution | 100 nV / 10 fA | 100 nV / 10 pA | 100 nV / 10 pA | 100 nV / 10 pA |
| DC output capability | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pulsed output capability | Yes | Voltage output only | Voltage output only | Voltage output only |
| Sweep (DC/Pulse/List) capability | Yes | Voltage output only | Voltage output only | Voltage output only |
| Arbitrary waveform capability | Yes | Voltage output only | Voltage output only | Voltage output only |
| Noise, 0.1 to 10 Hz | ≤ 5 µVpp | ≤ 5 µVpp | ≤ 5 µVpp | ≤ 5 µVpp |
| Noise, 10 Hz to 20 MHz | 3 mVrms | 10 µVrms (1 nVrms/√Hz @ 10 kHz) | 10 µVrms (1 nVrms/√Hz @ 10 kHz) | 350 µVrms |
| Measurement capability | 4.5 digit built-in voltage/current monitor | 4.5 digit built-in voltage/current monitor | 4.5 digit built-in voltage/current monitor | 4.5 digit built-in voltage/current monitor |
| Voltage source/monitor ranges | 200 mV to 200 V | 200 mV to 20 V (max 21 V) | 200 mV to 200 V (max 42 V) | 200 mV to 200 V |
| Current source/monitor ranges | 10 nA to 10 A | 1 mA to 1 A | 10 µA to 100 mA | 10 µA to 3 A |
| Programmable output resistance (Constant R) | Yes | No | No | No |
| Programmable output resistance (V/I emulation) | Yes | No | No | No |
| Single view | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Waveform preview | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dual view | Only 2-ch model (B2962A) | Only 2-ch model (B2962A) | Only 2-ch model (B2962A) | Only 2-ch model (B2962A) |
| Graph view (time-domain V/I waveform viewer) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Max capacitive load | 0.01 µF (normal mode) | 50 µF | 50 µF | 1 mF |
| Interface | GPIB, USB 2.0, LAN and Digital I/O (LXI Core Conformant) | |||
| Operating environment | 0 °C to +55 °C, 30 % to 80 % non-condensing | |||
| Storage environment | -30 °C to 70 °C, 10 % to 90 % non-condensing | |||
| Altitude | Operating: 0 m to 2000 m; Storage: 0 m to 4600 m | |||
| Power supply | 90 V to 264 V, 47 Hz to 63 Hz, 250 VA max | |||
| Cooling | Forced air. Side intake and rear exhaust. | |||
| EMC | IEC61326-1/EN61326-1, AS/NZS CISPR 11, KC: RRA Notification amending Radio Waves Act Article 58-2 | |||
| Safety | IEC61010-1/EN61010-1, CAN/CSA-C22.2 No. 61010-1-04, C/US | |||
| Certifications | CE, cCSAus, C-Tick, KC | |||
| Case dimensions | 88 mm H x 213 mm W x 450 mm D | |||
| Working dimensions (with handle & feet) | 180 mm H x 260 mm W x 480 mm D | |||
| Net weight | 5.1 kg (B2961A); 6.5 kg (B2962A) |
Please review the Manufacturer's Data Sheet to verify published specifications. Feedback on this webpage is always welcome — please reach out to your Test Architect at any time for questions or concerns. Thank you, we truly appreciate you being our customer.
Model No
Keysight
Condition
Used
Manufacturer
Agilent
Amps
10.5 A
Volts
210 V
Power
31.8 W
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