At IMS 2026, everything RF visited the Keysight Technologies booth, where the company introduced two of its latest signal analysis platforms, the XA5 and the XA6 Spectrum/Signal Analyzers. In separate demos, the company highlighted improvements in measurement speed, wideband analysis, dynamic range, and multi-channel capabilities for modern RF systems.
XA6 Spectrum Analyzer Demonstration
Application Engineer Randy Becker introduced us to the Pro XA6 SA6320. The setup demonstrated an A/B comparison between the new XA6 and its predecessor, the UXA, using a VXD signal generator with frequency coverage up to 54 GHz. A frequency-modulated signal at 5 GHz was split and fed into both analyzers. The XA6 showed noticeably faster update rates on the display compared to the UXA, demonstrating improved processing speed.
The demo then focused on noise performance and dynamic range. With the signal generator turned off, the XA6 measured a displayed average noise level of around -148 dBm/Hz, compared to approximately -134 dBm/Hz on the UXA, highlighting improved sensitivity for detecting low-level signals and improving in-channel measurements.
Keysight also demonstrated 5G NR signal analysis. At 3 GHz with a 100 MHz carrier, the XA6 achieved an error vector magnitude (EVM) of around -57 dB with faster measurement updates. The setup was then extended to a 2 GHz bandwidth 5G NR signal at 20 GHz, where the XA6 delivered EVM better than -42 dB (less than 1%), outperforming the UXA, which remained above 1%. The XA6 also updated results approximately every half second, while the UXA required several seconds per result, highlighting a significant improvement in real-time measurement capability.
The XA6 is designed for wideband and high-frequency analysis, offering frequency coverage up to 67 GHz and analysis bandwidth up to 8 GHz. It features a redesigned RF front end for faster sweep speeds and uses a server-grade CPU and GPU architecture to accelerate data processing and display updates. The system also includes full preselection across its frequency range and a wideband preamplifier to improve sensitivity and dynamic range.
XA5 Signal Analyzer Demonstration
Osamu Kusano, Scientist and Master Application Engineer at Keysight, demonstrated the Expert XA5 SA6210A, focusing on high-speed measurements and multi-channel analysis. The system performed fast spectrum measurements with narrow resolution bandwidths, showing its ability to capture detailed signal characteristics without slowing down measurement speed.
The XA5 was also used for 5G NR signal analysis, achieving 0.2% EVM, indicating accurate modulation quality measurement. Multi-channel performance was demonstrated through dual-channel phase-coherent measurements, enabling applications such as MIMO analysis and signal correlation.
Additional capabilities shown during the demo included cross-correlation measurements to improve sensitivity, along with AM-AM and AM-PM characterization of RF components. The system also supported simultaneous input and output measurements, allowing engineers to evaluate device behavior in real time.
The XA5 is designed for high-speed RF testing and characterization, providing frequency coverage up to 32 GHz and analysis bandwidth up to 2 GHz. It uses a high-speed architecture with a redesigned ADC and FFT processing chain to enable faster measurements and features a dual-channel receiver architecture for phase-coherent and multi-channel analysis.
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