From: BDMuss@AOL.com
Date: Sun, 5 Jan 1997 14:37:39 -0500
Subject: MALDI Instrument Configurations
To: Recipients of ABRF List <abrf@aecom.yu.edu>
Dear Dan:
Instrumentation for MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry has improved dramatically
during the past few years. The former Vestec product you purchased in 1992
has been improved by PerSeptive and the development of Delayed Extraction has
pushed the performance of these instruments to the point were they can
provide even accurate mass data as you suggest.
In order to collect data for the accurate mass experiment vendors have
used faster digitizers. You mention that PerSeptive had "improved" the
instrument by getting rid of the oscilloscope. This is not the case. We
currently offer digital oscilloscopes from Tecktronics with capability for
recording data at rates of 1, 2 and 4 GHz for use on our Voyager
instruments.
We also offer a 500MHz on-board digitizer unit. The interesting thing
about the on-board digitizer is that a number of our users seem to prefer
that option over the oscilloscope. The on-board system has an edge in that
they are more"user friendly". By user friendly I have been told that while
some people might like to see a dozen or more switches and dials when they
sit down to collect data, others want to simply collect a spectrum and
process it. There are no knobs to see on the on-board digitizer thus it is
more user friendly. Finally, in order to satisfy customers with different
taste companies such as ours provide both types of digitizer units as
options. The user can select the type of system they feel most comfortable
with given that option.
Happy New Year,
Brian Musselman
PerSeptive Biosystems
Framingham, MA 01701
508-383-7860