If you're in a collegiate setting or close to one, befriending the laboratory manager may come in very handy for loans of nicer multimeters like bench Agilents. I scored an 87 after the ECE Dept decided to upgrade their dmms. Go Fluke at minimum. I've had horrible times with cheap dmm's dying...

Thanks for setting it up thrice. (I was the quiet guy who didn't speak so as to not make a fool of himself.) I'll learn soon, hope to build an amp with gates_2's help.