Rigol DP832

initial impressions

I recently upgraded my trusty DIY LM317-based power supply to a Rigol DP832 since the former couldn't quite handle my needs at the bench. Probably the only thing comparable to it that I have used are the Tektronix (now Keithley) PSUs at my local hackerspace. While the Tek has better set and measurement resolution out of the box, they generally cost more even when the DP832 is equipped with the hi-res option.

Here are my initial thoughts:

Pros:

Power supply arrived well packed and double-boxed.
Build quality is excellent. Reasonably heavy too.
Easy and intuitive to use.
Has many software features which can be upgraded later.
Lots of info out there on this model and its quirks. Most notably, a Dave Jones teardown.
Binding posts on my unit seem within spec.
Latest firmware pre-installed.
Often discounted during the holidays.

Cons:

Some users on the web indicated that the fan is loud which of course is subjective. Sadly, it is much louder than I expected. I'm sure Rigol could have sourced a quieter fan with only a marginal loss in cooling efficiency. Will have to put up with it until I can mod the unit with a quieter fan (it's an easy mod that only requires a parallel power resistor at the most).
Unable to do critical sound measurements of devices powered by this unit because of the fan noise (see above).
Still have to place a low gauge solid copper jumper wire between Ch2 and Ch3 neg posts.
The dedictated button for dial mode isn't useful.
Judging from teardown videos, many internal parts are surface-mounted and likely to be harder to repair and/or troubleshoot if something were to go wrong. HP/Agilent or Lambda, especially older ones with boards populated with through-hole components, are better in this regard.
Tactile feel of the buttons below the display screen seem weak and could be improved.
Wish the software upgrades were cheaper.

Noteworthy:

A couple of channels appear off by 0.01 V with no load, but still within tolerance.
Calibration certificate was a couple of months old. Generally not critical for hobby or educational use, but a possible concern for R&D/lab or industry/manufacturing QC environments.
I couldn't find an easy way to live-demo the unit before purchasing.