NI-9234
The NI-9234 is a four-channel C Series sound and vibration module with 24-bit delta-sigma converters, simultaneous sampling at up to 51.2 kS/s per channel, software-selectable IEPE excitation and AC/DC coupling on BNC inputs. It goes into a CompactDAQ chassis or CompactRIO and reads accelerometers and microphones.
Specifications
| Analog inputs | 44 BNC channels, simultaneous; IEPE excitation 2 mA (software-selectable); needs a cDAQ chassis or cRIO |
| Resolution | 24-bitdelta-sigma ADC with analog prefiltering; 97 dBFS dynamic range |
| Max sample rate | 204.8 kS/s51.2 kS/s per channel, all 4 channels simultaneous |
| Input ranges | ±5 V |
| Input modes | pseudo-differential |
| Isolation | No |
| Interfaces | C Series |
| List price | $3,829ni.com list price (779680-01), Oct 2026 |
Vendor driver by OS
| Driver | NI-DAQmx (via DAQAtlas Bridge) |
| Windows | Yes |
| macOS | No |
| Linux | Yes |
Vendor software
| NI-DAQmx | Windows, LinuxFree. Driver with C and LabVIEW support on Linux; NI MAX, the configuration utility with test panels, is Windows only |
| FlexLogger | WindowsLite edition free; professional paid. configuration-based logging for NI DAQ hardware |
| LabVIEW | Windows, LinuxPaid. Graphical programming with NI-DAQmx VIs; NI-DAQmx has no macOS version |
What the NI-9234 measures
The NI-9234 reads IEPE and non-IEPE sensors such as accelerometers, microphones, tachometers and proximity probes on four BNC inputs. Each channel has a 24-bit delta-sigma converter with analog prefiltering and anti-aliasing filters that follow the sample rate, and all four channels sample simultaneously. IEPE excitation is 2 mA minimum (2.1 mA typical), switched on or off in software, with 19 V compliance. Coupling is AC or DC per channel, and the AC high-pass corner is 0.5 Hz at -3 dB. The input range is ±5 V and NI lists 97 dBFS dynamic range. It also reads IEEE 1451.4 Class I TEDS.
Sample rates are a fixed set
Delta-sigma modules don’t take arbitrary rates. With the internal 13.1072 MHz timebase the NI-9234 runs at 13.1072 MHz ÷ 256 ÷ n for n from 1 to 31, which gives 51.2 kS/s at the top and 1.652 kS/s at the bottom. Ask for 10 kS/s and NI-DAQmx coerces the request to one of the allowed rates, so check the actual rate in your data. The sample rate and aliasing guide explains how to pick one for a given bandwidth.
The inputs are not isolated. AI- is the BNC shield, tied to chassis ground through 50 Ω, so ground loops between sensors and the chassis are possible, and NI recommends keeping BNC shells from touching each other. The standard module lists at $3,829 at the time of writing, with a conformal-coated version at $4,197.
NI-9234 on Linux, Windows and Mac
It needs a CompactDAQ chassis such as the cDAQ-9171, cDAQ-9174 or cDAQ-9178, or a CompactRIO. In a USB cDAQ chassis, NI-DAQmx supports it on Windows and on desktop Linux (RHEL 9 and 10, openSUSE Leap 15.6 and 16, Ubuntu 22.04 and 24.04). macOS has no NI-DAQmx, and the last Mac driver, NI-DAQmx Base 15.0, stopped at macOS 10.14. DAQAtlas, which is in development, reaches the NI-9234 through DAQAtlas Bridge on the PC hosting its chassis, and its FFT view runs on the live vibration data.
Questions
Does the NI-9234 provide IEPE power?
Yes. It supplies at least 2 mA of IEPE excitation per channel, switched on or off in software.
Can the NI-9234 sample at any rate?
No. It uses fixed rates of 13.1072 MHz ÷ 256 ÷ n (n = 1 to 31), from 51.2 kS/s down to about 1.65 kS/s with the internal timebase.
Is the NI-9234 isolated?
No. The inputs are referenced to chassis ground through 50 Ω on the BNC shield.
Specifications and prices are taken from the vendor’s published pages at the time of writing and can change. Check the vendor before you buy. Sources: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4