A spectrum analyzer is a real-time frequency domain analyzer that displays the amplitude of all signals within its frequency range simultaneously on a CRT screen. It provides a graphical display of a signal's voltage or energy as a function of frequency, unlike wave analyzers. Spectrum analyzers use a bank of staggered-tuned filters with an electronic scan switch to sequentially connect filter outputs to the CRT, allowing the composite amplitude within each filter's bandwidth to be displayed across the total frequency range. This provides advantages over oscilloscopes by clearly showing the amplitude of individual frequency components within a composite signal.