If you only need the buying answer

If you only need the book for one course, the 180-day eTextbook at $66.99 is the better economic choice. If you want a keepable engineering reference, the current print listing at $97.12 still looks strong because it is far below the sampled used and new-print comparators, which sit much higher in the market.

Store	Format	Condition	Price	Link
Merybook	Print	New	$97.12	Check listing
VitalSource	eTextbook	180-day access	$66.99	Check price
AbeBooks	Print	Used	$226.49	Check price
eBay marketplace	Print	Brand new	$351.03	Check price

This is a technically demanding book, and those books often reward ownership. Signal-processing readers move repeatedly between system concepts, transforms, derivations, and applications. That repeated movement makes print attractive. But the digital discount is still real, so the decision depends on whether you are buying for one course or for later engineering reuse.

What this book actually teaches

Signal Processing and Linear Systems ties together systems, transforms, frequency-domain thinking, and signal-processing applications in one mathematically heavy treatment. Its value is in the way it lets readers revisit derivations and conceptual structure over time rather than just extracting a few solved problems.

That makes it the kind of engineering book that can outlive the original class. If signals and systems will return later, a keepable copy has a real role. If not, digital is the cleaner short-term choice.

When print is worth keeping

If the course is your only concern, the eTextbook is cheaper. If you expect DSP or systems work to come back later, the current print listing is still attractive because it is much lower than the sampled print-market alternatives.

Sources checked

• Oxford University Press product page for Signal Processing and Linear Systems, 2nd edition: oup.com
• Current market pricing reviewed on April 15, 2026.