This paper presents a versatile experimental setup consisting of a simple hardware construction and a proprietary software which allow easy verification of basic control concepts. This is achieved by offering the possibility to compare on-linze the actual performance of the plant with derived quantities commonly used in control theory classes, like Bode and Nyquist diagrams. The hardware allows quick response times and the software enables on-linze change of parameters and graphical presentation of process variables so that the students may devote a larger part of their time and energy to understand the basic ideas.