A high intensity 9 kW copper rotating anode x-ray source is coupled to a multilayer optic. The system has selectable x-ray optical configurations suitable for: thin-film work with single crystal, amorphous, or poly-crystalline samples. Also, high intensity powder diffraction. Additionally supported are grazing incidence, in-plane diffraction geometries, pole figures and reciprocal space mapping. Other features are: 5-axis goniometer, Ge(220) 2-bounce channel cut post monochromator, horizontal sample mounting permitting work with liquid samples and a high speed 1-D detector in addition to a high count-rate scintillation detector.