a good tube tester?

trigger · 10th January 2010, 06:47 PM

looking to buy a tube tester, for general propose of testing tubes for resale, a wide variety is a must.

budget 50-80$ just looking for some recommendations?

Bob_345 · 10th January 2010, 07:45 PM

tube depot has one for $89

http://www.tubedepot.com/tt-it-17.html

ethermion · 10th January 2010, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trigger

looking to buy a tube tester, for general propose of testing tubes for resale, a wide variety is a must.

budget 50-80$ just looking for some recommendations?

Ya know, Ebay has been both a blessing and a curse to this hobby.

Maybe it is just me, but I can't stop laughing.

Glowbug · 10th January 2010, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trigger

looking to buy a tube tester, for general propose of testing tubes for resale, a wide variety is a must.

budget 50-80$ just looking for some recommendations?

For that price you can't be too picky

There's an Eico on Ebay for that much now, but with shipping you're likely going to pay more than that.

Quote:

Ya know, Ebay has been both a blessing and a curse to this hobby.

Maybe it is just me, but I can't stop laughing.

Be nice

Bob, W7ETA · 11th January 2010, 12:30 AM

propose of testing tubes for resale

There are many times I skip buying small signal tubes from someone because the tube tester they use does little more than checking to see if the tube is dead.

For output tubes, if the tester doesn't come close to loading the tube, the reading doesn't mean much.

Best from Tucson
Bob

TheGimp · 11th January 2010, 12:52 AM

I recommend you do a LOT of research on tube testers, how they work, what they can do, what they can't do, etc before you buy one.

Emission testers just test to see if the filaments heat up and cause emission from cathode to anode. They test to see if the tube will act as a diode and give some arbitrary measure of how well they conduct.

Mutual Conductance (gM) testers are better, but depending on model and make can vary from junk to good (if you understand what it is actually testing).

Matching of tubes with most tube testers is bogus at best and an outright lie at worst.

Save your money for now and do a bunch of studying if you expect to spend your money wisely.

HollowState · 11th January 2010, 01:18 AM

The Gimp is right-on correct. Heed his words if at all possible. Anyone who is willing to buy tested used tubes will want them tested on a quality name brand and model tube tester. This means a mutual conductance tester like Hickoks and their Military counterparts, B&K Precision and several others. Eighty dollars will only buy you an emission tester unless you are very, very lucky or can find a non-working Hickok and fix it up youirself. And even they go for a lot of money.

DHT112A · 11th January 2010, 01:33 AM

For $80.00 keep your money. You would only be throwing it away unless you get extremely lucky.

boywonder · 11th January 2010, 01:56 AM

Here is a good overview of popular testers:

Tales From The Tone Lounge; The Idiot's Guide To TubeTesters!

jrenkin · 11th January 2010, 05:44 PM

Sometimes a good old fashioned electronics store, if you can find a real one, will have a tester available for use. saves buying, just requires schlepping and maybe a few purchases for good will.

10th January 2010, 06:47 PM	#1
trigger diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: michigan	a good tube tester? looking to buy a tube tester, for general propose of testing tubes for resale, a wide variety is a must. budget 50-80$ just looking for some recommendations?

11th January 2010, 12:30 AM	#5
Bob, W7ETA diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2007	propose of testing tubes for resale There are many times I skip buying small signal tubes from someone because the tube tester they use does little more than checking to see if the tube is dead. For output tubes, if the tester doesn't come close to loading the tube, the reading doesn't mean much. Best from Tucson Bob __________________ Still a novice with electronics.

11th January 2010, 01:18 AM	#7
HollowState diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Taxland, New Jersey	The Gimp is right-on correct. Heed his words if at all possible. Anyone who is willing to buy tested used tubes will want them tested on a quality name brand and model tube tester. This means a mutual conductance tester like Hickoks and their Military counterparts, B&K Precision and several others. Eighty dollars will only buy you an emission tester unless you are very, very lucky or can find a non-working Hickok and fix it up youirself. And even they go for a lot of money. __________________ "The supercomputer is technologically impossible. It would take all of the water that flows over Niagara Falls to cool the heat generated by the number of vacuum tubes required." ~ Professor of Electrical Engineering, New York University

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10th January 2010, 07:45 PM	#2
Bob_345 diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Saratoga,CA	tube depot has one for $89 http://www.tubedepot.com/tt-it-17.html

11th January 2010, 12:52 AM	#6
TheGimp diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Johnson City, TN	I recommend you do a LOT of research on tube testers, how they work, what they can do, what they can't do, etc before you buy one. Emission testers just test to see if the filaments heat up and cause emission from cathode to anode. They test to see if the tube will act as a diode and give some arbitrary measure of how well they conduct. Mutual Conductance (gM) testers are better, but depending on model and make can vary from junk to good (if you understand what it is actually testing). Matching of tubes with most tube testers is bogus at best and an outright lie at worst. Save your money for now and do a bunch of studying if you expect to spend your money wisely.

11th January 2010, 01:33 AM	#8
DHT112A diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Tacoma , WA	For $80.00 keep your money. You would only be throwing it away unless you get extremely lucky.

11th January 2010, 01:56 AM	#9
boywonder diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: So.Cal.	Here is a good overview of popular testers: Tales From The Tone Lounge; The Idiot's Guide To TubeTesters!

11th January 2010, 05:44 PM	#10
jrenkin diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Denver, Colorado	Sometimes a good old fashioned electronics store, if you can find a real one, will have a tester available for use. saves buying, just requires schlepping and maybe a few purchases for good will.

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