Orange VT1000 tube tester, How is it?

[HilltopExplosion]

It's been out a few years now, and I've looked back in the history, What is the consensus on it now. Does it do a good job at rating 12ax7s, 12AT7's, EL34's, and 6L6GC's? I have an old B&K 707 that is waaay out of calibration, and doesn't work properly. Would the VT1000 do a better job?

 

[xXDaveyJonesXx]

Marked

 

[bobbtoz]

I'm very interested in this unit too.

 

[glip22]

From what I heard it does a decent job of testing but not matching, The only way to match power tubes is at a plate voltage of at least 450v. The maximatcher is great for that. I learned long ago tubes matched at 250v will be way out in a real 450-500v circuit

 

[HilltopExplosion]

From what I heard it does a decent job of testing but not matching, The only way to match power tubes is at a plate voltage of at least 450v. The maximatcher is great for that. I learned long ago tubes matched at 250v will be way out in a real 450-500v circuit

I read your comments from 2014, about it only testing at 400vdc, for power tubes, which is understandable if you are running them at 480 to 500. So power tubes are iffy for matching, more of a go, no go for them. What about preamp tubes? Just a go no go, or is the rating system pretty accurate. For example a 12ax7 rated at 10/10 would have more gain than a 7/7?

 

[glip22]

From what I heard it does a decent job of testing but not matching, The only way to match power tubes is at a plate voltage of at least 450v. The maximatcher is great for that. I learned long ago tubes matched at 250v will be way out in a real 450-500v circuit

I read your comments from 2014, about it only testing at 400vdc, for power tubes, which is understandable if you are running them at 480 to 500. So power tubes are iffy for matching, more of a go, no go for them. What about preamp tubes? Just a go no go, or is the rating system pretty accurate. For example a 12ax7 rated at 10/10 would have more gain than a 7/7?

For me, it would be nice to know a preamp tube's gain, but I mostly worry about transconductance(output) and shorts. I'm not sure exactly how the Orange tester works but if it also tests for pretube gain that would be a plus. I think it will give you enough value for it's asking price. If you are in the business of tube jockeying then you need the more sophisticated testers like an Amplitrex and maximatcher, but for us guitar guys the Orange will probably suffice.

 

[LP Freak]

I don't own one but by the reviews I'm reading I'd pass. It appears to be pretty inaccurate at times. One guy said tubes that were supposedly matched were actually 12mA apart. Tubes it said were good were blowing the HT fuse. Another guy said he's got a whole drawer full of tubes and everyone of them tested good. And the list goes on.

 

[rottingcorpse]

Real deal vintage tube testers are way cheaper off eBay. You just have to learn to use them.

 

[glip22]

Real deal vintage tube testers are way cheaper off eBay. You just have to learn to use them.

I own one from right after World War 2. I agree. One can find one that is not working cheaper. Send it to alltubetesters. Roger is not cheap but does great lasting work and is an authority on tube testers. I think he even has machinery and can duplicate old parts that don't exist anymore.
With this said, these testers will not match tubes. Some of them do offer matching, but it is at 250 volts which is useless to us guitar amp guys. You need a maximatcher for matching, period. Or do your own matching in your amp. I have rotated tubes, marking the ma of each one with a piece of tape to match them into quads. It's a pain in the ass.

 

[HilltopExplosion]

Real deal vintage tube testers are way cheaper off eBay. You just have to learn to use them.

I own one from right after World War 2. I agree. One can find one that is not working cheaper. Send it to alltubetesters. Roger is not cheap but does great lasting work and is an authority on tube testers. I think he even has machinery and can duplicate old parts that don't exist anymore.
With this said, these testers will not match tubes. Some of them do offer matching, but it is at 250 volts which is useless to us guitar amp guys. You need a maximatcher for matching, period. Or do your own matching in your amp. I have rotated tubes, marking the ma of each one with a piece of tape to match them into quads. It's a pain in the ass.

Thanks for the info. . I buy my power tubes already burned in, and rated, and like you are saying, use an allesandro bias and matching meter to see how well they match up in the amp. PITA and time consuming, but works. Same for new preamp tubes, I buy them already "rated" for gain, but want to make sure I'm getting what I pay for, and still have to change them around to get the sound I'm looking for. I had checked with alltubetesters, and the price to go through my old B&K 707, plus to mod it to replace the old mercury tube with a solid state, would be about the same price as the VT-1000. I just have 200 or so preamp, and at least 60 power tubes I want to sort out, instead of just putting them in my amp to see how they sound.

 

[psychodave]

I own maxi-matcher power and preamp tube testers. They are excellent units and I live by them. I can do the math and make some accurate assumptions of what a power tube will bias at using greater than 400 plate volts. The preamp tester shows gain on each side of the tube. I know EXACTLY what is in each my amps.

 

[LP Freak]

I own maxi-matcher power and preamp tube testers. They are excellent units and I live by them. I can do the math and make some accurate assumptions of what a power tube will bias at using greater than 400 plate volts. The preamp tester shows gain on each side of the tube. I know EXACTLY what is in each my amps.

You left out the fact they're not cheap

 

[psychodave]

I own maxi-matcher power and preamp tube testers. They are excellent units and I live by them. I can do the math and make some accurate assumptions of what a power tube will bias at using greater than 400 plate volts. The preamp tester shows gain on each side of the tube. I know EXACTLY what is in each my amps.

You left out the fact they're not cheap

Neither are the amps most of us own. I will never put a tube in one of my amps without it going into my testers first.

 

[Deleted member 8761]

I own the VT1000. The concept behind it is cool and it is a useful tool for me. I only want to know if a tube is good/bad/prone to fail and output. The con here is that I don't know its accuracy. I think it is good enough for testing power tubes. How many times have we received amps with shady info on the tubes. This is a handy tool for a quick scan. As for preamp tubes, I have my doubts. All my brand new preamp tubes tested as "worn" (TAD, JJ's etc.). They still work fine in my amp (mind you that not all positions are critical in the amp). An old Chinese tested as good (the rest of my older stuff didn't). It could be that current production has less stronger preamp tubes or different specs, but I'm guessing here.

 

[HilltopExplosion]

Thanks everyone for the input, I'm still on the fence about getting one though.. a lot of $ for a "might work".

 

[xXDaveyJonesXx]

Thanks everyone for the input, I'm still on the fence about getting one though.. a lot of $ for a "might work".

Yes, it is.

Effectively dissuaded, here.

 

[psychodave]

It's not cheap, but neither are the amps we play...

http://maximatcher.com

 

[HilltopExplosion]

It's not cheap, but neither are the amps we play...

<span class="skimlinks-unlinked">http://maximatcher.com</span>

HOLYFUNKNSHIT!!! 1600 for the two.. But if they work as advertised...

 

[VC4Ever]

I have one and it has been useful. Whenever there is a funny sound coming from an amp I just put all the tubes through the VT1000 and it tells me which one is the culprit.

As far as matching tubes...no thanks don't need it. I'll just buy matched tubes at a dealer. There is no way I am going to find 4 matched tubes to use from my spare tubes laying around.