[webbie64]

I want to hear all a Woo GES can offer. First step is an excellent matched quad of 12AX7/ECC83/ECC803/5751 tubes. I've had it suggested I should try
Mullard, Siemens, GE, Valvo, Amperex, Tung-Sol, RCA, etc and I've established a Want To Buy (WTB) thread to that effect (http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f44/wt...1/#post3936275).

But I'm also aware that regardless of source I should test any tubes I get before potentially putting my amp at risk.

Total newbie to this so I am seeking suggestions on what tube tester to get and where to learn all I should know to make the most of this approach.

Thanks in advance for any assistance/advice provided.

 

[3x331m]

Quote:

Originally Posted by webbie64 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I want to hear all a Woo GES can offer. First step is an excellent matched quad of 12AX7/ECC83/ECC803/5751 tubes. I've had it suggested I should try Mullard, Siemens, GE, Valvo, Amperex, Tung-Sol, RCA, etc and I've established a Want To Buy (WTB) thread to that effect (http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f44/wt...1/#post3936275). But I'm also aware that regardless of source I should test any tubes I get before potentially putting my amp at risk. Total newbie to this so I am seeking suggestions on what tube tester to get and where to learn all I should know to make the most of this approach. Thanks in advance for any assistance/advice provided.

Most tube amp users do not own a tube tester. As long as you use the recommended tubes, you should be alright.

Due to the cost of tubes, you might find the limited information in tube rolling for GES. Jack W. recommends RCA brand 12a(x)7 tubes for the GES. However, tube rolling is a personal preference. You need to do it yourself to find "Your" sound.

 

[webbie64]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3x331m /img/forum/go_quote.gif Most tube amp users do not own a tube tester. As long as you use the recommended tubes, you should be alright. Due to the cost of tubes, you might find the limited information in tube rolling for GES. Jack W. recommends RCA brand 12a(x)7 tubes for the GES. However, tube rolling is a personal preference. You need to do it yourself to find "Your" sound.

Thanks for the advice on Jack's recommendation.

I'm a Stax Thread browser and I recall one HeadFi-er having an amp problem as a result of putting in a tube that was said to be good but, in fact, wasn't.

I'm generally conservative/preventative so I'm following the resultant recommendation of always checking for one's self that the tube is good before risking the amp.

And, yes, I thoroughly advocate with all audio that we need to be open to finding our own sound/preferences with items such as these. However I figure it can't hurt to find out what others have settled on/with if such information exists out there.

 

[Uncle Erik]

This is a complicated field. You can get testers that give everything from basic readings, to very complicated ones that show emissions, curves, and so on. The best vintage testers were (generally) made by Hickok. The best of these run into the thousands and are competitively bid on eBay. To my knowledge, no new testers are being built, so you have to buy vintage. If you don't do repairs and calibration yourself, you can easily spend a few hundred more for that.

There are some new devices for measuring curves, but those sell for several hundred to several thousand.

I have a simple tester, made for radio/TV repair (another passion) that I restored, but it only gives me slightly more than a yes/no on whether a tube is good. Perfect for repairs and troubleshooting, but it won't match tubes.

My recommendation is to leave matching to the pros. You'd have to go through hundreds of tubes before the cost of professional matching is higher than buying a tester capable of that. Not to mention the amount of time you'd invest learning to use it. You won't save any money buying one, unless you're planning to build amps commercially or set up a company selling tubes.

 

[webbie64]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have a simple tester, made for radio/TV repair (another passion) that I restored, but it only gives me slightly more than a yes/no on whether a tube is good. Perfect for repairs and troubleshooting, but it won't match tubes.

Thanks, Uncle Erik.

Not interested in doing the matching myself. More interested in having a device to ensure the tubes are good before committing them to the amp (even if somebody has already indicated they are 'good' to go).

 

[spritzer]

I just found this but I know nothing about it. I also found a cool tester a month ago that was fully digital with a RS-232 port so you could see the curves on a computer and connect a label printer to mark the tubes but I can't recall the name.

Edit: Here it is. Very expensive though.

 

[pabbi1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by webbie64 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for the advice on Jack's recommendation. I'm a Stax Thread browser and I recall one HeadFi-er having an amp problem as a result of putting in a tube that was said to be good but, in fact, wasn't. I'm generally conservative/preventative so I'm following the resultant recommendation of always checking for one's self that the tube is good before risking the amp. And, yes, I thoroughly advocate with all audio that we need to be open to finding our own sound/preferences with items such as these. However I figure it can't hurt to find out what others have settled on/with if such information exists out there.

Yep, that was me, and my Blue Hawaii - alleged good Mullard el34 tubes that I paid somewhere between $75-100 each for. So, a $125 tube tester to save a $1800 (in parts) amp, or even my $700 (in parts) MillettMax is now mandatory. The whizzer is, I have no capability to troubleshoot what is wrong, so I am sure the repair expense will be several times the tester.


And, to think why people question why i would need two tube amps...

 

[breakfastchef]

This is an interesting thread. Would one or more of our forum members consider offering a tube testing service for other forum members so we know how closely matched our tube sets might be? Jamato seems to own a lot of tube testers and might want to pick up a few extra bucks testing tubes we all bought for our amps. Just throwing out an option that benefits Head-Fi forum members.

 

[webbie64]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spritzer /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just found this but I know nothing about it. I also found a cool tester a month ago that was fully digital with a RS-232 port so you could see the curves on a computer and connect a label printer to mark the tubes but I can't recall the name. Edit: Here it is. Very expensive though.

Thanks, spritzer. You're not just a fountain of Stax/electrostatic knowledge.

Much appreciated and interesting reading.

Quote:

Originally Posted by breakfastchef /img/forum/go_quote.gif This is an interesting thread. Would one or more of our forum members consider offering a tube testing service for other forum members so we know how closely matched our tube sets might be? Jamato seems to own a lot of tube testers and might want to pick up a few extra bucks testing tubes we all bought for our amps. Just throwing out an option that benefits Head-Fi forum members.

A good idea. Perhaps we should stretch even further to see if we could have one such person on each continent (minimise shipping/postage/insurance costs).

Quote:

Originally Posted by pabbi1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yep, that was me, and my Blue Hawaii - alleged good Mullard el34 tubes that I paid somewhere between $75-100 each for. So, a $125 tube tester to save a $1800 (in parts) amp, or even my $700 (in parts) MillettMax is now mandatory. The whizzer is, I have no capability to troubleshoot what is wrong, so I am sure the repair expense will be several times the tester. And, to think why people question why i would need two tube amps...

And that's the reason I'd like to source something similar. I prefer the investment cost of prevention rather than the more sizeable cost of damage.

So where can I pick up this $125 model, pabbi1?

 

[Uncle Erik]

You can find a bit more information here:

Alltubetesters.com - Tube Tester repairs, calibration, upgrades, parts and more

 

[spritzer]

You can get plenty of cheap tube checkers but the testers are expensive. A tube checker can't match tubes and allows you to test for shorts and the emissions of the tube with a reading of good or bad. eBay is filled with them and you can get one for about 50$ when I last checked.

 

[applevalleyjoe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spritzer /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just found this but I know nothing about it. I also found a cool tester a month ago that was fully digital with a RS-232 port so you could see the curves on a computer and connect a label printer to mark the tubes but I can't recall the name. Edit: Here it is. Very expensive though.

I was intrigued by the MAXI-MATCHER so I contacted Peter Toms. The current MAXI just tests power pentodes. However, Peter told me that they are in the pre-production phase on another tester which will test up to four dual triodes at a time for gain, transconductance and noise. The unit will come with an audio output on the front panel as well, to permit direct listening of the noise test. Should be released soon. He didn't indicate the price range but his MAXI-MATCHER is $599. The Amplitrex, great tester that it is, runs about $2500 and is probably just for those in the tube trade.

 

[spritzer]

That sounds like something to watch out for. Even a pentode only version is great to have for all those that have invested a lot of dough in high-end electrostatic amps and like to try new tubes.