[Eric_C]

^ Uh, you just resurrected a thread from 2008.

 

[Redcarmoose]

I just spent $500 on all new tubes for one amp. I didn't spend near what I could of for two 300b tubes. I only have 6 tubes not being used and as a backup out of a total 15 tubes I own. I had three other tube amps at one time with back up tubes they used hand fulls and hand fulls of tubes all at once, and it just became too much. I sold them all on E bay. I guess I'm only into tubes for the results. I gave my tube tester away to a fellow Head-Fi friend and now life is simple. If my amp acts up I will have it looked at and I'm only buying new tubes now.
 
I do understand the fun of rolling though. I see it almost like an audio art. The tubes are the color palette and the mystery is you can only dream of how the sound will be with an old rare tube. You never really know till you try it. So there are tube legends which everyone writes about and they get a reputation and  the price goes up and up to a silly level. Then you have the secret bargain tubes that few insiders know about. Then you have the complete enigmas that there is no info on. So this whole hobby has intrigue and luck. People are like digging for gold, but the only real gold is the light given off by the tubes and the golden sound they help create. 
 
 
The difference with super rare tubes is there is no promise that you'll even ever find them in your life. You can always buy another amp. It's really an amazing subject. What is even more amazing is when people get e-mails from other people who know they have the tubes they have been looking for for years. There is a courting and a constant relationship with the one chance that the owner may change his choice of tubes and maybe sell. The reverse happens most of the time where every e-mail help solidify the charm the tubes have on the owner and the fact that he truly is in holding a rare lost treasure from history.

 

[gx42000]

what dose a tube tester do?
 

 

[Skylab]

Ummmm...it tests tubes...

Seriously.

 

[gx42000]

-_____- yes thankyou i was wondering how? dose it just make sure they work? or checks the capacity? or something else?
 
i apologize for the nooby question allmighty skylab

 

[gx42000]

is it kinda like a volt meter? 
 
for tubes? 

 

 

[Skylab]

Quote:

is it kinda like a volt meter? 
 
for tubes? 

 

There are two common types of testers - simple emissions testers, and true mutual transconductance testers.  Both test for shorts or leaks.  The emissions testers give you a relative quality reading on the tube; the transconducance testers report the actual transconductance of the tube, in uSiemens/microohmos.
 

 

[gx42000]

ok i think i got it now, thanks