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Post subject: Orange Valve Tester
Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 4:01 pm
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What do you all think of this:

http://www.orangeamps.com/products/acce ... nt/vt1000/

There are a number of videos on YouTube. Only price I can find is $500. A little high but it seems to do quite a lot.

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Post subject: Re: Orange Valve Tester
Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 5:50 pm
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Bill,

Man! That is expensive. I don't know how this tester compares to a Hickok or Sencore or some such standard tester. Really, testers can only ferret out bad signal tubes or shorted-out output or rectifier tubes --- IMHO.

True test is in the amp. You know how sometimes borderline testing tubes sound great and strong testing tubes sound terrible.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/Tube-Testers-/170062/i.html


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Post subject: Re: Orange Valve Tester
Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 8:58 pm
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Well, it would be interesting to compare the Orange to something like this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Precise-111-GM- ... 20d06111b0

At the end of the day, which would be more cost effective? A brand new microprocessor based tester with a warranty or a "fully restored and calibrated" 50-year old tester that could break down and require more time and money to get working again.

You are right about the amp being the ultimate tester but if I had $500 to spare, I know which of the above two testers I would spend it on. :wink:

"In approximately two minutes, the VT1000 performs an extensive series of tests including:

•Heater filament test: Short circuit
•Heater filament test: Open circuit
•Heater filament test: Tolerance check
•Heater cathode insulation: Leakage
•Heater cathode insulation: Short Circuit
•Tests for heater current abnormalities
•Amplification factor
•Voltage gain
•Power gain
•Screen grid test
•Mutual conductance test
•Dual test for double triodes
•Emission
•Inter electrode leakage
•Inter electrode short circuit
•Flash-over (arc detection, high voltage breakdown)
•Gas ionisation test"

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Post subject: Re: Orange Valve Tester
Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 4:20 am
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I think that it sounds like a decent tester, I've been looking at specs and reviews. Considering that the only other modern tester with this much functionality is the Amplitrex at around $2700, the Orange looks like a great deal. Not having a meter, or an actual Gm number might be a drawback for some, and it appears that it can't test rectifier tubes, so it is somewhat limited, but for the price it could certainly cover most tube testing needs for octal and nine pin tubes. I still want the Amplitrex though, it's the ultimate tester.

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Post subject: Re: Orange Valve Tester
Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 5:42 am
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shimmilou wrote:
I think that it sounds like a decent tester, I've been looking at specs and reviews. Considering that the only other modern tester with this much functionality is the Amplitrex at around $2700, the Orange looks like a great deal. Not having a meter, or an actual Gm number might be a drawback for some, and it appears that it can't test rectifier tubes, so it is somewhat limited, but for the price it could certainly cover most tube testing needs for octal and nine pin tubes. I still want the Amplitrex though, it's the ultimate tester.


Nor does it do 5751s, 12AY7s, and a few other commonly used tubes. But being microprocessor based, I would assume that other tube types could be programmed into it with a simple firmware/software download. The only real limitation I see is the fact that the tube types are "hard coded" on the front panel. Some sort of touchscreen would be really cool but that would add to the cost. Given that touchscreens are pretty common now on phones and remote controls, I don't think the cost would be that much more.

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Post subject: Re: Orange Valve Tester
Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 11:52 am
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I would bet that it can do 5751s and 12AY7s considering that it does other lower gain dual triodes. You would just have to select a 12AX7, 12AT7 or 12AU7 and the matching numbers would be high or low but should test the tubes. I might email Orange and ask about these other tubes.

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Post subject: Re: Orange Valve Tester
Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 12:02 pm
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shimmilou wrote:
I would bet that it can do 5751s and 12AY7s considering that it does other lower gain dual triodes. You would just have to select a 12AX7, 12AT7 or 12AU7 and the matching numbers would be high or low but should test the tubes. I might email Orange and ask about these other tubes.


Probably. It would be better to have positive results rather than having to interpret a possible negative result.

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Post subject: Re: Orange Valve Tester
Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 12:27 pm
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True. Man, you are making a good case for the Amplitrex......you have me jonesing for one again. :lol:

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Post subject: Re: Orange Valve Tester
Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 12:38 pm
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shimmilou wrote:
True. Man, you are making a good case for the Amplitrex......you have me jonesing for one again. :lol:


Yeah, but consider all of the issues we have raised could be fixed by a simple firmware/software download. They should provide an eithernet port on the box to allow Internet connection vice having to return the box to the factory. Cheap and easy. :D

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Post subject: Re: Orange Valve Tester
Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 12:58 pm
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Oh, that's a great idea! Even hooking up to a computer to provide test parameters and Gm numbers would be terrific. Do you think that it's a simple Z80, or maybe a PLID?

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Post subject: Re: Orange Valve Tester
Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 2:41 pm
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shimmilou wrote:
Oh, that's a great idea! Even hooking up to a computer to provide test parameters and Gm numbers would be terrific. Do you think that it's a simple Z80, or maybe a PLID?


No idea. Would be nice if they came out with an "advanced" model in the near future and dropped the price on the basic. Hardware is cheap. Programming time not so. :lol:

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