Guitar Gear Forum

spawnofthesith wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 4:38 pm These seem mostly pointless (and overpriced)

Yeah without being able to test for actual life % and leaks or whatever else, I can't see it being worth it.

You can achieve the same exact results by putting a tube in your amp. It's either going to work or it isnt.

Holy cow! I misread the price!!! The Orange webpages shows Tester MKII – "Expansion Module" – £195
https://orangeamps.com/product/valve-tester-mkii/
£850.00 is ridiculous!!!!
The uTracer is waaaaay better and you can build one for waaaaay less.


I bought the original Orange Valve tester MK1 used, on Reverb for $400 shipped.
It actually comes in handy when an amp is on the fritz - you can eliminate or identify the tubes as the issue very quickly (and when you don't have spares).
I had issues with my Marshall Jube and Sunn Solarus... I was hoping that the tubes were the problem because, the actual issues turned out to be a PITA to fix.
Tube testers don't need to check for vacuum leaks - if a tube has a leak, the heater filaments would burn out and stop lighting up... and you usually see a glow around the internal wires.
Yeah, the Orange Valve Tester is a bit limited checking lifespan: Good, Worn, or Bad
My only real complaint is, it doesn't test rectifier tubes.

List of tests run on original Mk1...
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

Check this out...

You guys in the US are at the source of great used units for tube testing. Some years back I bought a Mercury 990 for 90 USD and it serves me well - the Orange tester would be a justifiable option if it would sell way below 100 bucks.