Is there any device out there that will...

[B2D]

...tell you how "fresh" a tube is?

Or am I stuck with observing the tubes, tap tests, and listening for changes during swapouts?

[marvar]

Re: Is there any device out there that will...

fresh-meaning new? or still usable? Your ears should tell you all you need to know-preamp tubes last a very long time- years and years sometimes.
Power tubes- depends on how hard they are used, in either case, you should be able to hear if a tube is going 'south'.

[wixedmords]

Re: Is there any device out there that will...

It could be your million dollar idea B2?

Just buy me one of those girley drinks with the umbrella when I see you by the pool after it all happens.

But seriously, you could look into what really happens with a tube goes south and if there is something measurable when it happens.

[Mephis]

Re: Is there any device out there that will...

Well sears use to have big testing things.

You could just stick the tube in it and it would tell you if it was still good.


You're not going to find those around anymore lol.

[J Moose]

Re: Is there any device out there that will...

Yeah, it's (get this) called a "tube tester".

They were super commonplace through the '70s or so...my mom tells me that as a kid in the '50s and '60s she remembers going to the 7-11 or the hardware store with her old man while he tested tubes for various household gizmos like the radio & toaster oven...

Anyway, a tube tester ONLY tells how much "life" or burn-time the tube has left in it's glass innards. While that does help a lot with 'matching' (to a degree) it won't ever tell us if that tubes is microphonic, makes noise in cirucit or only under high-gain/stress levels, if it rattles or anything else that determines good vs. bad tonal characteristics in a gee'tar amp.

'Ya still gotta do real-time A/Bing for that.

BTW...if you DO hunt down a tube tester of your very own make sure it comes with the [I]correct[/I ]magic decoder book for your unit! Without it there's no way to deceipher anything that the tube tester says.

[Truant]

Re: Is there any device out there that will...

I'm almost positive that I remember Jeff Seal posting a picture of his tube tester. Or I could have dreamed that up.

[B2D]

Re: Is there any device out there that will...

Well until I can get my hands on a tube tester I'll just have to resort to the odl ways, which ain't that bad.

My amp's been running the current set of tubes since August '05. I run at high power and use an attenuator. Lately the amp's been kinda skitzo... some days it'll sound kinda pooty and other days it's AWESOME.

I'm about to change the power tubes... i think they might be due. The red Groove Tubes paint on the side of them got burned to dark brown long ago. I'll give it a sit-down tomorrow night and see what's up. I've just been getting occasional microphonics and high hiss along with the other stuff I mentioned.

[B2D]

Re: Is there any device out there that will...

Well... I did the tap-tests this evening and surprisingly enough the tubes are rattle-free. They're just noisier than i remember them being, is all. I think I'll get some new power tubes and use the current ones as a backup set. I'm gonna try out the Legacy with 6L6's this time!