Recommendations for a vacum tube tester

My tester was $159 in 1959….

Unlikely to find anything that works for $150.    Maybe luck and patience and you can find one on CL but most likely it will need service.     If you look at almost any eBay ad for a tester it will most likely say "parts" and " no returns"     its rare to find one that works and is to spec and you pay dearly for that 

That’s a good tester for preventing your gear from becoming a “tube tester”.   Mine saved me from putting a bad rectifier in a new amp.    It was worth the money to me.   
 

Mine is similar to that, it’s an 800.   It is super easy to use and does everything I need it to.   All of my gear is tubed so it does get regular use.   

That was like spending $1600 in todays’s dollars

Maxi Matcher is what I would buy if I needed precise readings.  Only downside is you really need power and preamp capability you need two machines.  
 

The 600A is a good unit for home use.    You can order "bogey" tubes from Brent Jessee.   They have preamp bogey tubes and power bogey tubes. 

The word "Bogey" is basically a perfect of a 6l6 .    Likewise with a bogey preamp tube, which is a 12v dual triode , I think a 12ax7.   

By verifying your results of the tester against the known value of the tube you have an idea whether it is accurate or not.   

I just used a 12au7 and 6l6 that were tested with a computerized tester to determine whether my readings were good and they.were tight, within 50 Micromhos.    I think that's  close enough for home use.   

Enjoy !    It's fun testing tubes , you will know who has sold you premium tubes and you'll know who has screwed you 

I just went through a bunch of e180f driver tubes for my amp.  That tester allowed me to sort out the best of the NOS ones I had.   A perfectly matched pair of Mullards.  Amp sounds great.  If you save yourself from putting a shorted tube in like mine did the tester paid for itself

The 600 is like mine, super easy to use .  Just make sure you double check all of your dial settings or you can damage the meter or blow the lamp fuse.  

PM me if you need any tube values that aren't in your documentation,  I have an expanded manual and values for WE and other obsolete tubes if you need them.  

Yes it is a great tool.   I’m not home tonight but I will check my manuals and let you know if there is a specific set of values.  I am guessing the switches would be set the same , but not sure what the target is for KT77