Tube testers

i still have my military/hickok tv10 - good tester, will last longer than its users for sure... straight read on gm (no need to consult the conversion formula like the tv7’s require) - very useful in matching small signal tubes

http://www.vacuumtubes.com/TV-10.html

op needs to understand that most testers of this ilk will not/do not properly test power tubes such as kt88's at their normally high operating levels in actual amplification circuits... 

Vinylvalet,

The tube tracer looks quite interesting, but it appears to be a pretty complex and tedious process (I suppose it is fun to some people).  The Amplitrex, if attached to a computer, will also trace the tube.  I lasso like the fact that it does not require calibration.

I admit that there is some fun in using something like the TV-7, but also some terror concerning mis-reading the table or incorrectly setting the dials which could mean damaging the tube and getting a bad reading.

Having 19 tubes in my system I can say having a tube tester does comes in handy.  I can't imagine having to replace one tube at a time when something is not sounding right to find the bad one. 

uTracer3 for $247 vs Amplitrex for $2760 (as of yesterday). I don't think it has anything to do with fun, simply budget. You pay a hefty premium for convenience.

"An old tube can measure perfect and be at the end of it’s life the next day."

That’s interesting. In well over 25 years of owning tube components (Friends also with similar tube equipment backgrounds) this hasn’t been the case. Test results correlated well with tube performance and tube longevity.

I’ve not known anyone who have had tubes test strong-very strong and then rapidly fail. @russ69 was this a rare or common occurrence?  As others have mentioned above the Amplitrex is an excellent unit.
Charles