Knight kit tube tester 600A

[xtian]

Picked this up at swap meet for $15! Everything works. Came with original 1961 build instructions and operating guide. Tested a bunch of 12ax7 tubes. Some show stronger than others--brand new JJs score best of all.

I gather I can test only shorts (if something is totally wrong with the tube), cathode emissions (rated on scale of 1-100, most tubes test around 80), and "gas test" (I don't know what this means).

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this tester means I have a way to "vet" tubes for function and safety before dropping them into an amp. It seems to be a blunt instrument, and isn't good for a quality assessment. Right?

What features to more expensive testing systems have?

[ToneMerc]

What features to more expensive testing systems have?

http://www.amplitrex.com/about.html


TM

[martin manning]

What features to more expensive testing systems have?

http://tone-lizard.com/Tube_Testers.html should get you educated on this topic.

[alvarezh]

Here is good reading on tube failures:

http://www.nutshellhifi.com/library/MostVacuumTubes.pdf

Good weekend to all.

[Prairie Dawg]

I've had a number of KG600 tube testers and I like them. The build quality varies because they were a kit built item-like what Dad built that winter on the kitchen table because he thought he could save on service calls from the local teevee repair shop.

That said, they are in the main hopelessly optimistic about condition but they do have one great feature and that is the ability to test for shorts. That's not all bad because if you start keeping file cards with your own "load control" settings you can improve your accuracy.

More deflection on the needle when testing does not automatically mean a "better tube" If the tube meets the minimum standard for a new tube then there's no "gooder than". Sometimes, however, you'll get a ridiculously high reading which is indicative of a bad tube as well.

[Structo]

I bought an old Simpson tube tester that looks similar.

Just has the GOOD/ BAD type meter.

Pretty useless unless the tube is shorted, I guess it will show that....

I should have just taken the $150 I spent and thrown it out the window.

Why don't one of you brainiacs design a tube tester that will test noval and octal tubes, measuring the transconductance, current draw, etc.?