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#1
Posted to rec.audio.tubes
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Any opinions on Hickpk 230 Tube Tester for use on Guitar Amps
I am looking at one of these for $200 plus shipping. Is this a good
unit/choice for use on guitar amp workbench? Thanks...J.P. |
#2
Posted to rec.audio.tubes
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Any opinions on Hickpk 230 Tube Tester for use on Guitar Amps
J.P. wrote: I am looking at one of these for $200 plus shipping. Is this a good unit/choice for use on guitar amp workbench? Thanks...J.P. It isn't so much the tester as the user of same. Do you understand what the various types of testers actually do? And more importantly, what they do not do? If so, and _IF_ this Hickok also does *reliable* tests for "SHORTS" and "GAS", then it is a worthwhile tester. At $200, however, an Emissions Only (And the Hickok 230 IS ABSOLUTELY emissions-only) tube-tester is nothing short of highway robbery. $50 for a top-flight emissions-tester + $25 for the Hickok name is about tops for this unit assuming all the paperwork and up-to-date charts. But if you want an equally useful tester at a fraction of that price, look for a Heath TC-1 or TC-2 or TC-3. Cheap, well-supported, upgraded charts available... usually reliable. Peter Wieck Wyncote, PA |
#3
Posted to rec.audio.tubes
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Any opinions on Hickok 230 Tube Tester for use on Guitar Amps
I am a total rookie on tubes and testers. I am slowly learning about
guitar amps and am thinking that my next bench tool needs to be a tube tester but need one to be reasonable as well as reliable. I have read that the Hickok 539C is the "one to have" but in reality, I just need to be able to make sure the tubes I am going to use are good quality. I also assume that there will be a learning curve involved in any tube tester I get. So far, I have a Fluke meter and am wanting to figure out and then buy the next tool as I can only afford one at a time. I would appreciate any suggestions... thank you...J.P. On 30 Aug 2006 14:14:07 -0700, " wrote: J.P. wrote: I am looking at one of these for $200 plus shipping. Is this a good unit/choice for use on guitar amp workbench? Thanks...J.P. It isn't so much the tester as the user of same. Do you understand what the various types of testers actually do? And more importantly, what they do not do? If so, and _IF_ this Hickok also does *reliable* tests for "SHORTS" and "GAS", then it is a worthwhile tester. At $200, however, an Emissions Only (And the Hickok 230 IS ABSOLUTELY emissions-only) tube-tester is nothing short of highway robbery. $50 for a top-flight emissions-tester + $25 for the Hickok name is about tops for this unit assuming all the paperwork and up-to-date charts. But if you want an equally useful tester at a fraction of that price, look for a Heath TC-1 or TC-2 or TC-3. Cheap, well-supported, upgraded charts available... usually reliable. Peter Wieck Wyncote, PA |
#4
Posted to rec.audio.tubes
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Any opinions on Hickok 230 Tube Tester for use on Guitar Amps
J.P. wrote: I am a total rookie on tubes and testers. I am slowly learning about guitar amps and am thinking that my next bench tool needs to be a tube tester but need one to be reasonable as well as reliable. I have read that the Hickok 539C is the "one to have" but in reality, I just need to be able to make sure the tubes I am going to use are good quality. I also assume that there will be a learning curve involved in any tube tester I get. So far, I have a Fluke meter and am wanting to figure out and then buy the next tool as I can only afford one at a time. I would appreciate any suggestions... thank you...J.P. On 30 Aug 2006 14:14:07 -0700, " wrote: J.P. wrote: I am looking at one of these for $200 plus shipping. Is this a good unit/choice for use on guitar amp workbench? Thanks...J.P. It isn't so much the tester as the user of same. Do you understand what the various types of testers actually do? And more importantly, what they do not do? If so, and _IF_ this Hickok also does *reliable* tests for "SHORTS" and "GAS", then it is a worthwhile tester. At $200, however, an Emissions Only (And the Hickok 230 IS ABSOLUTELY emissions-only) tube-tester is nothing short of highway robbery. $50 for a top-flight emissions-tester + $25 for the Hickok name is about tops for this unit assuming all the paperwork and up-to-date charts. But if you want an equally useful tester at a fraction of that price, look for a Heath TC-1 or TC-2 or TC-3. Cheap, well-supported, upgraded charts available... usually reliable. Peter Wieck Wyncote, PA That Hickok will do no better than help you make a "Go/No Go" decision. It cannot match, nor tell you much about quality, future life, or much else. That being the case, there is no need to get the Hickok name for such little information, and why I mentioned the Heath. Also Eico and several others are out there at reasonable prices and equal utility. I keep a 539B, the earlier version of the C you mention. Only on the occasional blue moon (the second full moon in a month, BTW) do I ever need its capacities, such as when I am matching output tubes or such-like. Most of the time my very simple Simpson unit does just fine. My primary hobby is the repair and restoration of vintage radios, so one would expect I might test a lot of tubes. Not really. I test far more for audio stuff as some audio circuits are far less tolerant than radio circuits. I would suspect the same for instruments. But in all seriousness, you need to keep a couple of things in mind: The most likely potential damage from a faulty tube is via some sort of short. So, the very first thing any tube tester should do is test for shorts, especially hot-filament shorts. It *MUST* test for shorts. That being written: a) despite rumors to the contrary, tubes last a LONG time in well-designed circuits and operated with reason of their tolerances. Easily thousands of hours. b) the best test of any tube is in-circuit. c) unless a circuit _requires_ a high level of matching, a decent emissions-tester with good shorts-testing will be adequate for 95% of most requirements. If you are into that last 4.95%, then you MUST go for a proper Mutual Conductance Tester. If you are into that last 0.05%, then you will need a laboratory-grade tester, of which the 539-series is only one. But definitely not the 230. Peter Wieck Wyncote, PA |
#5
Posted to rec.audio.tubes
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Any opinions on Hickok 230 Tube Tester for use on Guitar Amps
"J.P." I am a total rookie on tubes and testers. I am slowly learning about guitar amps and am thinking that my next bench tool needs to be a tube tester.. ** Then think again - that is the very *last *thing you need. The best tube tester in the world is the AMP you have in front of you ! So far, I have a Fluke meter and am wanting to figure out and then buy the next tool as I can only afford one at a time. ** For heaven's sake buy yourself a scope next. You can do almost NOTHING in audio without one. ........ Phil |
#6
Posted to rec.audio.tubes
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Any opinions on Hickpk 230 Tube Tester for use on Guitar Amps
J.P. wrote: I am looking at one of these for $200 plus shipping. Is this a good unit/choice for use on guitar amp workbench? Thanks...J.P. I would get a copy of RCA's receiving tube manual and read up on their section on testing tubes. Then I would make my own. Surf my site: http://www.RetroTech.ca |
#7
Posted to rec.audio.tubes
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Any opinions on Hickpk 230 Tube Tester for use on Guitar Amps
** WARNING: Google Groper ****WIT J.P. wrote: I am looking at one of these for $200 plus shipping. Is this a good unit/choice for use on guitar amp workbench? Thanks...J.P. I would get a copy of RCA's receiving tube manual and read up on their section on testing tubes. Then I would make my own. ** Just like this same ASININE MASTURBATING ****WIT "read" a few old copies of Playboy Magazine .......... - then went down to the garage and made one of his own !!!!!!!!!!!! ROTFLMAO !!! ........ Phil |
#8
Posted to rec.audio.tubes
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Any opinions on Hickpk 230 Tube Tester for use on Guitar Amps
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