Tube tester?


Hello! I have tube amplifiers, and I have ordered tubes for my amplifiers, but I don’t know how to read their quality, available, power, longevity, and how they are rated. Does anyone know which tube tester will work for CARY tube amps? Do I need to spend a lot of money? How do you read tubes that are marked :(I.e) 95/91 or 46/41

128x128moose89

Not worth getting a tube tester for the purpose you describe unless you have a lot of time, money and patience or are just bored. I have one, but I’m a nerd.

Numbers are specific to each tube tester so to know what they mean you have to know what tube tester it was tested on and look up in the manual what the new and minumum numbers are.

Whoever you bought the tubes from should be able to explain the numbers to you.

Jerry

Numbers are specific to each tube tester so to know what they mean you have to know what tube tester it was tested on and look up in the manual what the new and minumum numbers are.

Exactly. 

Like a broken record, I keep on saying anyone with tube equipment should buy their own tube tester.

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most testers of that era used cheap hardware, thin vinyl, so don't let the beat up look concern you IF the seller says tested, works ....

those numbers you mentioned: "How do you read tubes that are marked :(I.e) 95/91 or 46/41"

are not tube identification numbers, there are markings on the tubes themselves, i.e. 12ax7; 12au7; 6sl7; kt88; el34; ...

pull them out, rotate them in the light until you can see the marking on the side of the glass.

they have key slots, or missing pin holes, so you cannot reinstall them incorrectly, BUT, make sure you know which socket they came from/go back into.

some chassis have the tube type printed next to the sockets, some print V1, V2 ....

then there is a reference page in the manual saying V1 is ... V2 is ...

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Cary ought to be able to help you, and simply search the internet with your model number, a lot of info is out there.