Test To The Limits, Hear Beyond Expectations
Background
Our goal at ValveTubeGuitarAmps has always been to deliver the absolute highest quality valves. Of course, valve manufacturers do their own quality assurance, but they’re focus is on valve production and meeting market demands. And a lot can go wrong during the manufacturing process. And nothing spoils a gig or jam session faster than a failed valve. Valves are old technology and they can hsve vague faults that can ruin their normally fine audio quality.
That’s why we use our own gear and our 40+ years of industry expertise to guarantee the valves . We use the term “Premium Tested” and label the products after they have been tested by us.
Until the end of 2022, we’ve used our trusty AVO testers which have been out pof production for decades. They’re a tried-and-true industry standard. But hey, as much as we love them, they do have their quirks:
- They’re picky about mains voltage fluctuations. Our new location is right at the end of the power feed, so we see much bigger mains voltage variations when compared to our last location, which was almost smack bang next to the sub-station.
- No accurate read out of plate, screen, and bias voltages.
- No simultaneous reading of anode currents for four valves under test
- They’re a bit slow, since they can only test one valve at a time.
- You cannot listen to them. They might measure as good but when you listen they are microphonic or noisy or rattle..
The VTGA -200 Ouput Valve Tester and Audio Monitor
Our latest custom designed output tube tester is now up and running. We worked in partnership with Cliff Brown of 633 Engineering. He has designed various Blackstar amps. He has in depth experience of valve amps. Check out his site. He designs and builds really nice amps which can be customised to your requirements and he exports worldwide. He is a mean guitar player too!
We created this tester to fix what we see as the limitations of current output valve testers.
Traditional Tester Limitations
- Improved matching accuracy. Testers like AVO’s and other modern testers have high voltage power supplies tthat are sensitive mains voltage fluctuations. They change voltage when the mains voltage changes. In the UK I have seen the mains voltage go from 228 to 253 volts over the course of a day. If you measure a valve on Monday at 9.00am you will get a different reading at 5pm!!
- Most testers can only test up to 400 volts B+ and 350 volts on the screen. Many amps run much higher voltages Some EL34’s are run at 585 volts. Even Fender ampd run 6L6’s in the mid 400 volts? Is it not better to test the valves at real amp voltages ?
It took a lot of careful discussion to hone in on the functionality of this output tube tester. This unit is effectivel a 100 watt amp with four EL34 ‘s are on test.
VTGA 200 Key features :
- Tests four output valves at once in a Class A in a circuit that is a true Class A configuration. The tester is effectively an output stage of an amp. No simulation but real amp conditions.
- Tests with up to 600+ volts anode voltage. Examples are, but not limited to Marshall, Blackstar and Fender which use up to almost 600 volts on the power valves!
- Digital Display of plate, screen and bias voltages
- Four valves are tested simulataneously and we can then see the anode current resuts of all four valves at the same time
- Built in 100 watt output transformer . We can listen to them and check for microphonics, rattling or noise.
- Continuously adjustable power supplies for Plate, screen and bias voltages to ensure that the results are repeatable. and for stability during testing.
Treat Yourself to the Best Possible Tone
Quality testing means quality valves and, most importantly, quality tone for your amp. Why waste time and money on dicey equipment when you can rock out with confidence knowing you’ve treated your gear — and your ears — to the best?
So click over to our shop and check out our fantastic valve selection! Expertly tested and quality guaranteed. Let us put our cool new test gear to work for you!
