Even something lacking GAS can be bad enough

[suphuckers]

yeh, I'm curious about the new products too, but (and I did do some of this but shouldn't have) I don't like talking about what's coming. Not a single one of us really has a clue. Everyone is talking about "will it be compatible with this or that". Who's gonna make what module etc. It's all kind of pointless to discuss really. When it comes out we'll know. Until then... There could be anything coming (or nothing).

 

[JKD]

The truth JKD is I don't know any other way to communicate with someone like Jace. I've tried to have reasonable conversations with him, but it's kind of like talking to my kids (before they were adults). So I just respond the only way that seems fitting.... like we're all 12. That seems to be the level a conversation with him ends up anyways. May as well just go right there in the 1st comment That way I save myself a lot of frustration.

I try to have one rule in Internet World (which is a strange place often) but it's pretty much same as in the real world. If I don't have something useful to add, I say nothing. This is just an extension of quite a famous quote:

"Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt."

 

[suphuckers]

Well that's a good rule (for sure) that I haven't quite mastered, but I don't regret anything I've said to Jace (Or to Rob or etc)

I started this out thinking this might be a good opportunity to discuss some tubes, and tube testers, and tones and etc.. and as you said in your internet rule I DID think I had something useful to add heh. ...but, It turned into wasting a lot of time (and.. Rob and I have worked all this out between ourselves, and I think he and I are in agreement, and on decent terms with each other at this point) but.. it turned into a lot of wasted time going over what I basically intended as a minor foot note to the conversation.

...and then we have to hear from Jace LoL

...but its all good.

 

[Jaded Faith]

Per my PM, you answer via ohms law is between 0.13-0.17A depending on the transformer variance and line voltage from your wall. Hope that helps.

 

[suphuckers]

yup Thanks Rob!

 

[JKD]

Let's throw this out there then suphuckers....

Anyone got a recommendation on a tube tester? Not looking to spend a fortune but willing to buy new or used....I have a reasonable understanding of electronics so doesn't have to be idiot proof.

Mainly looking to run through a stack of 100s of 12ax7 and similar tubes that I've accumulated through maybe 10 years of amp addiction now....but also some big bottle power tubes...

 

[suphuckers]

Well like I said earlier in the thread JKD. If you find yourself an EICO 666/667 in good working order, they can be very useful in helping to sort out tubes. The one I have was owned by an old tech type guy. I think he must have passed away and I got it from his Grand Daughter. It's a pretty awesome tester. He took awesome care of it, and it works perfectly. I paid like $100 for it. I got one for a friend of mine, but that one ended up needing a bit of work to get it working properly, and it's not as accurate as the one I have. (Even after I repaired and calibrated it) Hickok testers are of course good, but you gotta spend at least $300 for something decent. ...and there are others, but for $100 an EICO is hard to beat. Just don't buy the 1st one you see.


...and I was on my way out the door before when I saw your msg Rob, and I just sent a quick response. That info is great and I appreciate it. Unfortunately, I don't have those tubes anymore, so I cant do any further testing. If it comes up again I'll have a better idea what to look at though. Thanks!

 

[suphuckers]

...but some more on the testers. I mean the EICO's don't test for gm, but I have found that in general the condition of a tube is rated very similarly on both the EICO and the Hickok. Using a Hickok (or some other gm tester) just gives you the ability to write down that gm number that everyone thinks is so important. ...but really that's just a number. What I think is the most important thing is comparing one tube to another. Once you know what you're looking for it's easy to pick out the good from the bad. The EICO allows you to run lots of useful tests. Like the leakage test that I was talking about earlier. That's very useful, especially for older tubes. Another useful test is to click the filament voltage back a tic and watch the response of the tube. Some will drop off fast and some will drop off very slowly. ...and there are other things you can do. A lot of Hickoks have a gas test and etc but you can learn to watch the meter on the EICO and run tests that can help you determine those kinds of things (even though they aren't "official" tests of the machine). It has a lot of knobs and buttons. You just need to learn what they do and how to use them. ...and hey I'm not knocking those $1000 testers. I'm sure they do a great job especially when testing new tubes. ...but I think for $100 a 666/667 is hard to beat. (...but again you need to get a good one)

 

[suphuckers]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/EICO-Model-...153?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27f890e9d1

Like this one. Of course there no guarantee's, but it seems decent enough. If it works as listed it's probably fine. ...and there's always the chance with old equipment (depending on the size of your tube box) that you could burn something out (like a selenium rectifier, which might stink a bit LoL), but the two I have experience with have been working great. The calibration process is pretty easy, and it's in the manual. I was going to replace the selenium in mine but I chose to tough it out. I like OE parts whenever possible. Unless they completely fail that is. I had to replace some stuff in the one I got for my friend. His meter wasnt as accurate as mine (which I couldn't fix without replacing the meter) and I had to replace some resistors and the calibration pots and etc in his

Someone else may disagree or have a different suggestion (and that's cool) if you guys do please speak up.

 

[suphuckers]

The one really bad thing about EICO's is the tube manual's have a lot of error's. You have to take a minute and make sure you are using the correct settings for the tube you're testing. The info is available though. I used the RCA tube manual to verify all of my settings, but I didn't find any (in the updated test data available on the web) that were really that far off. Im only testing a couple of dif tube types though. I did come across one guy on ebay that was using a 667 and he had some bad test settings he was using that I'm not sure where he got... so, it's something to keep in mind.

 

[suphuckers]

A Hickok 600a is a decent tester (I have one of those too, and you could maybe get one for $300+), and a 752 can do both sides of the 12AX7 at the same time (Which is useful) and of course then there's the 539a/b/c which are out of this world expensive. Then you're getting into the Orange and Maxi tester price range anyways. I mean if I was going to buy a 539C I'd probably just buy a Maxi Matcher instead. Stay away from the Cardmatic testers (just my opinion) and stay away from Simpson. There are a few Canadian Testers that are actually Hickok testers in disguise. ..but again you're getting into a lot of money and or hard to find... and that always brings me back to the EICO Aight, I think I made that point. heh

Edit: ...and personally I like my EICO better then a Hickok. People are all hung up on that stupid gm number. I mean sure I guess it's important, but I want to know a lot more about a tube than just that number.

 

[suphuckers]

This is a pretty good read right here JKD, if you haven't stumbled on this yet.

http://tone-lizard.com/Tube_Testers.html

 

[JKD]

Useful info, thanks man.

 

[audiomidijace]

So when you ignore Suphuckers apparently it just makes him lash out.
Here's a PM he felt the need to send me:


So that really didn't work out the way you planned did it? You really should just chill out Jace.

You pissed me off that one day, but I don't hold grudges. You shouldn't either. Nobody should. It's just the internet for Pete's sake. Geez.

I kinda thought when I asked you for that impulse, it would be a chance to put all that BS behind us. ...and btw, I just wanted to try the EV impulse to see if I liked it before I buy the pack. ...and it was more me putting my hand out to you, to get past the BS of the past. I wasn't trying to get out of the $20. I mean... It's just $20. Apparently you just want to stay mad. That's your choice I guess.

Anyways, I'm not the one that struts around like he knows everything. There's a few other guys Wink that do that. I'm just offering my experiences and opinions. I spend a lot of time and put A LOT of thought into developing those opinions. I don't just believe the 1st thing that I see/read/hear. So I think my opinions are generally well developed, and I can usually back them up with some data. It makes me very committed to those opinions. Usually if I open my mouth, I'm prepared to back up what I say. Otherwise I wouldn't say it. I personally don't think many people put that much effort into what they believe. That's also why I'm not intimidated by anyone. If I make a comment on a post, I only do it to share information (While I'm here trying to gather other information). If you (or anyone) would look for what positive contribution I could be trying to make. You'd get me better. Personally it makes no difference to me who's rig sounds like s*&t or what junk people buy or use. Why in the world would I care?

That being said... We might disagree. That doesn't mean I'm mad at you. Why anyone wants to get all personal I have no idea. (which is what you did, and why you pissed me off that day) "Suphuckers bad ass clips". I'm not afraid of or intimidated by any of that Jace. It's childish though. ...and that's why I said it's like talking to a 12yr old.

It's like that comment above... "I'm an untalented hack" and blah blah. That's Jr High buddy. I mean, how would you like it if I posted what a "childish fat untalented f&*king jerk you are"?

It's just stupid.

Anyways, Have a Great Day! You Fat f*&^in Jerk!

..and get over this s*&t, and yourself. Wink It's stupid to keep this nonsense going

 

[suphuckers]

Jace you're an idiot.

 

[suphuckers]

That was me trying to find a way to get along with you. Why/How and on What planet was that me "lashing out"?

Check your Med's bud.

 

[suphuckers]

I tried to stop the feud between us the day it started Jace, but you refused to let it go. I've tried two or three times now to reach out to you to resolve it. You continue to perpetuate this nonsense. So.... you're obviously just angry, and I'm over trying. It's pretty pathetic that you're this screwed up.

 

[suphuckers]

...and why did you leave off the part where I quoted you calling me names like a 9th grader?

 

[audiomidijace]

Has anyone else ever had a stalker on the MTS forum?

 

[suphuckers]

At this point you just make me bust out laughing Jace.