Orange VT-1000 Valve Tester

Works great! Although somewhat limited in tube compatibility (e.g. no EF-86 option), it puts the tubes through the tests I would expect and gives a reliable (and arguably measurable) result.

I bought the first one of these. I was happy to get it being a service center for Orange. I got it for $350 from them on a special deal. I thought it would be great for customers to use with their old tubes when they just need tubes and not amp repair. I received it on may 27th and proceeded to put it through its paces with every kind of tube that it would test. being a service center for all major amp makes I have lots of bad tubes. funny thing was the VT-1000 tested all my bad tubes (except one) as good! How can this be? impossible. Well not impossible. the unit does what it says it will do but the tests have nothing to do with whether or not your tubes will work in your amp. Save your money and just buy a fresh set. a novelty at best

From an execution standpoint this is a brilliant product. In fact it checks many of the boxes that make a great productUpsides1.) Simple to use. I mean. Stupid simple UI. Brilliant.2.) Takes a lot of guesswork out of the testing and culling process for average tube amp user.3.) So far. It appears pretty "accurate".Things I'd like to see:I say "accurate" because there is one thing that caused me to take away a starThe device leaves us with a "matching number". And so far that appears to be a pretty decent metric for the tube. But... I am an engineer and I'm using the tubes on the bench. There are a couple things that I think Orange could make easily available. One simple, one complex to close the gap.1.)Simple: I think they should write a more detailed document /white paper that gives at least a bit of an idea how the "matching number" is arrived at. They have a document online that actually caused me to purchase the device. But I would like a little more quantitative idea how that number relates to things such as voltage gain (mu), and the parasitics for the tubes, like leakage and such... I don't think we need exact numbers. Just a quantitative notion of how the result is arrived at. Though I do understand that some of this may be considered proprietary. But this is test equipment.2.) Put a USB port on it and provide data output so you could draw curves for the tubes and print data-sheets for the individual tubes. I don't know if the testing process yields something along those lines. But the device does appear to operate the tubes throughout much of their active region of interest. Maybe even just an excel output for the tube. Even better if that tool could produce a nice SPICE model for the measured tube. But I'm not going to dock these folks for things that would be a product enhancement.Downside:None really.You may levy that the VT1000 appears expensive. But It is well built to say the least. A very, very high quality product IMO. I won't admit humility as I am highly recommending a 500.00 item.Overall, this is a must have product if you are even a casual gear collector and have a few tube amps. The price is actually quite reasonable and much less expensive than an antique analog unit from eBay that is known to actually work. The upside on the antique is typically you can get quantified readings that have some known metric or draw out the bias curves. This product does require, as stated above you rely on the "matching number" and pass/fail output with no physical units.I've also been able to use an adapter to test some Russian pre amp triodes that look a lot like a 12AX7A called 6N2P (see photos). Works like a champ! And I'm also able to figure out what tube to put in the phase splitter position in the PA section. Also, I have been able to ferret out lower gain triodes to place in spots where you'd put 12AU7s or the like.I'd buy this item again in a heartbeat and am so happy I finally folded and just paid for it. I"m now using it to design my own amps and repairing amplifiers for friends.

Did not realise that 6922 kind of tubes can't not be tested .... it should state clearly isn't it

The VT-1000 is very easy to use. It is sturdy, well packaged. Different tubes give different values... so it does something... I'm just not sure exactly what. It is not an accurate predictor of how an output tube will behave in an amplifier. Some output tubes that VT-1000 tested "good" have blown an amplifier H.T. fuse. Some output tube pairs that VT-1000 "matched" vary as much as 12mA on measured bias current after installation.

A very usable tool. It improves the tone of my amps by allowing me better match tubes and select best one from my collection

This thing is AWSOME! I can test for balanced sections in pre amp triods I can test for matched pairs or quads with power tubes. I can also just test tubes to see if they are good. I could never part with this thing now, I love it.

The device did the trick on the tubes that could be tested. The problem is that the tester only tests a finite grouping of tubes, which poses a problem it would be great if ORANGE came out with other devices to test a different range of tubes within the audio and amplifier industry.

Verry efficient to balance tubes.

I have a large box of power and preamplifier valves that I needed testing. So just after receiving my orange valve tester , I started testing. This tester is so easy to use, in a while I had matched pairs and balanced valves.Highly recommended if you have a lot of valves to test and match.

Very user friendly. It would be a lot better if it works with more valve types.