New Orange DIVO VT1000 valve tester

[BassTractor]

Apparently, if my searches were performed correctly that is, no-one has mentioned the new Orange valve tester yet.
DIVO VT1000 is its name. It should hit the shops next month, and retail at £349.

Here's Orange's own vid about it:
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vpnuiZoJtE[/media]


best,
bert

[Mr. Foxen]

Ha, that Mullard doesn't look like any I've ever seen. Plus, ECC83 has a gain factor of 100, so 7, 8 or 9 means they've got their own made up scale. The stuff about having to replace an entire set if you break 1 valve is wrong, only applies if you are cheaps out by only having one bias adjuster (or none). In fact, this guy has literally no idea what he is talking about.

This valve tester is more expensive than an old one that does a full range of valves, and tests bunches more stuff. Here is my stylin one:


I have a couple of new ones that test more stuff now too.

This video is a bit more informative:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4tuYt1VeMU

Still fair bit of wrong there, especially about touching the valves, the main thing you don't want to do is rub the writing off. Its missing microphonics test and intermittent faults (those involve giving it a knock, which is incorporated into the instructions on my testers)

Edited March 5, 2013 by Mr. Foxen

[BassTractor]

Thanks, Mr. Foxen. That seemed quite revealing.


best,
bert

[bartelby]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1362449651' post='2000013']
<snip>
[/quote]

So erm, you rate the Orange tester then?

[Mr. Foxen]

Problem might be mostly in the reviewers not actually knowing anything about what they are talking about. Probably trying to appeal to the equally clueless. When you consider buying something marketed to the ignorant...

[franzbassist]

How much?!

[BassTractor]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1362506670' post='2000400']
When you consider buying something marketed to the ignorant...
[/quote]

Good point, and I would certainly be in the market segment for the Orange one. Yours just scares me. Basically, guys like me just want one button, and a display that will only say either "Nah" or "Blimey! You're a smart guy for buying that valve, mate!"

There's a serious point there: sometimes it really is better to pay overprice for a product you actually can relate to, and I personally do it more and more often. I look at this as newfound wisdom, whereas some around me keep asking why the Hull I bought that lousy, simplistic microwave oven.


best,
bert

Edited March 6, 2013 by BassTractor

[Mr. Foxen]

Thing is, if matching four numbers on a chart with some dials is scary, messing with glass things connected to a few hundred volts should be terrifying. Plus there'll be a whole bunch of good valves binned when the microprocessor misidentifies one and the user isn't sharp enough to spot the anomalous readings, or just because there is dirt in the socket. Actually, its pretty standard for Orange amps to use only one half of one of the pre valves, so you can cheerfully use one that has failed on one side.

[JapanAxe]

I'm up for one when they come into stock. Although not ignorant of electronics, I don't possess the in-depth knowledge of valves needed to fly anything more demanding than Orange's offering. Plus I have lots of valves, both in and out of amps, that require a quick assessment.

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1363293040' post='2011257']
I'm up for one when they come into stock. Although not ignorant of electronics, I don't possess the in-depth knowledge of valves needed to fly anything more demanding than Orange's offering. Plus I have lots of valves, both in and out of amps, that require a quick assessment.
[/quote]

Old valve testers doesn't needed electronics knowledge to work, you just match the letters and numbers to the chart and follow the instructions. Its kind of like programming your telly with the remote with lots of buttons, vs using the few buttons on the front.