AMPLITREX AT1000 TUBE TESTER
Just received the first of two, today, excellent packed, fast shipment service.
Having the AMPLITREX AT1000 is having good technology in house, and technologic advantage is what makes our company attractive for customers. So we always use best instruments we can buy. If not, we 100% restore an old one. (see Restoration report about Funke W19 we use, and two "Kalibr L3-3" under tube testers)
This is going to be a small test report about the Amplitrex 1000. Just simple, and the way I see it.
The Amplitrex 1000 has been introduced in 2004, and I waited a while buying it, just to make sure I didn't buy early versions of it. I have been looking for a Sofia tester, but the Sofia runs under DOS, and from what I hear from others, the Sofia is getting more difficult to use with each new version of Windows, and software support has been stopped in 1995 or so. Well, we can now use the Amplitrex. It's software is also dependent of the Windows operating system, and difficulties could arize when Microsoft's obsoletes DOS. My expectation is, eventually you'll have to keep an older PC or notebook together with it. I also expect Amplitrex wil manage to get the software compatible with a few newer Versions of windows, but not for ever, and I don't know what will be in the year 2020 for my 2009 testers.
The Amplitrex can do stand alone tests, or work with a computer connected to it. These two modes are completely different. The stand alone part, is amazingly good. Out of the box and it works. I never have seen a complex part of equipment work so easy, and so self deplaining. So that is for this stand alone part, I write this. NOT so for the computer controlled mode.
First impression. I unpacked the unit, plugged in the mains cable and switched it on. Then what happened, is what we all secretly hope for with every piece of new equipment. Be it your new digital camera or your new car. I needed no manual and I could understand it by doing, first thing. I switched on the Amplitrex, and the large display lights up and comes up with a digital "roll chart". Well I have seen that before with the Hickoks. So I scroll it down and here comes soem tubes I know. I stopped at 6SN7, because I had one on my desk. I selected it, and the tester said: "put the tube in Socket E, and press "Enter". I did so, and the automatic test began before I knew it. I realised I should have read the handbook, but nothing went wrong, and after some informations came by on the display, the tester stopped with a list of digital test results. So plate current, Transconductance, leakage, everything. I was so surpized having this result out of the box. Unbelievable! I took out the tube and compared the result with one of my L3-3 that are reference testers. All readings are identical. :))
Materials. The "feeling" of the tester is perfect. It is much better than it looks on the picture. Also the case is very good quality and the deck plate is thick and heavy material. Really nice work, all materials are high quality. When I see how some of the Hickoks look after so called "experts" have worked with them, this very rugged case for the Amplitrex is a very good idea!
Tube sockets. The 9pin socket is a bit too tight. For the rest, tube sockets are all very nice and easy to use. The (dangerous) metal rivets of the Chinese UX4 sockets have been carefully insulated. Good job. There are not so many different tube sockets in the tester's deck, but fair enough, I knew that before buying, so that's really no complaint at all.
Noise. Sorry, but the cooler fan is really much too loud. I will replace it by a silent PC type.
Calibration: They do have calibration points inside, but there are several ways to check the voltages from the outside, so we can regularly verify that. Also since we use two Amplitrex we can compare one with the other.
Conclusion for Stand alone mode: When you are not so technical, and just need some quick good/bad results, the stand alone mode is what you need, and don't even think about computer control. However this tester does not tell you when a tube is good or bad. This can be real problem for non-experts, and you MAY want to prefer a good old Hickok with a red-green scale. So with a Hickok the red-green scale is really realiable, I can tell you so. The Amplitrex says something about Emission in percent, and Gm in percent, however it is not testing Emission at all, but plate current and just calls that emission. Furthermore 20% below average Gm is not so bad as long as the tube heats up fast, and plate current is strong. Vice versa for low plate current. It is no problem when Gm is above average and heat up is fast. Some factory-new tubes can be that way. With some understanding if tubes, the stand alone mode is a very good one. Automatic leakage test and grid current tests are reliable, and switch off the tester in case you're trying to test a tube that is a problem perhaps for the tester itself. In the end you have similar results as with the L3-3, but without all the buttons and knobs and cards and knowledge you need for the L3-3. Here is the advantage of the Amplitrex. It fills a huge gap on the tube tester market.
Conclusion for Computer control mode: This i s actually why I bought it. However this function is difficult to use, this part of the software is not very self explaining and communication via RS232 port is difficult. From working with other test programs that work with RS232 instruments, I can say this isn't any better. It works good on my Windows XP, but seems like DOS related software. A problem for non-USA users is, that you MUST set your PC to USA Region, or the software will make errors and/or crash. It means you need a dedicated PC for this and set it to USA Region. You can't use Excel and some other programs when you set the PC to the "wrong" region. So I need a dedicated PC. Well I had this in mind anyway, since I will have two Amplitrex in the test room, and they get one PC. So I can document one tube, while the other is heating up. Like that I can test faster, and I also have a spare Amplitrex, in case one needs service or repair. I just want to point out here, the computer control mode will give you some head ache before it all works.
FINAL CONCLUSION: Let me say it like this, when I received my Amplitrex, I decided to order a second one. I think that tells it all.