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"VacuTrace" Vacuum Tube Curve Tracer $1899
The VacuTrace is a world-class tube tester, offering the capability of sweeping characteristic curves in real time. It has the unique feature of being able to sweep two tubes simultaneously for easy and quick visual matching at every possible operating point. It also performs static measurements like transconductance, voltage, and current at various bias settings, with a digital readout. Socket adapter cards accommodate various tube pinouts, with a blank card that can be customized (additional blank cards are $39). Features
Specifications
Downloads
Reviews "The main problem in curve-tracing vacuum tubes is the lack of affordable tracers. The Tektronix 570 curve tracer is very rare, and sells for thousands of dollars, if available at all. Now Hagerman Technology has brought out the VacuTrace, which connects to a conventional oscilloscope. It is fully analog and generates a display nearly identical to that of a Tektronix 570. In addition to the trace capability, there is a 3.5 digit digital meter that displays operating voltages, transconductance (gm), and output conductance (gp), equal to 1/rp). An analog tracer of this type does not have the storage and printout of computer-controlled types, but at its price, it offers a lot of capabilities ... The VacuTrace itself is solidly built with wood side-panels and a rugged powder-coated panel ... The design is conservative - a pair of 6L6 were left tracing at full power all night and the cabinet was only mildly warm the next day ... On the whole, I would recommend the VacuTrace for those who are seriously into testing their tubes, musical instrument, or hi-fi repair shops that need to accurately match tubes, or tube dealers that want to give their tubes a good screening ... Otherwise, it gives excellent value for the money, and allows far more detailed measurements than available with conventional tube testers or tube matchers." - John Atwood "The VacuTrace performs measurements of both static and dynamic vacuum-tube characteristics under simulated operating conditions. A plate-supply amplifier and grid-step generator produce voltages that are applied to the device under test (DUT). The effects of these signals on the DUT produce a family of characteristic curves, which are then displayed on an analog oscilloscope (which must have X-Y and preferably Z-axis inputs) ... The component density is quite high on the PC board. I didn't see any surface-mount parts, but the resistors and caps are about as small as they get in through-lead parts. Three MOSFETs and a linear regulator IC are mounted on PC board heatsinks. This is really a professional circuit board design! ... The 30-page User's Guide is excellent, with a full nine-page set of schematics. The explanations are brief and well-written, and each function is covered in just the right detail. I was able to test all the vacuum tubes I had on hand after only a brief familiarization with the VacuTrace controls ... [The VacuTrace] has the very useful digital readout, lots of internal protection (for the tester - if you intentionally overload your tubes, that is your choice), plate and grid supplies for two tubes, and a Z-axis signal that lets you see the curves for these two tubes simultaneously. If your scope has a Z-axis (intensity) input, a 48kHz chopper modulates the B tube trace so it appears as a dotted line ... The performance of the VacuTrace as a curve tracer will be limited by the analog oscilloscope used for display ... Once set up, it is very easy to test multiple samples of the same tube type ... The VacuTrace is easy to use and a real value! - Charles Hansen Testimonials "I just ran through the hundred 12AX7's in record time since, once your gizmo is set up, it is a very efficient replacement for the old Hickok 539C. Almost nothing to fiddle with. It's certainly a pleasure dealing with you." "I tried the VacuTrace yesterday. A real pleasure, it works great! The second tube I tested was PERFECTLY matched - a 6BX7. The third - another 6BX7 - was pretty far off. I haven't measured THD before/after, but my 6080 push-pull amp with balanced input and differential E88CC driver stage sounded clearly better after using E88CCs and 6080s with closely matched sections. I really like to work with the VacuTrace! I have been using the VacuTrace a lot this weekend - I have lots of 5687 and tons of these Russian 6C45 triodes that I needed to match for my fully differential preamp. The 6C45 were bought in matched pairs (mu and plate current). This made life a little easier - I just took all tubes with the same mu and plate current and checked them in sweep mode at the plate voltage I intend to use them. Amazing how much they differed despite having the same amplification and current values! With the VacuTrace I was able to find some pairs that in A/B mode look like one set of curves. Great! I checked some 30 JAN 5687 and found 5 that had almost 100% identical curves for the two elements." "It's possible that the VacuTrace will seem like a bargain in a few years." "The PC board, in particular, is beautifully done. I fool with a lot of military stuff at work (I'm an instrumentation engineer at a nearby Air Force base where we do a lot of military jet engine testing) and this board looks like the kind of quality I see there, even down to the bracing of the heavy vertical caps with RTV silicone. Also, I wanted to let you know that the digital camera idea for getting the traces from o-scope to computer works quite well. I can go into the graphic programs and add scales, comments, etc. of course. Anyway, thanks for designing a neat little instrument. I've run some EL-34's thru on A-B comparison, and it works quite well." "I found the operation very easy to set up and work without a hitch." "I am very pleased with the obvious quality of the unit, documentation, packaging, etc." "Your VacuTrace is helping us greatly in our job and I am very satisfied." "I've gotta say that your VacuTrace cuts HOURS off selecting tubes and trouble shooting tricky vari-mu foibles. I've cut the distortion by a factor of ten in my phono stage. The 'Trace also makes it easy to check batches of tubes and match newly available devices to tubes that are made out of unobtainium. Thanks for the great product!" "I've gotta say that your VacuTrace cuts HOURS off selecting tubes and trouble shooting tricky vari-mu foibles. I've cut the distortion by a factor of ten in my phono stage. The 'Trace also makes it easy to check batches of tubes and match newly available devices to tubes that are made out of unobtainium. Thanks for the great product!" |
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"Jumper" Adapter Card $249
The Jumper adapter card is an optional accessory to the VacuTrace providing a flexible wiring arrangement for 7, 8, and 9 pin tubes. Features
Specifications
Downloads
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Copyright 2008, Hagerman Audio Labs is a subsidiary of Hagerman Technology LLC. |
