Test Equipment Reviews
Click links below to read reviews of each device

The Radio Shack^® component tester (22-330) is very convenient when you have to check transistors, diodes and SCRs. Devices with a TO-3 or TO-247 packaging can be easily tested. Those with smaller packaging are awkward to test due to the large alligator clips. The large clips also make it nearly impossible to do in-circuit testing. To use this instrument, keep the instruction booklet handy. The testing for different devices are not clear just looking at the front panel. The price of the device is very reasonable. Compared to other testers it is of exceptional value.

Return to Top of Page

B & K Precision Component Tester

B & K Precision (520B) is an excellent buy. This device is very user friendly; it makes testing easy for in-circuit or out of circuit testing. Connect your device to the micro-clips, move the panel lever until you get a good/bad indication and you're done. One good feature is the ability to do leakage testing of devices. This unit is expensive, but justified if you want a good tester.

Return to Top of Page

This home-built unit boasts a 1kW consumption capability. I used two 16 ohms, 500 watts low inductance potentiometer to provide for stereo operation. There are multiple connectors on the front panel to make voltmeter terminations. The unit has the ability to vary the load from 16 ohms to 2 ohms by just turning the big knobs on the panel. The face-plate is calibrated to the load requirements. Very user-friendly.

Return to Top of Page

Variac - Home Built

This is probably one of the most practical instruments I have put together. It has assisted me in almost all of the repair jobs I have done. Do you remember the feeling you had when you replaced all of your defective transistors then you reached for the power switch with a lot of deliberation? This box, I am glad to say, eliminates all that apprehension. I gently ramp up my voltage while watching the big gauges (voltage & current) to see what is going on. Loads up to 1 kvA can be handled and the supply can go from 0 to 140 VAC. I built this for versatility and the off-the-shelf 

one could not oblige. It sports a black face panel, a silver body and a chrome plated handle.

Return to Top of Page

These Power Supplies were purchase used from auctions. They are laboratory grade with very clean output (few millivolts). They have gauges for both voltage and current. They go up to 1000 Vdc at 500 mA. I have used these for all my tube-amp designs. All DIYers should have some sort of power supply on their bench.

Return to Top of Page

This gadget is one that was put together when I started designing power supplies. I needed to document the performance of regulated supplies under various load conditions. It has two adjustments (coarse/fine) with a 0-200mA meter. Using this is device very straight forward. Very inexpensive, effective and simple to build.

Return to Top of Page

Fluke 8060A Digital Multimeter

After browsing the line-up of the FLUKE meters, I came across the 8060a. This instrument is perfect for making audio measurements. Applications include making direct gain measurement in dB for amplifier stages. It measures the 3dB roll-off points indicating the frequency and voltage at these points. Very high accuracy (0.05% basic). One caution with these meter; do not measure voltage when you are set-up to measure current. Check where your leads are plugged into before use. No real damage occurs, but it is very awkward to replace internal fuses.

Return to Top of Page

This meter though not as sophisticated as the 8060a above, is very good for making audio voltage measurements. It has a built in capacitance meter, frequency meter and high contrast display. Very rugged and sturdy. Highly Accurate. This meter beeps if your leads are plugged into the current measuring jack and you are switched to the voltage mode. That is a big plus.

Return to Top of Page

HP8903B Distortion Analyzer

This is the Mercedes of distortion analyzers. It is not very easy to use, but boasts very high accuracy (.002%) for THD measurement. If you are into high-end designs I would strongly recommend this unit in you arsenal. This model includes a very clean signal source, will allows you to do S/N ratios, THD, THD+N and much more. I will not mention the price of the box, you can see it on the HP Agilent web-site. If you want the ability to produce great sounding A-class designs you cannot do without this.

Return to Top of Page

This meter from B & K is the probably the best in its class. Highly accurate capacitance and inductance measurements. I use this to check the inductance all my power supply chokes and output transformers. It also gives a Q-factor reading, which comes in very handy when you are designing tuned circuits. Highly recommended.

Return to Top of Page

Digital Power Meter

I ran across this little box while reading "Electronics Now". I needed a way to accurately measure the power consumption of my prototype amplifiers with zero signal and at full power. This meter came in handy especially when documenting my OTL amplifier designs. It carries a zero adjustment for calibration and a LCD display. It measures up to 2000 watts (true power) at 1% accuracy. Highly recommended. The US supplier is: Brunelle Instruments Co. 1-800-567-3506.

Return to Top of Page

This gizmo is my interface between computers and tube-audio. Priced economically and very user-friendly. It attaches to the printer port in you PC. I got it on a 1 month trial before I decided to make a purchase. The 16 bit processing power of this unit allows you to make all the measurements you need for basic audio work. THD, THD+N, AC/DC voltage, frequency and Spectrum analysis !. If you can use a computer, you can use this, the software is easy to use. One caution, do not exceed the maximum input voltage limit.

Return to Top of Page

In-Circuit Capacitor ESR Checker

This checker occupies a unique niche. If you are serious about the quality of your coupling and bypass capaciors, here is the ticket for avoiding guess work. It will show up problems that your other instrumens will not find, and gives you a "cap good" beep. Easy to read analog gauge. Visit Howard Electronic Instruments, Inc.