If you are not in the tube selling business you will be using your tester for two primary functions.
go/no go testing (is the tube bad)
matching (how does this tube compare with its brothers)
While I own several Hickoks, they are kind of a case of overkill for this type of testing. A less expensive tester will show if you have a dead or seriously dying tube and will also show the relationship between a given tube and another tube used for comparison (matching).
The ultimate "numbers" do not mean much (except to show if a tube is dead) as much as the match between a set of tubes.
This type of testing can easily be done with either the Eico or B&K testers at a reasonable price. >$100.00 USD on Ebay under "tube tester"
go/no go testing (is the tube bad)
matching (how does this tube compare with its brothers)
While I own several Hickoks, they are kind of a case of overkill for this type of testing. A less expensive tester will show if you have a dead or seriously dying tube and will also show the relationship between a given tube and another tube used for comparison (matching).
The ultimate "numbers" do not mean much (except to show if a tube is dead) as much as the match between a set of tubes.
This type of testing can easily be done with either the Eico or B&K testers at a reasonable price. >$100.00 USD on Ebay under "tube tester"