Orange Amplification Introduces New Orange Valve Tester MKII

British guitar amplification brand has unveiled the Orange Valve Tester MKII which supersedes the Orange VT1000, introduces originally as the world's first automatic digital valve tester pioneered, developed and patented by Orange. The new Orange Valve Tester MKII enables a wide range of tests with speed, simplicity and accuracy, setting a new standard in valve/tube-testing technology for roadies, musicians, hi-fi enthusiasts and service professionals alike.

It's time for the Glass Audio/Tube Focus edition of audioXpress. In this issue, Michael Boele shares his long-term review of a pair of 2021 new production Western Electric 300Bs, Merlin Blencowe explains how to add Bluetooth to a Tube Amp, and Alan Kimmel introduces us to the possibilities of the Pentriode. There's also a Market Update report on vinyl sales and the latest trends in turntables and cartridges, as well as a review by Stuart Yaniger of the latest Orchard Audio Starkrimson Stereo Ultra GaN-based amplifier.

The April 2022 issue of audioXpress offers an overview of voice for true wireless stereo earbuds with contributed articles from Knowles and Fluent.ai. Stuart Yaniger reviews the possibilities with GaN amplifiers, and Steve Temme explains the evolution of Rub & Buzz measurements and the latest perceptual algorithms. Ethan Winer designs a sample & hold circuit for a guitar-controlled, all-analog synthesizer project, Richard Honeycutt explores the meaning of “frequency response” as applied to rooms, and Mark Driedger explains why and how to test tubes.

This month, audioXpress features an updated version of the Willow amplifier, especially designed for the DIY community, and a three-way loudspeaker project with an external active crossover network. We visited Eighteen Sound in Italy, discuss experiments with Dolby Atmos, audio networking development based on Audinate’s Dante technology and learn how to measure Reverberation Time (RT). And if you are interested in recreations of the famous Fairchild compressor/limiters, rectifier tubes, and how to properly test tubes, don’t miss this month’s audioXpress.