How to Bias a Tube Amp - Easy (but more expensive) Method

WARNING - Stored Electrical Energy inside your amplifier! DO NOT Touch anything that you do not understand and have tested for stored energy. Even with the amp unplugged, it still has energy stored in the capacitors. Most of the bias videos on youtube were done by experienced amp technicians. I found that probing for plate voltage (from the view of a beginner) seemed too specific to the amp model. This method in this video can be applied by a beginner on different amps as long as you can find the bias knob/screw/wheel on your specific amp. Nube tip #1 - Only the power tubes (most amp designs) need biasing,Once per set of power tubes is all that is needed. Preamp tubes like 12AX7 do not get biased. Nube tip #2 - Biasing the power tubes does make a difference in your sound, but it's a subtle difference. I spent about $110 for the selector, probes and new power tubes. Comparatively, I could have spent $50 on a used tube screamer and heard a large difference in sound. Spending the extra money from my perspective was more about learning, safety and a long term outlook that I will buy and sell different amps and would want to change the power tubes occasionally. Nube Tip #3 - You may not need new power tubes. The Chinese EL84s that I replaced sounded fine after biasing them to my preference. That will save you $20. The Bias tools I used are available from asharpfretworks.com CHECK THE # of pins for your amp's power tube because you need to order the correct probe type. Most either have 8 or 9 pins. The EL84 is a 9 pin tube. I bought the multimeter from Amazon.com The replacement tubes came from tubedepot.com For all the math lovers out there, I'm sure you are frowning at my verbal disregard for decimal place. The probes I used convert volt to mv and that moves the decimal place. I probably could have pointed that out better, my apologies if that is confusing to anyone.