Tube and Tube Socket Cleaning

sounds to me like the tube is bad, not the socket. It follows from side to side when moving that tube? Send it back.

-Ed

what kind of noise is that? microphonic? ac? hissing?
i just realy wonder how the other socket isn't noisy being basically as "dirty".

the cleaning doesn't help everytime as in this funny story:

a blondie is trying to start up her malfunctioned mercedes without any success. another blondie in jaguar drives by stops and trying to help:
--did you wipe your dashboard?
--yes
--did you wipe your head and tail lights?
--yes i did!
--did you clean your rims?
--certainly!
--and still you can't start it?
--no
--sorry, can't help you than!

as to cleaning tube prongs and sockets it's considered to be a basic hyegine that you should excersise once in approximately every 300 hours. i use kontak with supplied wire-shaped brushes that can penatrate even sockets for small signal tubes all arround the sockets and prongs. if the oxiding is visible it's probably fine to use the fingernale file while i use de-oxiding spray and still try to remove it the "gentle way".

Rt 12AU7 are a noisy tube.Most of whats around and comming out of the left Coast is pretty noisy period

I use two methods. For tube pin cleaning, a common pencil erasor works well. Also, one of those fiberglass cleaning tools available from Radio Shack will take the crud off the tube pins. The tool is also small enough to fit inside the tube pin sockets as well. Just rotate the thing a few times and the flexible bristles will clean the pins and sockets to bright metal without removing any material from either. I chuck the pen shaped tool inside my rechargeable drill for stubborn cleaning jobs. Follow-up with deox-it or similar for a years worth of scratch-free listening.

I use Kontak (or electrician's alcohol on non-plated items) along with a pipe cleaner (for sockets) and a toothbrush for pins. On extremely tarnished pins I use the very smooth purple sandpaper which is cloth backed (can't ever remember the name of it). A "file" is too rough, IMO. Pro Gold and other cleaners have been "said" to leave a residue which later gunk's up due to the heat generated by tubes. The two cleaners that I use do not have this problem. Electrician's alcohol is "said" not to be good for plating (gold and otherwise) as it is too strong and in this case the Kontak seems to be fine. The main thing is to be gentle with the metal surfaces. If the tube is still noisy following a good sprucing up, then it is a noisy tube (this happens). I live on the "left" coast and have some mighty fine (and silent) 12au7's (by the way:-).