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Still Freaking Out Over Tube Noise

Welcome to my third installment of this nightmare. I am using my second pair of RT 12AU7's that are making more noise than music and I am about to lose it. This cannot be a common characteristic of tube equipment!!!!!! Why are these tubes so noisy in my preamp (CJ PV10A)???? (The RCA red labels that came with it weren't noisy at all, but they are used up.) The dealer I bought them from is a state away (tube availability is dour in Atlanta) and it is a pain to ship these things back and forth. Would switching to Mallards be a good idea? Some other brand? Try another pair of RT's? Poke my ear drums out??? How can I get my sanity back???

Thanks!!!

Brad Day
bday0000
justlisten's avatar
justlisten
489 posts
 
upscaleaudio, Vintage tube services, and Tube World are all places where the tubes are tested extensively.
twl
3,251 posts
 
Sorry, if I am in a little late on this thread, but what kind of "noise" are you hearing? Is it microphonics? Or is it just bad tubes? Have you ruled out any other possible causes? There are many different "noises", and it would help with diagnosis if we knew what you're hearing, and if it is all the time, or when you just turn it on, or only when you play it loud, or does it ever go away, or what?
fatparrot
1,314 posts
 
I agree, use a known service! Of the "big three" mentioned" here, Andy at Vintage Tube Services (www.vintagetubeservices.com) knows tubes, has testing procedures and equipment that the others DON'T, so that when you buy a Mullard, you get a MULLARD and not a rebranded Brimar (I won't mention names!) Andy is definitely "the man"!
twl
3,251 posts
 
How do you guys get in touch with Andy? I have called his number about 30 times at different times and on different days over a 2 week period, and he never answered the phone. I finally got my tubes somewhere else.
upscaleaudio's avatar
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upscaleaudio
258 posts
 
Who sells Brimars as Mullards? Name names! I don't know why they would. The price on them is about the same. The Mullards factory codes are etched in every tube, and the internal structure looks nothing like a Brimar. Who is doing this?

It makes no sense. Funny how stuff happens. Just like the rumor that someone is counterfeiting Telefunken including the diamond in the glass. They would have no idea about the manufacturing business.
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