2. amps-preamps
  3. 161387-96791

Constant noisy tubes maybe go solid state?

I have a Quicksilver Line Stage Preamp (12AT7) mated to an Odyssey Khartago Stereo. Overall I like it. Way too much gain but I digress. Weeks after receiving it I rolled in a few different tubes, kinda fun to color the sound signature. I liked rhe RXA black plates I got and those stuck around for more than a year. They started going microphonic and making noises so I ordered another pair (noisy) then another different vendor (blasts of white noise) and another set that arrived today (one is noisy as holy hell and one seems fine).

So where does one order preamp quality tunes that are quiet? Is there something I’m not requesting when ordering? Maybe dump
snd go solid state? I’m trying to be humorous because I’m pissed. Ha.
gochurchgo
Post removed 
gochurchgo OP
934 posts
 
@jperry  Brent Jesse, VivaTubes and Tubemonger. The first tubes I rolled in were front Brent Jesse, the now dead set of RCA’s and a set of Phillips 7062 which is all I have that don’t make me want to commit murder. 
Viva took their tubes back and tubemonger blamed it on me so they can sit and spin.

brent is helping me now but this is so maddening. I get like 3 hours on Saturday to relax and spin a few records and this is where I’m at.
jjss49's avatar
jjss49
6,612 posts
 
@tvad

That said, I have tried most of the available new production tubes from JJ, Shuguang, etc, as well as dozens and dozens of premium vintage NOS tubes.

Without question, JJ have been the poorest sounding tubes in all my components. There isn’t a close second. Shuguang have been the best sounding new production tubes.

For vintage tubes, my best resources have been Andy at Vintage Tube Services, Upscale Audio, and Brent Jesse. I am interested to try tubes from RAM Labs http://www.tubeaudiostore.com

i agree with the above 100% -- jj's are just downright poor in sound

i believe the op has either:

a) a sensitivity mismatch between the QS pre and Odyssey amp (as I said earlier, the Odyssey’s are very sensitive, too sensitive)

b) a malfunctioning QS pre

c) noisier than normal tubes

this also reminds use why there is a longstanding market for really good solid state preamps like ayre, pass etc etc

hilde45's avatar
hilde45
5,450 posts
 
+1 about JJ tubes. Swapped them out of both pre and amp and everything was smoother. The JJ tubes which came with the pre were surprisingly cheap. They should be swapped out right away. That said, I think that JJSS49's list of problems besides the tubes is more on-point.

yogiboy's avatar
yogiboy
5,908 posts
 
@gochurchgo
 The tubes that I have been using are grey plate solid O getters!
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