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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
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jjss49
6,612 posts
 
for a truly deep black silent background, tubes just cannot match top notch solid state

ayre gear is what i think of when i think of deep dark black background, from which the music emanates - it is magical, almost eery, hegel comes close to that too with their amps

but you get something from tubes that ss just doesn’t give you -- so like everything else, there is a tradeoff involved...
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gochurchgo OP
923 posts
 
@tvad I’ve looked at the MZ2 but I need 2 sets of outputs. The MZ3 is about triple so it’s not in reach. Plus both have speaker jacks, headphone jacks and junk I dont need Inflating the price.
If I move on from the QS, $2k would be my budget. Which is a bummer. Overall I like the sound, wish I could crank down the gain. As a stop gap I resuscitated the Schiit SYS from my closet and looped it in between the QS and Odyssey. I gave the volume knob a light twist counter clockwise to bring the gain down. And now when we power down the QS we click off the subs and select unused inputs on the SYS, now no sound happens when powering up the QS.
oldhvymec
5,101 posts
 
What do you mean? It quit working, or the noise went away?

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


All these problems with valves... It almost sounds like your system is right in front of the house main. Some crazy field expanding and contracting, "like breathing".. You ever consider that? Am I crazy for thinking that? Does location change the problem with the unit?
Have you yo,yo ed the unit. Pick it up and set it down, while playing. I know you have to be very careful.

BUT at one point I’d just about try anything.. LOL I’ve found some weird stuff, BY doing weird stuff.. Get creative!!!!My good man...:-)

Regards
invalid
1,247 posts
 
I would give andy at vintage tube service a call and see what he recommends. He has tubes rated for phono stages that might work better in a high gain setup.
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