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
gochurchgo OP
923 posts
 
@oldhvymec the Schiit silenced the BOOM when the preamp comes off mute on startup. Also reduced gain.

as for breathing fields, I live in the center of the 5th largest city in the country. So no...
gochurchgo OP
923 posts
 
Personally speaking, even after visiting a high end dealer listening to $50k  to $100k speakers (Wilson) run by ARC or Naim gear, I think my system sounds better than it has any right to considering it’s all mid-fi stuff.



gochurchgo OP
923 posts
 
@invalid I wish Mike from Quicksilver would have replied to me. I’d be really curious to know if I could swap in 12AU7 or AY7 to lower the gain. I’d have some in the mail already.

oh well.
rodman99999
6,188 posts
 
You won’t hurt the preamp, by trying a 9 pin, 12 Volt, with lower gain.     ie:https://amptubes.com.au/my-amp-uses#:~:text=You%20can%20interchange%20a%2012AX7,gain%20and%20others%....         You're still going to want the lowest noise tubes possible, obviously.          The major misalignment, in my opinion, seems your power amp/speaker combo.
noromance's avatar
noromance
9,943 posts
 
It’s a preamp. No power tubes. Just swap in the other 12A*7 tubes. Nothing’s going to blow up as they all have the same pin configuration and heater current.

Edit: @rodman -snap!
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