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
 
@aj523 the newest pair I got the noise was so bad the neighbors can hear it. Its not subtle. I thought speakers were going to blow. Volume position makes no difference.
I sent the bad tube to Brent Jessee, along with a return paid label to ship back on my dime. In the meantime I swallowed it and ordered a set of "Kevin’s stash" Mullard 6201. More than I wanted to spen but f*ck it. We will see what we will see (or hear) I guess.
yogiboy's avatar
yogiboy
5,738 posts
 
@gochurchgo
 Why did you get a 6201 tube if you need less gain than a 12at7? Just curious!
ebm
9,311 posts
 
Jump on SS ASAP!!
decooney
2,141 posts
 
Sure seems like there is something else going on here.  

Several colleagues with your same preamp with few issues like this. 

Sourced several tested and matched pairs 12AU7 and 12AT7 tubes from many of the same providers you have with minimal issues. 

A good tech?
Might be worth taking the amplifier and preamp to a good tech, checking with clean power and to confirm if any damaged occurred to the amp or preamp during all of these tests. Or, to at least find the real root cause.  Could save you a lot of time and $ too. Best of Luck. 


gochurchgo OP
923 posts
 
@yogiboy  Upscale suggested it. It’ll be high gain obviously but I’ll give it a shot. I’ll also look into AY and AU as well. Spent more than I planned but it’ll be a test to see how good the betting is I suppose.

@decooney  with my mostly quiet but slightly microphonic Phillips tubes in its mostly back to business. 
More to discover