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
phantom_av's avatar
phantom_av
326 posts
 
I just ordered some Tubes from Viva directly from Ebay, I did request the tubes to be tested for noise, they did not respond and shipped it out after 2 weeks its arrived at a warehouse i use for shipping to Asia. Lets see what the outcomes out as I have an Atma-Sphere Pre-amps both MP3 and MP1 and they are sensitive to crap tubes.
bluorion
469 posts
 
I haven't had good experiences with tubes---I guess I'm the oddball. I had the same thing---hiss, noise, dinging sounds. I went back to SS and I'm staying. I prefer a completely black background.
gochurchgo OP
920 posts
 
@bluorion I think I lucked out off the bat with zero noise tubes running in my crazy high gain system. Clearly an aberration.

im debating throwing down on AVA’s Vision SLR (solid state) preamp and seeing what the difference is. 
Upscale sent a follow up email and said my system as it sat (no attenuators) would have some noise.  That I didn’t have any off the bat was luck. Which is the conclusion I had already come to. I still may go with a 6db pair and see how much noise comes though. The 13db pair in now makes the system dead quiet.

im curious to know, just for my knowledge, if an 18db gain preamp with a 12db attenuators makes it a 6db gain preamp or if it’s non linear or there’s other electrical things at play.
one_point_twenty_one_gigawatts's avatar
one_point_twenty_one_gigawatts
14 posts
 
I can't believe no one has chided you yet for turning on all all your gear while the power amp is still on! I have the Khartago running with a tube preamp and yes I keep it on 24/7 like Klaus recommends  however you definitely should switch it off to boot up the rest of your system and then switch it on again quick. Don't turn it on until at least 15-20 seconds after turning on preamp. 
From what I've read and been told you absolutely do not want that horrible distortion pop running through your system upon boot up. I dont think its causing your issues but its certainly horrible for your system. 
The rule is always amp on last , amp off first. 
dave_b's avatar
dave_b
3,159 posts
 
Upscale Audio...for the best tubes!
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