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My really dumb tube mistake(s)

8 years ago, I bought a sweet sounding Line Magnetic amp for my office system which a few years ago died and had to go to the repair shop. $500 later it was back working, but then recently I noticed the sound was getting thin, I couldn’t bias the tubes and thought something else was wrong with it, arghh.

Then I noticed one newer tube was able to be biased and decided to replace all 4 KT-88 power tubes.
Presto, the amp sounded great again!

Like the boiled frog, the sound degradation had been so gradual my brain had gradually adjusted. But the new tubes brought it back to life.

So, then I thought, wow, maybe I should try the same thing in my primary system with my Primaluna monoblocks, switch out the Primaluna tubes for some new Gold Lions. Again - wow! What a difference. Like I bought new amps, much richer and fuller sounding.

Tubes wear out, even if they don’t blow out.
Yes, duh, it’s a good idea to replace them every 4 years or so and not wait eight.
cdc2
oldhvymec
5,101 posts
 
You know douglas, one thing that I found out. If a valve can make it the first 72 hours, they will usually last until they just run out of gas, (99.9% of the time). That last 10-15% can get a little wiggy, though. :-)

Sounding GREAT out of the box is always nice.. The OLD RCAs and Tellies always did it for me.. VERY consistent from day one.. PSVANE and a few of the Boutique valves can take 100+ hours to sound right..

Regards
jond's avatar
jond
6,056 posts
 
OP just googled those Davone Mojo's cool looking speakers I dig the MCM vibe! As far as tube wear goes I tend to have power tubes go bad before they sound degraded as I listen a ton. Pre-pandemic 8 hours a day and during more like 12+ so I work tubes hard.

But tube rolling to enhance quality is, almost, always a good thing. I am a big fan of those Gold Lions I use the KT77s in my custom stereo amp.
testpilot
991 posts
 
Tubes are like soldiers, they never die, they just fade away.  
baylinor's avatar
baylinor
1,581 posts
 
That's why I go solid state all the way, no need for the extra tube worries about quality and life degradation.  There are enough things for me to worry about in my vinyl system. Just me.
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