Best Way To Maximize Preamp Tube Life?

@spatialking, +2

Pulling tubes and running a circuit without all them in there is absolutely the WRONG thing to do unless you know exactly how the circuit is designed. You can destroy a filament supply (or a tube in it), or overwork a B+ (high voltage) supply if the circuit is designed to have all the tubes in it. I have rebuilt well over 500 pieces of vintage tube gear.

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That's why you preface it with Mcintosh, What's WRONG is telling people it's WRONG..  I've yet to work on any Mac valve amp that you couldn't plug and test voltages without valves, add the valves in the circuits and keep on testing.. NO LOAD either, I've NEVER had a problem..

I guess I'm lucky, or maybe ol Mike Samra was right.. I don't know a better tech on Vintage gear anywhere, and MAYBE one Mac tech but he retired. He was a great repairman BUT he wouldn't rebuild Mac gear only repair..

I'm sure Terry Dewick was wrong, TOO.

BOTH guy helped me a few times

BOTH recommended pulling valves.. I wonder who's right?
Hmmm?

OR continue to BURN up perfectly good valve for NO GOOD reason, other than the warm glow at night.

You only get a given number of power ups and a given number of hours. It's all down hill from the first day you flip the switch.. Like I said I have close to NEW Telefunken valve pulls from MM and MC phone section in Macs that are 60+ years old.. C11,20,22,2500, PULL THEM...

You can drive around with your head lights on all the time too.. :-)

Regards

@sid-hoff-frenchman

I want to maintain it as long as possible. With tube shortages currently in all directions, including the Northern Electric 6SN7s I am running, I want to squeeze every bit of sonic joy from these tubes as possible.

don’t worry too much about 6sn7 supply, old stocks are plentiful, not terribly expensive and new production is quite good too

I leave my tube preamp on 24/7 because I have a class A solid state amp that takes a long time to sound it's best.

Power up when listening  power down when through.Depends on the tube and voltage of preamp how long they will last. Amperex is great tube jump on some today.