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must you play music to break in tubes

I have some GE 12ax7 longplate tubes that make some loud crackling noises.  The Seller claimed that this is common with nos tubes and that it will go away after they are broken in, but it is too alarming to hear and sounds risky to the speakers.  Might leaving the amp powered up for a while, but with no signal passing, break them in adequately?  Kind of hate wasting the power tubes lifetimes, but I don't have any old tubes to use in that amp.

128x128lloydc
donvito
400 posts
 

@yogiboy +1 !!

Bad Preamp Tube Symptoms

There are a few things that are more common when preamp tubes begins to fail. You might experience things like:

  • Crackling
  • Popping sounds
  • Volume loss
  • Squealing
  • Hum or feedback
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jasonbourne71's avatar
jasonbourne71
1,269 posts
 

Send them back for a refund!

bojack
656 posts
 

x2...Send them back because this seller is full of it.

jetter
3,056 posts
 

I attribute blowing out a tweeter to a bad tube.  The tube was making more of a popping sound than a crackling sound, but none the less.

I have had a number of NOS tubes of different brands, a fair amount were GE 12ax7s and 5751s, but never had a new tube make crackling noises.

As the posters above recommend, send them back.  

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