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Do new NOS tubes need break-in/running-in?

I have bought a few Mullard ECC88 NOS tubes and to my lousy ears, found no sonic differences between these and my current Amperex ECC88. Quads were used in my ARC LS-16 preamp.

If there is such a thing as break-in for tubes, will NOS tubes sound any different and/or better after break-in? If break-in is required for NOS tubes, what is the rough estimate for break-in period?

I have a strong feeling that I won't be able to get significant sound improvements/differences after prolonged listening hours. Maybe my preamp is not too susceptible to different tubes?

Any opinions or advice would be much appreciated.
ryder

Showing 1 response by onhwy61

onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
5,137 posts
 
I not sure Mullards are really any better than Amperex. It would depend on specific models. The tubes would need a moderate amount of run-in time say 10-30 hours. Yes, some designs are not sensitive to tube rolling. I'm not sure if your Audio Research is one of those designs.

BTW, you setup and house looks fantastic.
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