2. amps-preamps
  3. 1030236932

Do new tubes undergo break-in like other devices?

I just put a new pair of Mullard Ecc34 (should be 6sn7s) tubes in the r/l inputs on my BAT VK60. These are the 2 most importants positions for BAT amps.

Part of it sounds wonderful...back of the soundstage, instrument separation, dynamics, articulation in the bass. Oh, and much queiter.

However, I don't think they have as much gain, I have to turn up the volume some on the preamp, and the bass is much lower vs the other parts. Kind of like a new power cord...needs time to open up. I can deal with the gain, not sure about the bass. This may just be a system matching thing, works great for some, not for me.

Is it break-in related?
128x128jfrech

Showing 2 responses by dozer

dozer
15 posts
 
A new power cord needs time to open up?????!!

What does this mean? How does it open up? I didn't know powercords "opened up"...

I'm not going to a DBT zone or saying wires don't matter. I just want to know what to listen for if I buy a superpowercord...how long I should wait for it to open up before I decide that it didn't matter.

Do wall outlets need time to "open up" too?
dozer
15 posts
 
Astonishing that you could attribute the brightness in your system to a wall outlet that had gradually broken in. My hat's off to your aural acuity and deductive powers. Well done... For me probably wouldn't help because darn if I can't keep the rest of the environment exactly the same week-to-week... I'd never think to switch out my wall outlet for tone control.
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