A tube amp owner is often a tube geek to some degree, and "replacement" sets become laughable as one likely has a drawer full of the things. I could go another 10 years on my current stash. I recently broke a preamp tube (and had the power amp driver tube start showing its age) which launched me into a 6SN7GTB maelstrom of tube option messing about (mostly NOS various things moved around until the mojo returned)...hard to pinpoint when I got it all dialed in other than to say it all got right somehow eventually...changing out a rectifier (!) tube was surprisingly helpful, as I hadn’t noticed it needed changing, but there ya go...you know when tubes need changing when while listening your brow becomes furrowed instead of not so much...
How do you know when tubes are done?
I have a homemade pre-amp and amp - both tubed.Recently, it became necessary to turn the volume up quite a bit to get the same sound level.It still sounds good but I started to wonder if a tube or two was the culprit. The tubes are about 8 or 9 years old and get light to medium use.
Suggestions?
Suggestions?