How long can I expect tubes to last on a preamp or MW CD player?
dorkwad is a good name for anyone who leaves their tubes on 24/7. typically, in use, 10,000 hours. I have one of these simple testers, love it, lightweight, portable, take it to my friends houses ... https://www.ebay.com/itm/Accurate-Instrument-Tube-Tester-Model-157/154119691696?hash=item23e23fddb0:... I check em all periodically, and if I suspect something, one side weaker ... more often than not it ain’t the tube, a loose cable .... I collect old tubes, people gave me many years ago, mostly used, flea markets, their dad dies, out of the basement comes boxes and bags ... ... check em out later when I or someone needs one, they are nearly all good, the most common problem I find is shorts which that little tester shows easily. Also use it to check my new tubes and to check matched pairs or quads, it always agrees with my big bulky hickock tester, this one, a later model has the instruction book. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Accurate-Instrument-Company-New-York-NY-Tube-Tester-Model-257-Vintage-WORKS... |
I apologies for falling prey to too easy a trap for sarcasm. let's get back to tubes life 24/7. really? what/where/who/how could you think they need to be left on? or did you just mean you listen a lot every day? new tubes, break in: leave them on, no signal needed, go to bed, 60 hours. off. on, warm up 10 minutes, now that is how they are gonna sound. off when not listening. as they age, still equal l/r? have favorite music that helps your awareness of strong center imaging, equal l/r. cd version best for this, just in case cartridge is not perfectly setup. actually, have both lp and cd versions, play cd, all good, play lp, still good? great! this is my favorite test for balance/imaging side 2, tracks 2,3 all 3 guitars, and equal audience sounds l/r https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friday_Night_in_San_Francisco |
I had a volume balance problem, perhaps it is your tubes. Turned out to be one of my Cayin A88T's 6sl7's (it also has 6sn7's). had several used GE 6sl7 downstairs, that proved it was just the tube, not the amp or anything else in the chain. bought new 6sl7's from Brent Jesse. Picked a Sylvania model because the chrome tops would look different from the 6sn7's (I had mixed them up once). Sylvania did not sound as good as the unidentifiable Cayin tubes, or the used pair of GE's. Brent had me break in the Sylvanias for 60 hours (no signal needed, just leave then on). Still not as good. I picked alternate GE, I paid postage only, Brent gave me full credit, and, the GE's I ordered and love were half the price. |
