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Cryo Treatment: does it provide improvements in sound or longevity?

I'd be interested in hearing from audiophiles that have actually tried Cryogenic treated tubes and listened to them vs non-treated. 

I would really prefer not to hear from folks from a theoretical point of view, or that have no experience.

The last time I bought a set of tubes for my amp, just for fun I got the Cryogenic treated ones. They are replacements on my Audio Research Ref 160s. My KT150s were approaching the end of life and I heard them getting hard sounding. So I switched them out. The new tubes immediately restored the amp to its beautiful normal sound. I heard no difference from Cryo... although if it was subtle... no way I would... this was no purposeful comparison. I guess I'll have to wait 3,000 hours to see if they last longer. 

Just wondering if someone with good equipment and a trained ear has done listening tests (not measurements) and made a conclusion. 

ghdprentice
faustuss's avatar
faustuss
841 posts
 

@ghdprentice "There was another thread about Cryotone tubes. This is not it. I will admit that other thread made me think about the treatment and start this thread.

 

I think this is the thread you were talking about."

Yeah, I know, start a thread and if you don't like the responses start another one and redirect in a way so that you get the responses you want rather than add a post to the original thread and simply changing the tone. Hence, my confusion and completely irrational post!

bolong
964 posts
 

What in the world are you talking about? The two threads have different OP's.

faustuss's avatar
faustuss
841 posts
 

@bolong What in the world are you talking about? The two threads have different OP’s.

@bolong Interesting I can’t find the thread that @ghdprentice and I were just referring to.

"@ghdprentice "There was another thread about Cryotone tubes. This is not it. I will admit that other thread made me think about the treatment and start this thread. 

I think this is the thread you were talking about."...

Yeah, and no longer a link either!

faustuss's avatar
faustuss
841 posts
 

@bolong Sorry found it https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/cryotone-tube-back-order-issue . It’s baffling you people can’t stay on message and create threads over and over on exactly the same topic redundantly! Confusing as HELL! I’ll reiterate a statement I made in a post elsewhere, "Yeah, this site sucks!"

toro3's avatar
toro3
516 posts
 

@faustuss but you’re now one of us with your 234 responses since March of this year, as well as your multiple virtual systems - “you people” now includes you my friend. Too much of your time has been invested into this site that you now dislike.

Let your hair down and continue to mingle on this website that looks and functions like it’s from 1999. Pockets of new knowledge are always found when looking over posts that may seem regurgitated. 

Back to the OP, I always wondered whether there was a way to tell whether a tube had received cryogenic treatment. I’ve never purchased, but wonder if dealers provide some form of verification?

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