Tube Extenders Where to find?

Perfect, Thank  you

  Asked and answered. FWIT they are also available from the larger stores that sell tubes , Tube Depot and The Tube Store ect. I have tubes but have never used them , wished I had on my little Had Inspire as the 4 sockets are pretty loose. I talked to Dennis about replacing them when he had my amp for a repair. He said that I might as well build a new amp. My contribution to your question is that while researching them I read a couple comments from people that installed them and had great difficulty when they needed to extract them. Again I have zero experience, maybe someone could chime in on that. Also I have 3 Schiit DAC’s and a Loki, they are a great value.  Cheers , Mike B. 

@buellrider97

I use them. Both the 8 pin and 9 pin. I’ve never had any problem removing them. BTW, why would you want to remove them? The reason for using them is when you change tubes frequently to save the sockets from wear and tear!

I started with Dynaco in 1973 and built SS and tube stuff , so I’d like to think I understand a little. Having not used them cost me on that one amp as I acquired 8 rectifier, 11 input , and about a dozen pairs of power tubes. I said what I did having read a post saying they sourced some cheap savers and had damaged the socket trying to remove it for whatever reason. As far a removing them , as I don’t have them , I do occasionally clean the sockets and all my RCA’s with a commercial cleaner and add a treatment. If I move my gear or have a new setup I’ll tear everything down and clean all my contact points , cables and power cords. But this might get done every other year.  If I had socket savers I’d probably clean them too. Since we’re totally dissecting this do you think socket savers would benefit components that are not pin to pin by lifting the heat source away from a socket that’s soldered directly to a printed circuit board ? This is a sincere question. Regards , Mike B. p

Here ya go! Purpose of Socket Savers

Socket savers are small adapters inserted into a tube socket to absorb wear and tear from repeated tube insertions. They make it easier to replace a tube without repeatedly stressing the amplifier’s original socket or pulling on the glass envelope of older tubes 

Amplified Parts+1

. This is especially useful for tube testers or for users who frequently "roll tubes" in preamplifiers.

Potential Concerns and Risks

1. Another connection in the signal path: Adding a socket saver introduces an extra connection, which could potentially degrade performance, cause hum, microphonics, or small changes in bias under certain conditions 

    

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   . While often negligible in low-Gain circuits, some high-gain points or pentode/beam power tube stages may be more sensitive 

    

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2. Quality and fit: Poorly constructed socket savers can create resistance or intermittent contacts, leading to performance issues over time 

    

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   . High-quality, well-fitting socket savers mitigate these risks.
3. Heat management: Raising a tube slightly from the chassis with a socket saver can help prevent heat transfer to sensitive board components, resistors, or capacitors, potentially prolonging the life of adjacent electronics 

    

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   . Conversely, some designs may slightly alter shielding or expose the tube to more external interference.
4. Circuit-specific considerations: Certain amplifier designs, especially those relying on tight coupling of resistors to the tube socket, may risk parasitic oscillations or altered bias if a socket saver is used improperly 

    

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Practical Guidance

• For heavy tube rolling or older tubes: Socket savers are recommended to reduce stress and protect the original sockets 

   

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• For occasional tube swaps or standard setups: They are generally unnecessary and could slightly degrade performance or introduce noise 

   

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• Check quality: Use well-made, properly fitting socket savers rather than inexpensive, poorly constructed versions to minimize risks 

   

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• Monitor performance: After installation, verify that the amplifier operates normally, with no added hum or distortion.

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In summary, socket savers protect the amplifier’s tube sockets from mechanical wear and, if properly used, do not harm the tubes themselves. However, they introduce an additional electrical interface, so using high-quality savers and considering circuit sensitivity is advised. In most standard hi-fi applications with minimal tube swaps, socket savers are optional; in heavy tube testing or rolling scenarios, they can be a practical safeguard