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Tube Question - Significance of Tube Noise at Listening Position

Hello all.  I need some advice on tubes.  I use a BHK preamp that has a tube input stage (12AU7).  I recently replaced the PSvane tubes that came with it with some GoldLion gold pins.  The sound is much better, more holographic, warmer.  However, after 6 months, I started to get tube noise with my ear near the speaker.  I put back in the PSvane tubes and the noise was reduced in half so it is the tubes, but with the old tubes, the sound quality of course dropped. 

I am thinking about buying some new tubes, either Ray Select tubes, which are considered to be very low noise, or NOS Brimars. 

My question is: does the tube noise matter at the listening position if it can't be heard where I sit?  Although I don't think I can hear the noise at my listening position, I am still bothered by it because, well, its there.  We work so hard to get black backgrounds and I would never use a cable, power cord, streamer or conditioner, that adds hiss.  We would never accept that, so even if I don't hear it at the listening position, I just feel like it must have some detrimental effect and why should we accept that from a tube if I won't accept it from any other component?  

I am looking for advice on this topic and if I should get the Ray Select tubes to hopefully remove the noise, or go with the good sounding GoldLions even though I know they are adding noise/hiss/garbage to the sound near the speaker. 

Finally, anyone have any comments on the Ray Select 12AU7.  I don't want bright or hard, and the competition is the GoldLion gold pins. 

Thanks everyone.

12many
wsrrsw's avatar
wsrrsw
1,477 posts
 

First thing to do gently clean the tube pins with cotton and rubbing alcohol. Don’t use sand paper or emery cloth. Obviously check the fit. Just maybe this will rectify (no pun intended).

At some point investing in a tube tester (and learning how to use one) can tell you about tube health. Often tubes need to be close in their measurements for optimal performance and if they “drift” then at some point they will be too far away form spec and if pairs, each other.…well then.  Yet ironically often they are useable with good sound.   

Buying tubes from reputable dealers will most often have tubes tested and sold as marched pairs or quads. 

Here’s a recent test showing significant drifting (the 42.8) away from the new benchmark of 60. 

LINLAI 300B test 1.29.26

R AMP

Tubes

R 49.8  L 42.8

L AMP

Tubes

R 58.6  L 50.8

New tubes are inbound. 

jjss49's avatar
jjss49
6,920 posts
 

op

andy bauman is a good seller, as is brent j

i also have lots of old stock 12au7 pairs and quads collected over the decades, us made and european makes, been at this since the 80’s, happy to help, just pm me if you’d like

inna
8,240 posts
 

I am not sure you can do private messaging now, at least I don't know how.

mwood
85 posts
 

I would add that the small signal tubes in a preamp tend to last a long, long time if they test strong from the beginning.
 A reputable tube dealer like the ones mentioned above or my favorite, Brent Jesse, will be able to recommend excellent tubes for your pre and ones with your goals in mind. You should then be to return to listening to music and loving the sound. Good luck!

inna
8,240 posts
 

12au7 vintage tubes are often half the price of 12ax7, so you might be able to get great tubes for not so much, maybe $200-$300 for a matched pair, and I mean true NOS not just test NOS.

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