Tube Life Span If you play at moderate levels, 10-15 hours a week Preamp Tubes are generally at their best 2 - 3 years. Power Tubes are generally at their best 1 - 1.5 years.

How long should power tubes last?

It depends heavily on use. In a closet, the tubes will last forever, of course. For practice in a bedroom a couple of times a week at modest volumes, youll probably get five to ten years out of them.

What does a bad power tube sound like?

Crackling, squeals and feedback, excessive noise and muddiness or low output are all evidence of tube problems. Power tubes. The two main symptoms of a power tube problem are a blown fuse or a tube that begins to glow cherry red. Either are typically indicative of a power tube failure.

How do I know if my 12AX7 tube is bad?

2:104:59How To Test Bad Tubes With A Stick - YouTubeYouTube

How do I get rid of the humming sound on my amp?

If the noise persists, insert an isolating transformer (adaptor) to the earth cable. Adaptor has an earth lift switch that minimizes the amount of current that goes through the cable wires. Another way to eliminate the ground is to connect a grounding wire from the speaker to the amplifier.

Do preamp tubes need to be biased?

To change preamp tubes, all youll need is a screwdriver and a little know-how. With preamp tubes, you dont need to worry about things like biasing or using matched pairs as you do with power tubes. As long as your new tube is the same model as what youre replacing (12AX7, 12AT7, 6SN7, etc.), youre good.

Can I touch preamp tubes?

Tubes are not halogen bulbs. Tubes may get hot to the touch, but your finger oil will not cause the tube to break when heated up, nor will it affect tube life or sonics. It will not go through the glass.

Which 12AX7 sounds best?

The most exclusive ECC83 12AX7 type is the Genalex Gold Lion ECC83. The Original Genalex Gold Lion ECC83/B759 tubes are considered among the best ECC83 / 12AX7 types ever made. . They exhibit a large detailed soundstage that is sought after by discerning audiophiles who demand the highest quality sound.

How do I get rid of the humming sound?

How to find and fix hum in 3 easy stepsTurn the volume control up and down. Does the hum in your speakers go up and down with volume? Select different inputs. Does the hum go away? Disconnect all inputs. Remove the cables connecting the receiver, power amplifier, or device powering your speakers.

Why is my sound system humming?

An audio problem called a ground loop is a common cause of hum problems. Slight differences in the AC voltage levels between two pieces of equipment creates an audio hum . Ground loops in home stereos typically occur when turntables or other sources are plugged into different electrical outlets than the amplifier.

What happens if amp is not biased?

If you changed to tubes with a lower resistance without biasing the amp you would quickly burn through those tubes and potentially damage the amp and yourself in the process. This is because the amp is still pushing out current at a higher level than the valves are able to take. Until its been correctly re-biased.