Topic: which tubes should i switch out first..?

[ducati]

My guess is those are getting quite worn out.  I think you'd be amazed by just switching same tube for same tube.

You run EL34's?  Want to borrow a quad to see how worn yours are?

[macdaddy]

My guess is those are getting quite worn out.  I think you'd be amazed by just switching same tube for same tube.

You run EL34's?  Want to borrow a quad to see how worn yours are?

absolutely!

[ducati]

PM me your addy and I'll send them out.

[JackoRoses]

yea yea this is a old thread, but I am looking at getting a tubed pre and
after talking with this guy, I wanted to share his comment.
"Are you aware that tubes can last 20 or 30 years?"
This was in reply to the fact his pre has original tubes in it and will be needing replaced
and I was trying to work him down off his price since he was taking offers.
Obviously he is not interested in offers at all but anyway, I thought I would share
that little comment.
I replied back "stating yes you are right, they can last 20 years or better."
"How good do they sound though and how many hours have they been ran?"
Sure a NOS tube 30 years old will sound sweet, but take that same tube and run it for 3,000 hours.
I don't think it is quite the same do any of you?

[Lil Kim Jong-Il]

Sure a NOS tube 30 years old will sound sweet, but take that same tube and run it for 3,000 hours.
I don't think it is quite the same do any of you?

You are right, it's more a matter of milage than age.

The rule I was taught when I started buying tube gear is to always expect the tubes to be worn out because people always underestimate the hours on them.  And the longer time since the tubes were purchased, the more the estimate will be low.   Since tubes often degrade rather than fail, it's possible for someone who has no sense of what a new tube sounds like to think their tubes sound fine.

[Nick Culbreth]

yea yea this is a old thread, but I am looking at getting a tubed pre and
after talking with this guy, I wanted to share his comment.
"Are you aware that tubes can last 20 or 30 years?"
This was in reply to the fact his pre has original tubes in it and will be needing replaced
and I was trying to work him down off his price since he was taking offers.
Obviously he is not interested in offers at all but anyway, I thought I would share
that little comment.
I replied back "stating yes you are right, they can last 20 years or better."
"How good do they sound though and how many hours have they been ran?"
Sure a NOS tube 30 years old will sound sweet, but take that same tube and run it for 3,000 hours.
I don't think it is quite the same do any of you?

The lifetime of tubes can vary greatly depending greatly on the type and manufacturer.  The surest way to find out how much life they have left is to get a reading on them from a calibrated tube tester, but that's probably out of the question.  Other than that I'd find out what kind of tubes he is using and do some research on audioasylum to get a ballpark on their expected lifespan and then go from there.

[macdaddy]

PM me your addy and I'll send them out.

did you ever send these, amigo..?

[JackoRoses]

yea yea this is a old thread, but I am looking at getting a tubed pre and
after talking with this guy, I wanted to share his comment.
"Are you aware that tubes can last 20 or 30 years?"
This was in reply to the fact his pre has original tubes in it and will be needing replaced
and I was trying to work him down off his price since he was taking offers.
Obviously he is not interested in offers at all but anyway, I thought I would share
that little comment.
I replied back "stating yes you are right, they can last 20 years or better."
"How good do they sound though and how many hours have they been ran?"
Sure a NOS tube 30 years old will sound sweet, but take that same tube and run it for 3,000 hours.
I don't think it is quite the same do any of you?

The lifetime of tubes can vary greatly depending greatly on the type and manufacturer.  The surest way to find out how much life they have left is to get a reading on them from a calibrated tube tester, but that's probably out of the question.  Other than that I'd find out what kind of tubes he is using and do some research on audioasylum to get a ballpark on their expected lifespan and then go from there.

They are stock tubes, he said in his description they were never replaced and will probably need replaced soon. He was the original owner of 3 years on it.
I take whatever someone says about their audio equipment with a grain of salt, even ones I know.
It is too easy for people to be dishonest about their equipment. (around here I have more faith)
Example: speakers I just bought, I asked the guy what he listened to on them, he claims christian opera and the likes. Sounds great, but there is no way of proving that is true.
The best I can hope for is that they were taken care of and he was truthful.