Thank you Paul for your answer👍

I remember discussing with Tim de Paravicini about the EAR 509 power amp. He said it was in part inspired by some of the bad designs using the 300b. Technically the 300b. with the correct direct heater chemistry, should run for ~ 30-40K hours. However there were a lot of poor 300b clones and some amp designs ran them well outside of their operating parameters as a dull valve looks boring, and a glowing valve sells. Tim’s amp pretty much lasts for 50K hours, or about 5.5 years continuous use, where a badly biased 300b, with some rubbish “HiFi” valves can only go in a few hundred hours. Correct answer, it depends. Pre-amps last a very long time, so long as they are designed correctly and the valve seal is good.

Paul, Very interesting comments about "scary new solid state designs" (1:55 mark)! Your emotional inflection seems to indicate surprised sonic revelations that could become future SS circuit topologies! Could your reference be related to the new GaNFET (vs MOSFET) class D circuit designs??? Ted 🤔

FWIW there are specialist tubes made that are engineered for high reliability and long life in continuous operation. Transatlantic cables have amplifiers. These submarine repeaters used tubes and are intended to operate for 20-50 years… For consumer grade tubes octal base types are better for long life than B7G or B9A types, of course it depends on the failure mechanism.

I have a ARC LS15 tube pre amp that I bought back in 1995 It's still going strong I turn it on one hour before critical listening

Ive got a Jadis JPL pre-amp. Victor Goldstein (RIP), Jadis distributor at that time, told me to keep it in standby mode at all times. I changed the tubes 1 time in 35 years.

Agreed. It does sound better, but like a light bulb the clock ticks on life while tubes are on. With the scarceness of power tubes today, turn it off.

I think tubes sound as good as they are going to sound within 15mins of turning the amp on!! I'm a huge hybrid fan. So tubes in the preamp stage and solid state on the output stage! IMO you can get 3 or 4 years out of some decent pre-amp tubes and as I said they sound as good as its gets within 15mins the powering the amp on! Just my opinion!!

Never forget the greats! Arnie and Baskum were the best and I don't care what they come out with you'll never beat those two!

You could just buy yourself a lifetime supply of preamp tubes and not even have to worry about the tubes lifespan. Then work on buying a lifetime supply of other things. Batteries, Light Bulbs, Paper towels, Scotch Tape, Scotch, Dishwashing Liquid, Shoes, etc. Get those things out of the way; you'll be glad you did. Just don't ever become homeless. Or you'll have to couple all your shopping carts together like train cars, to wheel your lifetime supply of things around with you.

@user-od9iz9cv1w

Жыл бұрын

I bought a long time supply of the Russian NOS tubes I use. Turned out to be a blessing as Putin's war made them pretty hard to get. And during the pandemic we stocked up on toilet paper and rice. An eclectic store room for sure.🙂

@billwillard9410

Жыл бұрын

Don’t forget a gross of bungee cords to tie all of the carts together.

Tubes or transistors warm up completely in a hour, you don't need to leave it on to reach thermal equilibrium . Just play music while they're warming up. If it sounds different, they might be something else going on like sag in your power from the power company. Check an outlet with a multimeter.

I will not leave my ST-120 on. Instead, the power management system I built soft-starts power to the amp (like a 3-second ramp). The amps auto bias board delays B+ to the power tubes a few minutes.

I have the Project tube phono preamp, and I turn it off unless of course I’m using the Linn turntable it’s hooked up to…I live in the Rocky Mountains..and I turn everything off each day because there’s no telling what can happen to our electricity during the night..including going out…

The Netherlands *is only* what you call Holland. The *Kingdom* of the Netherlands includes Aruba, Curaçao and St Maarten.

@net_news

Жыл бұрын

The Kingdom of the Holland then xD

@cengeb

Жыл бұрын

Queen Beatrice still going ? She's worth Billion$....and ya never hear her...smart

@JJ-no2ob

Жыл бұрын

the island of Bonair ?

Paul I don't know if you have a 4.6 pre-amplifier on that shelf but that is one stunning piece I have it and it's timeless to me

Shortens the life of the tube, not the rest of the circuit. I use Russian 6n2p signal tubes that are $3-4 each, so not a big deal. If I used super expensive tubes I'd be more concerned.

I leave my McIntosh powered on all day because I love seeing the green tubes. Well worth the $400 every few years

@spacemissing

Жыл бұрын

Green? My colour perception is screwy, but no tube heater has ever looked green to me.

@brentcollins9727

Жыл бұрын

@@spacemissing, All their integrateds have green led lit tubes

@spacemissing

Жыл бұрын

@@brentcollins9727 I figured as much. Another waste of unnecessary LEDs.

Audiophile Preamp life. Tums and Prozac..😀👍

Some tube amplifiers, when placed into standby mode, cut power only to its tubes.

Could you share which new amplifiers are the ones that surprised you?

My Philips Class D amp definitely does not like to be powered on for more then a day. It begins to squeal.

Why can't the designer keep the Tube filament voltage at half of the normal voltage when in standby . Back when Televisions used vacuum tubes some brands did this on their best sets so that it was nearly instant on and it did not shorten the life of the tubes.

Helpful video. Thanks. What is the BLACK products ? Very nice !!!

I leave my car engine running 24h a day, even on weekends... Just to make sure I'm getting the most out of its 145hp 4cyl engine at all times.... I however keep getting a new one every 6 months and my insurance keeps going up

@davidfromamerica1871

Жыл бұрын

Are you driving a Volga..🤔😳😀

I leave my oven on 24/7. You know, just incase .

Hello, Paul!

Interesting Paul brought up this age old subject - currently I'm running tube front end - although I never turn off my solid state mono blocks, I recently had an occasion to leave everything running for a few days (I use standoffs to raise the lid of both my phono and line stage to help with getting some of the excess heat out) but anyway - I'd forgotten how lovely a system can sound when left on for an extended period - can't do it all the time, a decent tube set for either of these preamps is getting close to a grand these days.

as far as my ear can tell with my little tube preamp, within about 15-20 mins it doesnt get any better sounding, so i always turn it off, and if i can, i just try to remember to turn it on a little bit before i start listening

You mean don’t use the standby on the pre and 250 amp ?

Hi Paul, which scary amp are you referring to? Power or pre? If power is it class D?

- Holland IS the Netherlands! - Then who are the Dutch?!

@scottyo64

Жыл бұрын

My oven

@cengeb

Жыл бұрын

WRONG Holland is a province in the country called The Netherlands....facts matter

@36karpatoruski

Жыл бұрын

People from the United Stares are United Statesian. People from Deutchland are Deutchlandian.

@thegrimyeaper

Жыл бұрын

I just quoted a funny scene from Seinfeld

Something that wasn't mentioned. Leaving your tube/valve amplifier on will increase your electricity bill.

I don't want tubes, but also vinyl and turntables in 2023. These have not represented the gold standard in audio excellence for many years but are still promoted and followed.

@TheDanEdwards

Жыл бұрын

Listening to music is a type of pleasure. What brings one person pleasure may not be your cup of tea, but so what?

Netherlands is Holland....

@cengeb

Жыл бұрын

Wrong..Holland is a province in a country called the Netherlands

Tubes are for rubes