A real dumb Tube question

YES!....of course, you have to buy an amp that has the tubes exposed, not one where they are hidden away in the box!
Bask in the warm glow....awww, yes!
Steve

The only stupid question is the one you didn't ask!

A tube is a light bulb with some extra wires in it. In most tubes the filiament glow can be seen. It glows red rather than white (like a light bulb) because it's purpose is to make heat, not light.

If there is a true vacuum in the tube it will not glow. If it does it means that a trace of air is leaking into the tube, and it is not going to last much longer.

I understand that some tubes have some gas (not air) in them by design. This gas may be excited by the electron flow, and glow.

Also, it's been mentioned that some glass has trace elements in it which glow when the tube is operating. This may be deliberate on the part of the tube manufacturer, because it looks sexy. I way about to say "it certainly doesn't affect the sound", but on this website...?

Slappy, this may seen like a put-on but it's not: I have heard, and seen, tweeters that glow. The Hill Plasmatronics speakers from the '70s used ionized Helium to produce sound. Sounded wonderful but required a big tank of Helium. Not many wives would put up with a big green tank. Back in the '50s there was the Dukane Ionovac tweeter, which ionized air rather than Helium. These also glowed but the electrodes wore down quickly in the presence of Oxygen. This is why Dr. Hill used Helium. Besides which, when one got tired of listening one could talk like Alvin The Chipmonk.

Ed, are they the authors of "How to serve man"?

I'll give ya some glow...

Only after havig sex with another tube.

Don't regret posting this, it is how you learn. You should have saw the responses when I asked "where do tubes come from?"

Anyway, my tubes(like other I assume) have two orange spots on top that glow, don't see it really in the daytime, but at night they are quite visible. I don't really see what the "ambience" hype is about, but then again I only have 4 tubes. Some have as many as 12. Now that might be a site.

Finally, one thing, not only do the tubes get hot, but the room does too from all the heat. Something to think about.

Regards,

Matty

Slappy, where you an only child? Did you not get a lot of attention as a younger Slap? Does your future misses Slappy not spend quality time with your little Slapper?

YES TUBES GLOW!!! And before you post another thread "DO TUBES GET HOT"? YES!!!

P.S. ONLY KIDDING, & I LOVED YOUR EQUIPMENT PICTURE YOU POSTED AS I LMAO!!!

Yes in deed and they glow in different color depending on the type. Most are yellow or orange red but some (e.g. 211/VT4C) glow like a small light bulb.

dude.... clueless...

man that looks KILLER!

Thanks!

Any day you learn something new is a day worth having.

Clueless, brilliant!

Only when they are in an amp or preamp that is powered on:-)

http://www.diyparadiso.com/proj/amps/se/outerlimit/fotosdemo/demoskdark.jpg

I remain,