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Constant noisy tubes maybe go solid state?

I have a Quicksilver Line Stage Preamp (12AT7) mated to an Odyssey Khartago Stereo. Overall I like it. Way too much gain but I digress. Weeks after receiving it I rolled in a few different tubes, kinda fun to color the sound signature. I liked rhe RXA black plates I got and those stuck around for more than a year. They started going microphonic and making noises so I ordered another pair (noisy) then another different vendor (blasts of white noise) and another set that arrived today (one is noisy as holy hell and one seems fine).

So where does one order preamp quality tunes that are quiet? Is there something I’m not requesting when ordering? Maybe dump
snd go solid state? I’m trying to be humorous because I’m pissed. Ha.
gochurchgo
dhite71
289 posts
 
@aj523.....the noise I was hearing was audible much farther than that.  My turntable is 3 feet to the right of the right speaker and I could hear when I was standing there.  

The whooshing sound during tube failure was a bit louder but nothing significant.

It was not noticeable during music, but if it was a soft jazz album then possibly audible at times.  

Much of this is how we obsess over details.  Even if I could not hear during music playback....the fact that I COULD hear while flipping a record was enough to frustrate me.  Having better components and hearing nothing now is quite satisfying.
aj523
360 posts
 
Question.  Ear to speaker driver, or some distance away, at what volume level determines noisy problem? Half way ?  For example at 50 (halfway on my knob), barely audible with ear to drivers but at 60 start to hear hiss more prominently.  
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hwr
17 posts
 
I had similar problems with my Eastern Electric pre-amp that uses 12au7s.
I have discovered if I use only premium tubes from Mullard, Cifte, and Telefunken I have had no issues.
My favorite between the three? It's a toss up between the Ciftes and the Telefunkens.
Give them a try, you won't be disappointed. 


gochurchgo OP
892 posts
 
@aj523 the newest pair I got the noise was so bad the neighbors can hear it. Its not subtle. I thought speakers were going to blow. Volume position makes no difference.
I sent the bad tube to Brent Jessee, along with a return paid label to ship back on my dime. In the meantime I swallowed it and ordered a set of "Kevin’s stash" Mullard 6201. More than I wanted to spen but f*ck it. We will see what we will see (or hear) I guess.
yogiboy's avatar
yogiboy
5,503 posts
 
@gochurchgo
 Why did you get a 6201 tube if you need less gain than a 12at7? Just curious!
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