2. amps-preamps
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Do new tubes undergo break-in like other devices?

I just put a new pair of Mullard Ecc34 (should be 6sn7s) tubes in the r/l inputs on my BAT VK60. These are the 2 most importants positions for BAT amps.

Part of it sounds wonderful...back of the soundstage, instrument separation, dynamics, articulation in the bass. Oh, and much queiter.

However, I don't think they have as much gain, I have to turn up the volume some on the preamp, and the bass is much lower vs the other parts. Kind of like a new power cord...needs time to open up. I can deal with the gain, not sure about the bass. This may just be a system matching thing, works great for some, not for me.

Is it break-in related?
128x128jfrech
marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
everything "opens up" and breaks-in. this crazyness goes onto the tip-toes and other tweaks. man, your stand should also break-in...

listen more more more more to realize he...he...!!!
jfrech's avatar
jfrech OP
1,816 posts
 
Ok...here is what I heard...less than 30 hours on the tubes...

These are awesome sounding, and in the right system, you'll love em. If you are looking for more air, detail, quietness, these will do it for you. The bass was a little less for me, and that's a weak point in my system before the tubes went in. A single VK60 is a little underpowered for my room size and WP 6's.

Everything else I loved. The bass was more detailed, more tuneful, just less of it.
ultralinear
2 posts
 
Tubes do not break in, they break down. There are only a finite number of electrons available to make the leap. So, as the thoriated coatings become thinner (even after hours, not just weeks or months) the tube's performance can only become worse. Any improvement that one may hear can only be related to the piece reaching its thermal equalibrium. No piece of audio gear performs fully or properly before all of their conductive components normalize their temperature. Of course, this is just warm up not break in. This gradual decline of a tube's performance is just a way that we pay the price of their greater musicality.
marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
here is my conclusion...

tubes do not break-in they start to work out their life time just from the moment you turn your amp(s) on. within the time to the end of tube life tubes sound dull and mushy and certainly need to be replaced.

next thing you do is you change tubz and certainly you need some time to adopt to them since they do sound different from your previous setup and certainly brighter. within "n" hours you will get used to it.
wehamilton
65 posts
 
Dozer, yes, wall outlets open up. I had an FIM 880 that started out OK for my system, but got progressively brighter over the course of 4 or 5 weeks. I finally had to take it out. I sold it to my buddy with a tube system and he loves it.

Also, power cords do break-in as well, but usually faster than other components.
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