The way I've done burn in is to put on a track of pink noise and put on repeat, medium volume. I didn't go for 24 hours straight. I just kept a list -- day, number of hours, etc. Then each day, or overnight, I would put them on for, say 8 or more hours. Adds up quickly. My amp does not have a "standby" but I think the point is that it should be playing something, at a modest volume, through speakers.
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Here are just a few sentences (verbatim), from a letter that Brent Jesse includes, when you receive tubes purchased from him: "New tubes need a break-in period before they can exhibit their true sonic character when used in audio circuits. Preamp tubes especially benefit from a good break-in. This period may vary widely, but NOS vintage tubes usually need at least 48 hours of use, sometimes up to 100 hours. New current production tubes need 24-48 hours typically. Good break-in can be accomplished by either leaving your tube unit turned on for 2 days in a no signal condition, or you can just enjoy the tubes for several hours each evening and they will be broken in after several weeks." An opinion from another highly regarded (personally, at least) source, on power tube burn-in: https://tctubes.com/power-tube-testing.aspx Upscale burns theirs in for 72 hours, before testing: https://upscaleaudio.com/pages/test-equipment interesting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=jwmDf5bSRMQ
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+1 @melvinjames One of the interesting things about this hobby for me is trying to pay attention to different stages of break-in. People who I know who have been in this hobby for a long time will talk about the various changes that tubes and cables can go through before they reach a level of maturity. I think that kind of self education and how things sound is a wonderful part of the hobby and it serves well for down the road because one becomes more sophisticated about what they're hearing and what perhaps is causing it. |
Why waste tube life during "burn in"? When is that over? Who even knows? How bad can it sound? Just play it and listen. If you must leave it on when not listening so be it. Hifi is supposed to be for enjoyment so enjoy it to the max always. You don’t need advice from strangers to do that. It's always a good idea to have spare tubes around because you can never know for sure when a tube will go or start to develop issues that might be heard. |
OP the 24 hour break in is actually a burn in. One of the few times "Burn in" actually applies. The RIGHT way to "CHECK" new valves is to BURN them in for 24 hours. So when you see the "Burn In 24 hours" they actually are or they were suppose to have been. They set up grids and let them percolate for 24 hours. Normally keeping an eye on drift and then they write down the numbers and match for sets. It was for failure that is the only reason for "BURN IN". If there is no failure then they go in a a unit and "BRAKE IN" the rest of the way. The truth of it is usually by 24 hours or so, how that valve is going to act and sound is pretty close. They don't change sonically very much after that.. SO from a "seeing if they are going to fail" perspective it is important to leave them on for 24 hours STRAIGHT.. From a break in perspective it is just about TIME, your doing two different things... I say plug and play... AND KEEP and eye out for the first couple of hours.. Vary the volume a bit. Shut down and push the valves into the sockets. I do it every now and then.. Nice firm valve seating, and wipe them off. Regards |
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LOL Go ahead MC tell um when you had your first tube fire, go ahead tell um.. Everyone thinks it's funny until you go threw a few.. It is nice when someone one else does it for you. :-) I was having 1 in 10 red plate or just not work. They were great valves but you really had to check them. 6V6 from the USSR surplus. 1.50 per valve I picked up 300 close to 30 failed. Great valves.. My Multi Miser was getting a work out.. Just so you know, if there is going to be a failure it is usually within 2 minutes of a new valve OR a cold start. They will put quite a light show on in a dim room.. |
I typically go through an upgrade cycle, upgrading most components. Breakin quickly becomes a problem... tubes need a dozen or so hours to get rid of that crisp sound, but good new components require 400-600 hours to sound right. If you buy a new component and want to audition another one... you need the first broken in. If you upgrade five or six components, then interconnects... it is a mess. Most of my equipment sounds good... but not magical until after 150 - 200 hours. I have invested for magic, not just good. I’ve learned about break in for decades... I want to get through it as fast as possible. Life is too short. My last upgrade cycle took over six months, That was fast... because of break in. For various reasons I had to break in three new identical tube amps... I can write a thesis on the sound changes of a breaking in Audio Research Reference 160s. Audio Research puts time on the tubes prior to sale, so there is no obvious “new tube” break in... it is all component break in. |
For new/NOS tubes, transducers (cartridge, speakers), new amp...etc. I’ve always just listened to music and not sweat the burn in. If a piece is defective or you just don’t like its sound in the context of your system, you’ll know if from the onset and burn in won’t help much, or at all. Music is more enjoyable versus pink noise or test tracks. |
OP, gotcha. It does change the sound, and (again) it's interesting to hear the changes. I'm amazed at how many people are telling you to just plug it in -- as if there are not a million threads about tweaks, techniques, etc. You're asking a reasonable question that many have asked before (in one form or another) and you're getting your head patted as if you were over-worrying. This is a hobby and we're on a hobbyists' forum and you're asking a hobbyists' question. |
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On, no signal needed, 60 hrs, burn-in is done. I bought tubes from Brent Jesse. Did NOT like them. He said, ok, finish burning them in, then keep or return them. Top line were his instructions which I followed. They did change slightly, I still did not like them. I picked another I knew I liked (I had used spares of them), half the price, full refund (I paid return shipping) Sounded great brand new and GREATER after 40-60 hrs. |
If you are buying from a quality tube dealer they already “burned” them in before they tested them. You should be good to go. I know with my tube preamp I like to turn on for one hour before listening or if I just start listening I know after an hour they hit their sweet spot. Bottom line enjoy the music! |
I never leave tube amps on unattended, preamps and other tubed equipment may be ok, never tube amp. My two 845 SET amp owner's manuals specifically state amps should not be played more than eight hours continuously. Push pulls and lower powered SET don't generally have this limitation. Still, I never leave any tube amp unattended; if a power tube red plates you're going to have a nice repair bill. I always just listen through burn in with tube amps, can be at background volumes and my attention on other things, but I'm always in room. |