You may be having the same problem I'm having with my integrated tube amp in which case, tube swapping won't make a difference. At the worst one or more of your filter capacitors are going bad. Or possibly the clips for your tube sockets are loose. I had a thread going with some good advice that I wish Agon would have kept...
Popping from tube integrated amp
I've owned an Eastern Electric M520 for about 3 years and have it connected to Omega Hemptones. I changed the EL34 tubes about three months ago from the stock Chinese tubes to NOS Mullards.
This afternoon about a minute after powering up the amp, very loud popping noise came through the speakers - - the popping was constant - about 90 to 100 pops per minute I would guess. The volume was at a (loud) constant level, regardless of where I set the volume control. The popping continued without regard to which input I selected.
After turning off the amp, I reseated the tubes and tried again - - same popping. The tubes all look normal - - no unusual visual cues.
Anyone have any idea what the problem is likely to be? Many thanks for any suggestions.
This afternoon about a minute after powering up the amp, very loud popping noise came through the speakers - - the popping was constant - about 90 to 100 pops per minute I would guess. The volume was at a (loud) constant level, regardless of where I set the volume control. The popping continued without regard to which input I selected.
After turning off the amp, I reseated the tubes and tried again - - same popping. The tubes all look normal - - no unusual visual cues.
Anyone have any idea what the problem is likely to be? Many thanks for any suggestions.