2. tech-talk
  3. 192857-115924

Replace tubes yearly?

I just watched a Paul McGowan video (PS Audio) about the wisdom of leaving your gear powered on all the time. I get that. He also said that vacuum tube gear is the exception and not to leave it on all the time. I get that too.

But he also mentioned that it didn’t make a huge difference since you probably should replace your tubes every year.

Is that true? I have an Audio Research LS-16 tube preamp from the late 90s or early 2000s. I don’t think the tubes have ever been changed. I’m not really a ’tube’ guy but this unit was given to me 6 or 8 years ago. As far as I know these tubes are original.

At one point I got curious about the different sound quality potential of different tubes and another Audiogon member lent me a set of tubes to try out. I could definitely tell a difference but did not think the new ones sounded better than the original ones. I mention this because at that time the original tubes were quite old and still sounded quite good. And still do.

So, bottom line is, is there any real need to replace tubes on a schedule of some sort. Maybe its different if it is an amp versus a pre-amp?

 

n80

Showing 2 responses by oberoniaomnia

oberoniaomnia
150 posts
 

Short answer: No.

Having a second set of tube around to periodically (anywhere between once a year to every 5 years) check whether you notice something, can be considered. But a yearly schedule is nonsense. If anything, it depends on numbers of hours on the tubes. If that would be important, then tube gear manufacturers would include a cumulative time counter on gear; I've seen those in electron microscopes to keep track of filament age, but am not aware of such features on audio gear.
There are so many variables (type of tube, circuit design, on/off cycles, total time, individual tube variance, ...) that there is no general rule possible.

And then there is the burn-in (allegedly, I have not noticed anything on my tubes). So first it sounds bad because tubes are not burnt in, then change them after a year because they sound bad? LOL! If that is so much of a concern, then rather stick with SS.

Relax, enjoy your music. If you like, do some tube rolling for fun. my 2c.

oberoniaomnia
150 posts
 

@n80 yes, tube rolling = trying different types of tubes. Sorry for using lingo without explaining it.

I have done some TR, particularly with a Woo WA6SE headphone amp. The stock power tube was not the best. Splurged on a WE422 based on recommendation in Headfi, and that sounded quite a bit better. I tried some other, more reasonable priced ones as well, and not much difference, IMHO. Those are now my back-ups. Haven't bothered checking the WE422 vs. back-up in about 5 years. The amp did not get too much use, but that has changed more recently.

Also tried about 4 sets of signal tubes. Differences were more subtle, but they were there. I have not yet done any TR on my PrimaLuna EVO300pre. Maybe when I have nothing else to do ...

I don't have those special golden ears either, but I do hear differences in tubes.

More to discover