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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
invalid
1,219 posts
 

@rar1 Paul even said in one video several years ago, that you have to be careful not to touch the glass on an audio vacuum tube, that's nonsense, just like his several videos that tell people to change vacuum tubes once a year on input stages.

mapman's avatar
mapman
22,389 posts
 

Very lazy and costly advice.  Tube vendors will like it. 

ghdprentice
7,189 posts
 

n80

 

+1

I have listened to several of Paul's videos. I do not any more. 

mapman's avatar
mapman
22,389 posts
 
  1. Always keep spares for when eventually will be needed.
  2. If you hear noise or distortion other than normal a bad tube or tubes is suspect
  3. To find the bad tube replace one at a time and listen for a difference
  4. A tube tester is your friend but how many people actually have access to one these days?
oddiofyl's avatar
oddiofyl
3,966 posts
 

I bought a tester when I started using amps with rectifiers and four pin antique tubes.   It save me from disaster with my 300b.  A rectifier took out the fuse on my tester (basically a small light bulb) and not my amp.   

Not practical to own/buy  one unless most of your gear uses tubes.  I had a guitar amp repair tech near me where I used to live and he sold tubes.  He was happy to test tubes , often times he would end up selling one or two. 

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