You should buy yourself a backup set of new tubes. The inexpensive EH brand would do just for situations like this one. Rotate the new EH tubes into the preamp and listen. If these generic/boring sounding tubes sound better than your current tubes, then you will know it's time to replace. Tubes as you have stated, do gradually wear out at such a slow rate that it is quite possible for it to happen without you noticing it.
six year old 6sn7's, pushing my luck?
I retubed my Cary SLP-05 with Pope tubes about 5 years ago. I leave the preamp on pretty much all the time except when I go on vacation. That comes to about....45,000 hours. The tubes are supposed to be good for 10,000.
And...I've experienced no noticeable degradation in the sound. I heard a clicking sound once when I turned the system on after a week's time off, but I jiggled the offending tube and the sound stopped.
I've experienced tube failure and noise and rush in other systems, but this one seems to be the Energizer Bunny of tubesets.
I wish those Pope tubes were still available for a reasonable price, but Upscale now wants $275 per tube, and I need 6 -- I just cant justify 1650 to retube the preamp, but for now maybe I don't need to.
Any thoughts on this? Have you had tubes that lasted like this? Could they be degrading so slowly that I don't notice? Am I taking any chances with my equipment?
Thanks much and happy new year!
Rich
And...I've experienced no noticeable degradation in the sound. I heard a clicking sound once when I turned the system on after a week's time off, but I jiggled the offending tube and the sound stopped.
I've experienced tube failure and noise and rush in other systems, but this one seems to be the Energizer Bunny of tubesets.
I wish those Pope tubes were still available for a reasonable price, but Upscale now wants $275 per tube, and I need 6 -- I just cant justify 1650 to retube the preamp, but for now maybe I don't need to.
Any thoughts on this? Have you had tubes that lasted like this? Could they be degrading so slowly that I don't notice? Am I taking any chances with my equipment?
Thanks much and happy new year!
Rich