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Microphonic from Vacuum Tubes?

HI,  I have a question regarding microphonic from vacuum tube.  I have a Cary SLP-05, and I've changed the output gain tubes to some NOS RCA, and also recently purchased a pair of Linlai for the balanced buffer stage.

I now occasionally hear a loud pop in the music.   It doesn't happen very often, but when it does, it is quite loud.   This happens when I am streaming digital music, so it can't be those occasional pops you hear from vinyl.  

Can someone tell me if this loud pop possibly caused by microphonic in my tubes?  if so, how do I track down which tubes?   My guess there is no easy way but change one tube at a a time, which can be extremely time consuming.   Also I don't own a tube tester.  I wonder that would help tracking it down.

Also I read something about vacuum tube damper rings,  would that help calming down possible microphonic?

I still  consider myself a newbie in tubes,  so any hep will be appreciated.  Thanks very much.

128x128xcool
xcool's avatar
xcool OP
273 posts
 

@durte30,  I think I've got about 120 hrs on the Linlai at this point.

@cub,  this only happens from my digital source, i.e. my streamer.

ghdprentice
6,473 posts
 

Tube dampeners come on all of my Audio Research components small tubes, as the did on my Sonic Frontiers components. 
 

Pops, maybe tubes or capacitors. Tubes most likely.

xcool's avatar
xcool OP
273 posts
 

Thanks @ghdprentice, assuming the issue is from one of the tubes, do you think tube dampeners may help minimize the chance of these popping noise?

larryi
3,757 posts
 

I doubt that tube dampers will do anything for the cause of the popping noise.  This is a problem with a tube, a problem with a tube socket (this is the most common source of such problems) or a problem somewhere else where a charge builds up and then suddenly discharges (probably somewhere in the power supply circuit). 

Tube dampers work to minimize microphonic ringing, but that is not an issue here.  Do they improve the sound?  In some cases they do, in others they make the sound "drier" which may actually make the sound less pleasant.  Consider tube dampers and other damping products (platforms for gear, weights to put on the chassis, etc.) as tuning devices--they alter the sound which means they can also alter the sound in the wrong way.

atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,633 posts
 

So far I've only experienced this issue while streaming from Tidal or my own MinimServer running on my NAS.  

@xcool Really! That is telling you something.

In that case play the LPs only for a week. If you don't hear any pops, I'd look into issues with your digital setup- as @acman3 points out, digital is quite capable of making loud pops!

 

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