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In Reply to: RE: I'd be looking for an Audible Illusions Modulus 3a posted by kavakidd on March 23, 2015 at 23:56:57
Hard to beat IMO ...certainly at the "used" price ("new" it has gotten rather pricey). If there's a problem with "tube eating" (and IME there is), I'm now convinced that it the result of the heaters being left on (full bore) all the time. Someone who should know described it as "cathode poisoning". And it makes common sense...tubes are like light bulbs, if you leave them on 24/7/365 they won't last long.
At any rate I've started unplugging my AI-M3 when not in use...to test this theory and we'll see. It would be nice if the manufacturer would install an on/off switch on the power supply. But don't hold your breath on that one.
Follow Ups:
integrated. Never turned it off for 6 years until a resistor failed, Tubes tested as new
with the same kind of happy history. But I think the op was asking about the AI M3 which has a different history. Evidently there are exceptions but my experience with this preamp is that tube life is an issue. So much so that there seems to be consensus that only one brand of current production tube (Sovtek/EH) will survive for a reasonable length of time in an M3. In most cases NOS is "proceed at your own risk" due to their soaring cost.I've read various explanations for this problem (running the tubes too hard etc.) but I've come to believe that tube life is shortened, in this case, because the heaters (only) are being left on (fully-powered) for extended periods. This can and (IME) does cause the tubes to become noisy (not talking about micro-phonic here) and un-usable for audio purposes. This process is called cathode poisoning.
Obviously the manufacturer doesn't agree that there is a problem because the preamp has remained unchanged in this regard for years. I'm certainly no expert on this subject but have done a fair amount of research and my practice now with my M3a is to unplug it when not being used for more than a few hours. Not ideal but it seems to work.
Edits: 04/19/15
Ummm, actually, light bulbs will generally last much longer if left on all the time. Think about it, every single light bulb you've owned has probably burnt out on you when you turned it on, they *rarely* go out while on. The inrush current is what pops 'em...
-RW-
supposed to better for tube life that switching on and off. FWIW - in 20+ years running first a 3 and now a 3a I they have never "eaten" a single tube
"Man is the only animal that blushes - or needs to" Mark Twain
Edits: 04/04/15
I can't agree. I had tubes last 4 years in my AI L1. You gotta use the 6H23n-EB.
"I can't agree. I had tubes last 4 years in my AI L1. You gotta use the 6H23n-EB." -The Duke
While i do like the sound of tooby pre's and have one, tooby rolling is a PITA, worse the pre can go from good-better-best- to also ran, not to mention the sonic degradation over time and it wont last no 4 yrs, sonic degradation takes place long before toob failure.
Have to have that back-up SS......
tested them before I sold the unit, and they all were +90.
One must be very careful what they stuff in an AI
IT IS a tube eater.
The Mind has No Firewall~ U.S. Army War College.
Electro Harmonix which are said to be the current production of the same tube
"Man is the only animal that blushes - or needs to" Mark Twain
Proves the point doesn't it? Not saying that the Sovtek 6H23n-EB isn't a robust tube because it is (I've used it for years...ever since it was first offered for sale in the States). But if you use almost any other brand (NOS or current production) and leave the heaters powered up 24/7/365 like the AI-M3 does, they won't last but a few months. I'm simply offering this bit of advise, yes definitely use the EH/Sovtek tubes but also unplug the unit when it isn't being used...especially for more than a day or two. Simply placing the unit in the so-called "standby" mode isn't enough. The heaters remain fully powered.And who knows...this strategy might even enable AI owner's to experience more than one brand of vacuum tube...Amperex, Telefunken, Seimens etc. before they're extinct.
Edits: 04/02/15
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