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In Reply to: RE: Buyig Tubes posted by pictureguy on August 11, 2021 at 16:13:44
I get about 5 years of life out of my 6AS7 tubes in my AtmaSphere M60 amps. There are 8 per amp so a total of 16.
I go through periodic acquisition fits when I get nervous about supply or an itch to try something new. I just learned my most recent binge purchasing NOS 6AS7GA tubes was not a good move as these don't have long life in the AtmaSphere amps.
I probably have 60 new and still-good used tubes "in stock".
My incoming MA1s will have 14 6AS7s per side for a total of 28. I'm not crazy about the heat, energy use, or retubing cost, but the reliability and sound quality make up for the downsides.
Follow Ups:
You mention heat? In 90+ weather? I don't see the AC keeping up. In winter you might not need to run the central heat...
Have you ever bothered to measure power consumption?
Too much is never enough
Well the M60 consumes about 300W per channel. The MA1 consumes about 500W per channel. Not all of this is heat, and is probably only when all the tubes are running at high volume, but it's kinda like having a hair dryer going, so definitely adds a little load for the AC to compensate.
One reason I'm considering Class D or a Benchmark Class A/B/H amps in the summer. It hasn't been a huge issue so far, however, even in 100 degree heat.
Just a thought......
An amp making NO SOUND thru a speaker and drawing a couple hundred watts???
It is ALL HEAT. You are doing No Work.
'D' is cool. Highly efficient PS, and OVERAL efficiency at full power can run Over 90%.
Efficiency drops as a function of power, reaching ZERO at Zero output. Maybe a little better than an AB amp at similar powers. Depends on some other things.
But keep in mind that your SPEAKER will not (probably) exceed about 5% which puts and UPPER LIMIT on overall efficiency. Speaker voice coils can get darn hot. And change with heat. Not necessarily 'for the better'......
Still and all? Your heat load TO the AC is a LOT. A person might be about 100 watts equivient each.
So while you are adding heat to your house, the AC is running at some low efficiency REMOVING such heat. It's all downhill!
If I go tube? I'll take some readings at both normal listening levels AND at idle.....
Too much is never enough
Can't argue with Class D. Efficiency. Or A/B for that matter. But there is something magical about the OTL sound that overcomes thoughts about efficiency.
what you LIKE overwhelms any thoughts of efficiency.
I gave up a D amp and went back to a more conventional A/B amp....
Too bad my speakers are Lo-80s sensitivity and OTL is simply not going to drive 'em at anything over headphone level.....
I'm contemplating a big change of direction. After owning panels for 3 decades or more, I'm going to migrate up to LA and listen to some klipsch. If that's a go? Send off for the Latino ST70 which should be enough power for 96db speakers and build me a KIT AMP.......
Too much is never enough
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