How to determine when a re-tubing is required

RE: My set sounds like Alvin and the Chipmunks, posted on June 2, 2017 at 12:19:38
DAK Audiophile Posts: 2712 Location: PACIFIC Joined: August 8, 2010	no, seriously.

RE: My set sounds like Alvin and the Chipmunks, posted on June 2, 2017 at 16:50:11
6bq5 Audiophile Posts: 4384 Location: SF Bay Joined: August 16, 2001	How long have you had the equipment? with the current tubes? Happy Listening

They are some Chinese tubes with about 2 hours., posted on June 2, 2017 at 17:48:21
DAK Audiophile Posts: 2712 Location: PACIFIC Joined: August 8, 2010	Could be it needs more break in? Do you think if i put in Russian tubes it will make my set sound like Popeye the sailor? cheers.

RE: My set sounds like Alvin and the Chipmunks, posted on June 2, 2017 at 19:01:51
Cpwill Audiophile Posts: 1096 Location: DC Joined: December 22, 2003 Contributor Since: October 24, 2008	What;s wrong with that. I spent Saturday mornings as a youngin listening to them. "Anyone who understands jazz knows that you can't understand it. It's too complicated. That's what's so simple about it." - Yogi Berra. Cpwill

Russian tubes..., posted on June 3, 2017 at 22:03:31
R Browne Audiophile Posts: 1710 Location: So. Cal. Joined: January 14, 2002	...may make it sound like Boris Badenov.

RE: I like moose and squirrel!, posted on June 3, 2017 at 22:21:17
DAK Audiophile Posts: 2712 Location: PACIFIC Joined: August 8, 2010	Rocky and Bullwinkle show, with their Russian arch enemies, is part of the reason we have an irrational fear of the Russians.

RE: I like moose and squirrel!, posted on June 4, 2017 at 00:32:30

pictureguy
Audiophile

Posts: 22597
Location: SoCal
Joined: October 19, 2008

Boris and Natasha came FROM the Russians, not the other way around.

Russians have been Paranoid since well before the 20th century, even.

Ever hear of the 'Mad Monk'? Not German or Italian, or even English.

Boris Badenov is of course a play on words from the other guy.....Czar Boris Godunov.

UFO Fans continue to believe in Metal Munching Moon Mice, here to eat ALL our TV antennas. OOOOPS! They've almost succeeded. We had to resort to CABLE.

Too much is never enough

My point exactly , posted on June 4, 2017 at 00:57:10
DAK Audiophile Posts: 2712 Location: PACIFIC Joined: August 8, 2010	.My point was all the kids watching the rocky and bullwinkle show are now grown ups who had their fears of russia ingrained in their formative years. Government sponsored brainwashing disguised as harmless childrens cartoon. You mean Rasputin.

RE: My point exactly , posted on June 4, 2017 at 03:44:53
PakProtector Audiophile Posts: 12363 Joined: May 14, 2002	Nah...I think it was stuff like Nikita K, banging his shoe on the podium. Then there was the Berlin Wall. Rocky and Bullwinkle had NO effect compared to stuff like that. cheers, Douglas Friend, I would not hurt thee for the world...but thou art standing where I am about to shoot.

RE: How to determine when a re-tubing is required, posted on June 4, 2017 at 04:06:43
vinnie2 Audiophile Posts: 4481 Location: North Carolina Joined: September 28, 2013	And of course you would have to replace ALL of them. They sure knew how to sell tubes didn't they?

RE: I like moose and squirrel!, posted on June 4, 2017 at 07:07:07

airtime
Audiophile

Posts: 11287
Location: Arizona
Joined: February 4, 2003

It wouldn't have anything to do with the 45 year long cold war - no it was the cartoon - yeah!

Certainly it wouldn't have anything to do with the SCHOOLS having us hide under our desks and in cement basements doing nuclear war drills.

And it surely wouldn't have anything to do with how teachers would explain the "blast radius" (growing up with NYC in eyesight) and how "we're at the you'll survive the initial blast but die horribly from radiation burns" point.

NOooooo, it was that cartoon that did it to us kids!!!!!

And BTW as a kid we didn't hate Russians. We knew they were torturing their own kids doing the same thing over there. Maybe we should have sent them those cartoons in hopes to give them something to laugh at too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKqXu-5jw60

https://youtu.be/IKqXu-5jw60

If Boris and Natasha helped instill Soviet fear in me as a child, posted on June 4, 2017 at 09:35:37
1973shovel Audiophile Posts: 10117 Location: Greenville SC Joined: February 25, 2007	Then the Russian gymnasts helped me get over it, once I hit puberty.

Indeed they did, Vinnie! (nt), posted on June 4, 2017 at 09:37:25
1973shovel Audiophile Posts: 10117 Location: Greenville SC Joined: February 25, 2007

Oh thank you, posted on June 4, 2017 at 10:14:14
airtime Audiophile Posts: 11287 Location: Arizona Joined: February 4, 2003	I needed that laugh

RE: You and the trumpster! , posted on June 4, 2017 at 10:32:12
DAK Audiophile Posts: 2712 Location: PACIFIC Joined: August 8, 2010	I thought Nadia Comaneche was the best.

RE: My point exactly , posted on June 4, 2017 at 10:39:09

pictureguy
Audiophile

Posts: 22597
Location: SoCal
Joined: October 19, 2008

Rasputin, yes.

But don't forget the timeline here.

Russia had an Atomic Bomb and than came 'The Atomic Cafe'. See that if you get a chance.
It is a collection of 40s / 50s propaganda.

Rocky came along in about 1959 or so.

Joseph Mccarthy was Room Temp well before Rocky aired. And his blacklist lived on.

So no, Rocky as CAUSE? No. Rocky as EFFECT? Sure, I'll go for that.
Too much is never enough

RE: I like moose and squirrel!, posted on June 4, 2017 at 10:42:09
pictureguy Audiophile Posts: 22597 Location: SoCal Joined: October 19, 2008	Exactly. As I say in another post, Rocky is an EFFECT. Not a CAUSE. Cold war had only been going on maybe 15 years before Rocky. By than? They had A-Bomb and we had Duck and Cover. They had Kruschev and we had McCarthy. They had Siberia and we had the Blacklist. Too much is never enough

I am not being serious just some lighthearted ruminations. , posted on June 4, 2017 at 11:00:02
DAK Audiophile Posts: 2712 Location: PACIFIC Joined: August 8, 2010	Although, it was very Nazi like how the military industrial complex used the media and government to get super rich off of the "red menace".

RE: I am not being serious just some lighthearted ruminations. , posted on June 4, 2017 at 12:25:58

pictureguy
Audiophile

Posts: 22597
Location: SoCal
Joined: October 19, 2008

I actually, now that I think about it, tend to feel that Rocky was a HEALTHY response to something the average / regular person could do NOTHING about.
Red Menace? Atomic War? Doomsday? Cold War? Hot War? Tepid War?
Let's at least get a laugh out of this stuff. And don't forget that the show was aimed at both Children, being a cartoon with 'funny' characters, AND adults with some amazing puns and what may be described as Adult Themes.

later? In the 60s you had 'Dr. Strangelove' and even ' Failsafe', 2 very differenct looks at what was then current events.

The Prisoner dealt with Totalitarian themes and free will.

I'm afraid I'm very serious about 'connections'. All this stuff IS connected and in obvious and less obvious ways.

Ike said it best and HERE we are today, STILL in the same grips.
Too much is never enough

RE: I am not being serious just some lighthearted ruminations. , posted on June 4, 2017 at 12:59:38
airtime Audiophile Posts: 11287 Location: Arizona Joined: February 4, 2003	The Prisoner - I was book TWICE to go to Portmeirion Wales. My wife caught the flu both times the day before we were to leave. As number 6 would say, "Be seeing you".

Now, you are getting serious., posted on June 4, 2017 at 13:22:10
DAK Audiophile Posts: 2712 Location: PACIFIC Joined: August 8, 2010	It is amazing to me that our nation, supposedly the "light of democracy" is in some ways, a kind of sham democracy as the people are shamelessly and rather easily manipulated by the media. The control of the media is and has been by interests and money that abhors democracy.

RE: I am not being serious just some lighthearted ruminations. , posted on June 4, 2017 at 13:24:29
pictureguy Audiophile Posts: 22597 Location: SoCal Joined: October 19, 2008	Threes the charm? Might want to eventually try again and book with the Mistress while giving wife a day for shopping in London or Edinburgh? I've got the complete box set of 'The Prisoner' including some stuff that was not aired. Too much is never enough

RE: Now, you are getting serious., posted on June 4, 2017 at 14:08:47

pictureguy
Audiophile

Posts: 22597
Location: SoCal
Joined: October 19, 2008

It's all for sale.
From the Justice System to the Tax Code.

Want a place to start?

Join a group dedicated to ridding ourselves of Citizens United.

I link the wiki since I hope that is least likely to get people stirred up though that is EXACTLY what this country needs.
Too much is never enough

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizens_United_v._FEC

I thought her mustache tickled too much (nt), posted on June 5, 2017 at 07:58:53
1973shovel Audiophile Posts: 10117 Location: Greenville SC Joined: February 25, 2007

You're very welcome (nt), posted on June 5, 2017 at 07:59:44
1973shovel Audiophile Posts: 10117 Location: Greenville SC Joined: February 25, 2007

RE: I like moose and squirrel!, posted on June 13, 2017 at 19:06:10
Mechans Audiophile Posts: 1804 Location: East Coast Joined: May 23, 2004	I think it could be rational. (Not to get political but.... I was just reading today about a super sensitive listening station we are installing on an Arctic Norwegian Island to monitor their Nuclear subs each has 12 ICBMs which can carry multiple warheads. To put it mildly the Russians are not happy. Prey Tell..)

RE: How to determine when a re-tubing is required, posted on June 13, 2017 at 19:16:25
Mechans Audiophile Posts: 1804 Location: East Coast Joined: May 23, 2004	Firstly Sylvania isn't being very smart in the ad. If you waited until your gear, or radio set, in those days, sounded like a duck, you waited way too long to get new tubes. I guess I was not getting overly political.

RE: How to determine when a re-tubing is required, posted on August 25, 2017 at 12:55:12

Audio Pete
Manufacturer

Posts: 152
Location: Long Island,NY
Joined: May 22, 2015

A re-tubing is required when the performance of the device drops (i.e. lower level; excessive distortion). If it's an amp, then the power tubes usually wear out first. Followed by the rectifier tube (if applicable). Finally, the miniature preamp tubes.
Figure on the power tubes lasting about 1000-2000 hrs; rectifier maybe 2000-5000 hrs; preamp tubes can last up to 10,000 hrs.
That's why its good to have a checkup done on your equipment every 1000 hrs or so. You'll have to estimate the time elapsed by the amount of hours per week x 4 weeks x 12 months to get a yearly figure. Or rig an Elapsed Time meter to the system.

RE: How to determine when a re-tubing is required, posted on September 13, 2017 at 18:37:43
Permanent Waves Audiophile Posts: 155 Location: Keystone state Joined: December 23, 2016	That sign is awesome I would kill to own that as I collect Disney stuff too. Any idea what year it's from? Sitting here on the Group W bench

RE: How to determine when a re-tubing is required, posted on September 14, 2017 at 09:53:05

Bill Way
Audiophile

Posts: 1884
Location: Toms River NJ
Joined: May 28, 2012
Contributor
Since: December 14, 2012

First, have a spare set of tubes on hand. Sooner or later you'll need 'em, so just do it. Also have B+ fuses on hand - when a tube fails, you'll need it. It's also a good idea to have spare cathode resistors on hand (frequently a big 10-ohm connected to the cathode pin) which can fail if the fuse doesn't open fast enough.

Output (power) tubes I've had have all sounded pretty good right up until they fail outright, or until they will no longer let you set correct bias levels. I've had some bad out of the box, others fail in a week, and one set of KT-90s that put on close to 10k hours.

Small signal tubes tend to get noisy with age. If you're starting to hear hiss levels increase, it's probably a good time to try new ones. Life spans are all over the place, but in circuits that don't run them too hard, they should give gears of good performance.

Finally, you can extend tube life with forced-air cooling. The fans from Antec, designed for computers are very close to silent. I use a couple of them on top of my preamp.

WW
"Put on your high heeled sneakers. Baby, we''re goin'' out tonight.

Tubes Asylum

How to determine when a re-tubing is required

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