mkane Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 Tubes are not a headache. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 (edited) Tubes are not a headache. Listening to them you are correct but.... long term maintenance compared to SS is entirely different story.... I know first hand since I've restored, repaired and maintained about 3000 of them in the last 16 years... Edited February 16, 2016 by NOSValves Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 Tubes are not a headache. I got 30+ years out of my Carver (SS) amp without touching it. I don't know of any tube amps that could make that claim. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Naseum Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 Tubes are not a headache. He he...imagine installing a vacuum tube computer in the house! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkane Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 Nice pic. My first tube amp, bought 10 years ago still goes strong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Naseum Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 I kinda sorta maybe understand tube amplifiers in a record playing system, as records were made largely on tube gear and the distortion sigs would be complimentary. But modern digital music? That's where I can't hear the benefits of tubes. JOMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToolShedAmps Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 I kinda sorta maybe understand tube amplifiers in a record playing system, as records were made largely on tube gear and the distortion sigs would be complimentary. But modern digital music? That's where I can't hear the benefits of tubes. JOMO. If you haven't heard Techno, Electronica, Dub Step or Black Industrial on a "Slamin' Tube System" you have yet to live..... 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Naseum Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 Of that list, the only one I am unfamiliar with is "Black Industrial." Sounds interesting though. As to the others, I never noticed that tubes did anything that was addictive, or must have compared to SS amps. OTOH, playing a vocal record through a tube set sounded lush in the way that vocals can sound sometimes. But, the allure has many facets, so everyone can find joy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tube fanatic Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 Tubes are not a headache. I got 30+ years out of my Carver (SS) amp without touching it. I don't know of any tube amps that could make that claim. I do--- :D :D ! Mkane is correct, but it is amplifier dependent. With single ended, cathode biased, output stages there is no headache, maintenance, or anything else required. Turn it on and enjoy it as you would any SS amplifier. If we take as an example 500 hours of use per year times 30 years, we're talking about 15k hours. That's very easily attainable from single ended output tubes if they are being run conservatively. The same applies to electrolytic caps, which are often a weak link. If of good quality, and operating conservatively, they can last for 50k hours or much more over a 30 year time period. Back in the 60s I serviced countless radios (many with the typical poorly ventilated cabinets) which saw service for 10+ hours/day and only needed a tube replacement after 5 or more years (and it often wasn't the output tube). Maynard 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 I'll defer to Maynard's expertise in this matter. I wasn't aware that a tube amp could go 30+ years without needing a tube replacement of any kind. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthews Posted February 16, 2016 Author Share Posted February 16, 2016 The kids got some new "glasses" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richieb Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 Tubes are not a headache. He he...imagine installing a vacuum tube computer in the house! I wonder if that is a single ended computer? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Naseum Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 The kids got some new "glasses" ol green eyes (Medium).jpg I meant to say earlier, those are far and away the coolest tube amps I ever have seen. They have just the right vibe. Well done Mr. Tool Shed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 I kinda sorta maybe understand tube amplifiers in a record playing system, as records were made largely on tube gear and the distortion sigs would be complimentary. But modern digital music? That's where I can't hear the benefits of tubes. JOMO.If you haven't heard Techno, Electronica, Dub Step or Black Industrial on a "Slamin' Tube System" you have yet to live..... I'm with you brother! As far as I know any self respecting electric guitar player still uses good old tubes on his head amp....even though the music will end up in the digital domain... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 (edited) Tubes are not a headache.I got 30+ years out of my Carver (SS) amp without touching it. I don't know of any tube amps that could make that claim. I do--- :D :D ! Mkane is correct, but it is amplifier dependent. With single ended, cathode biased, output stages there is no headache, maintenance, or anything else required. Turn it on and enjoy it as you would any SS amplifier. If we take as an example 500 hours of use per year times 30 years, we're talking about 15k hours. That's very easily attainable from single ended output tubes if they are being run conservatively. The same applies to electrolytic caps, which are often a weak link. If of good quality, and operating conservatively, they can last for 50k hours or much more over a 30 year time period. Back in the 60s I serviced countless radios (many with the typical poorly ventilated cabinets) which saw service for 10+ hours/day and only needed a tube replacement after 5 or more years (and it often wasn't the output tube). Maynard . Yes right somehow that simple circuit design never has a tube wear out, a part fail or contacts oxidize... tube amps of any topology require more periodic care then any SS gear... Hell the headache of taking care of tube gear was much of the reason SS gear took over the market place back in the late 60's early 70's denying that is just delusional to put it mildly. Edited February 17, 2016 by NOSValves Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToolShedAmps Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 The kids got some new "glasses" ol green eyes (Medium).jpg I meant to say earlier, those are far and away the coolest tube amps I ever have seen. They have just the right vibe. Well done Mr. Tool Shed. Thank you very much! My goal has always been to build an amplifier (or Line-Stage, or Phono-Stage) that looks as good as it sounds. Frankly, we now live in a world where everything is "disposable" (ie., not worth repairing). So many "black boxes" have been churned out of Asian factories over the last 30yrs.+ that we as American consumers have been brainwashed into accepting this new paradigm whereby mediocre performance is acceptable because of the low initial cost of purchase (and if it breaks, or if we "drink the cool-aid" and want the new "feature" or processing algorithm) then we can just kick it to the curb and buy a new one at low cost. I think there is something inherently wrong with this mentality. I grew up in a time when I watched my parents and maybe more importantly, my grand-parents work very hard for their money and when they made a purchase, they bought the best that they could afford with the idea that they would buy that item ONCE. Years ago, there were repair facilities for everything from furniture to vacuum cleaners and everything in between. What has happened? With this in mind, I created ToolShed Amps. Designed and built to outlive us all. An AMERICAN aesthetic, derivative of nothing, as finely crafted and detail oriented as I can manage (you "Car-Guys" will understand this), one piece at a time. Thanks again, TS Matt. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Naseum Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 What do those beauties go for? $$$$$ Sent from my SM-T330NU using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToolShedAmps Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 What do those beauties go for? $$$$$ Sent from my SM-T330NU using Tapatalk I really enjoy this forum, and as such, I wish to observe the rules. Please either send me a "private message" or email to: toolshedamps@gmail.com Thanks for your understanding, TS Matt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkane Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 Great read everyone. Very enjoyable. NOSValves. Any recommendations as far as periodic maintenance goes for tube amps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToolShedAmps Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 Also not to answer for NOSValves, but simply to agree with William and Maynard. The enemy of any electronics is heat. Especially so regarding electrolytic capacitors. As an electrolytic capacitor ages, the electrolyte itself starts to "dry up", heat compounds and speeds up that process (this is why as an example; Fender mounted the main power supply electrolytic caps under a cover on TOP of the amplifier chassis where they would be easier to access and replace after failure). A good design would take into account the need to replace these caps eventually. Equally as important would be to place the capacitors in a location that would either ventilate them (convection cooling) or prevent them from being in the direct path of heat elements (ie., large power resistors, inductors, etc.) of the physical layout of the design itself. Additionally, beyond the obvious solution to exclude electrolytic capacitors entirely from a design (possible, however improbable, mostly based on "cost" or even physical size), minimizing their use to the only absolutely necessary applications is not out of the question. As far as "maintenance" goes, the only suggestion I can think of (for you "tube-rollers" out there) is to make sure that the pins of the tubes themselves are free of "gunk" when you insert them in your tube sockets. Additionally, unless the amp is built with very high-quality tube sockets (mil-spec vintage, or some of the newer designer PTFE sockets with adjustable inserts) you need to be very careful to not bend or "side-load" the contacts when inserting or removing the tubes. This can lead to poor contact which is the primary reason why tube amps either don't work or have "intermittent" problems. As an aside, there are a couple of aftermarket companies that make very good products to clean the contact points of both the sockets and tubes themselves. DON'T consider this stuff "Audiophoolery". Every amp-tech on the planet has a case of electrical contact cleaner next to his/her solder pot. Cheers! TS Matt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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