Darned TUBES!!!!!!!! %$!^*^&%@#

[anarchist]

Anyone who has a steady state amp .... [8-)]

Steady State Amp? As opposed to the Big Bang Amp? (sorry Meagain, cosmology joke)

Nice. Thats what I get for posting here and trying to work at the same time. I better check I didn't insert "solid state" into my presentation on outsourcing.

[seti]

If you have had repeated problems for God sake send them to Craig. In the years I have had tube gear I have only had one or two tubes go microphonic and that is not a failure just noisy. If you like solid state go for it but you'll spend more to get that "tube like" sound. Seriously though at least tlet Craig look at them.

[Arky]

I vote for the solid state route - or at least the digital amp route. Far less hassle and it's gonna sound better too.

LOL. You're in parrot mode right?

[DrWho]

I vote for the solid state route - or at least the digital amp route. Far less hassle and it's gonna sound better too.

LOL Who... Better? How do you explain this statement? Have you heard VRDs? I think they sound pretty darned good.

Back to looking for a fuse today. And maybe an amp switcher. No sense running tubes when I'm watching cable news.

I have heard VRDs at AKFest on Craig's frankenscalas, but I should let Craig tell you whether or not they were shining their best. I believe I mentioned that they were the first tube amp I've heard that I might enjoy, or something to that effect. Basically they don't have the many colorations that I typical associate with tube amps. But apart from the nostalgia and extra maintenance, I don't think tubes offer anything you couldn't get from quality SS. Heck, that Behringer EQ device you've got wired up is going to impart far more nasties than any decent amplifier...

You're not spinning vinyl are you?

[DrWho]

I vote for the solid state route - or at least the digital amp route. Far less hassle and it's gonna sound better too.

LOL. You're in parrot mode right?

lol []

I think Paul would have recommended SET though...

[Spongeworthy]

My 2 cents.

Did Lisa fly off the handle a little? Yes, a little.

Should she have sent and should she send to Craig for a checkup? Yes and absolutely.

Did Craig react harshly? Yes

Was it justified? Yes, a little. I would be a little frustrated too but Lisa clearly didn't throw him under the bus.

Now the SS versus Tube arguement. I'm not on any side, but in my experience, you will need to spend far more $$ on SS gear to get a quality hifi system. I have VRDs on the way and can't wait and just sold a great KT88 stereo amp. I also own a little TEAC and a pair of Monarchy Audio Class A SS Monos. All sound great, but different. The Monarchys sound awesome and are the first SS amps that I can afford that I love. These would be a great choice for great, low maintenance sound. I use the TEAC for multi channel experimenting. It's a shockingly good little amp.

I don't care what or how you use it as long as you are enjoying the music.

I know it's frustrating, but try to have fun which is what it's all about.

Cheers.

[meagain]

Found the fuses (still not sure how I had none on hand). Put the fuse in and it works. No weird pops yet to indicate a bad tube. So I'm questioning a tube going bad. Then maybe it was a surge of some type. I guess the fuse concept is a good safety net? Though if a surge, I'd think both would get hit.

[smilin]

send the amps to Craig, stop by, and borrow another set, do a little wrk, have a little fun and stop bitching already[:'(]

[lwhaples]

Dose this mean your going to still wing it? All my tube gear has had to have check ups,from time to time. But I still feel the sound of tubes is worth it.

Larry

[johnyholiday]

[]

Could be a little VRD on the way, morning sickness

[Audio Flynn]

I turn my amps on every day I am in town. I listen for between 2 and 8 hours every day. I haven't had a single tube go bad in my power amps in SEVEN YEARS. I have had ONE power tube go bad in SIXTEEN YEARS (a Mullard EL37) and one 12BH7 and one rectifier (GEC U52) in SIXTEEN YEARS. I have had TWO tubes go bad in my preamp in ELEVEN YEARS (both within a week of each other this year).

Pretty darn reliable. I use nothing but high quality vintage American and European tubes.

Maybe some power is just nasty in areas of the country. I think Furman makes good industrial grade reasonable priced voltage regulators. I do not have power problems so I have not had to buy one yet?

I have changed on rectifier tube in my Scott LK-48 in 4 years and no tubes in my Scott 208 since I bought it from Craig 2.5 years ago. I think since I do not "tube roll" pins stay better seated in the sockets which perhaps helps.

[Spongeworthy]

[]

Could be a little VRD on the way, morning sickness

That is really funny. []

[Piranha]

Send the amps up to NOSValves.com right away

[maxg]

Far be it from me to suggest that if it was a power surge that knocked out a fuse in your amp then this could just have easily happened with and technology be it SS, Tube or digital.

Having said that - send the amp to Craig to get it checked out - why risk it?

[NOSValves]

Whether it was a power surge or not no one will ever know. One thing is a absolute these problems have been cropping up for the best part of a year in this situation. The smart thing too do is have the amps checked and serviced to confirm that they are operating properly. These amps are close to 3 years old and very well could have some type of problem but it will be the first. To date I have had 6 amps returned for various reasons in 3 years. 2- had a bias control snap lose from the chassis not long after the amps were delivered (my fault), 1- was returned reporting no sound, nothing was found wrong with it, placed back in service when returned and never had a problem again, 1- was returned out of the first 2 pairs of amp sold nearly 3 years ago and had a quirk failure in the power supply 2 weeks after delivery (defective capacitor). 2- were simply sent here for a check up after the sale and being forwarded on to the new owner (I cleaned and tensioned the sockets and replaced one tube).

No way to know without testing if the amps are having a problem or some other set circumstances are causing these weird tube problems. To keep using them at this point is just plain ridicules.

Lisa you have one last chance at this. SEND THE AMPS IN and quit procrastinating. But be ready to be without them for a couple weeks. I'm not going to mess around if they come here they are going to play in my system for at least a week after I do a basic check up. Some times a problem can be intermittent so in this case if I do not find an obvious bad component then play time will be required.

Craig

[Audio Flynn]

Far be it from me to suggest that if it was a power surge that knocked out a fuse in your amp then this could just have easily happened with and technology be it SS, Tube or digital.

Having said that - send the amp to Craig to get it checked out - why risk it?

An analogy sometimes helps put things in perspective.

If we drove a vehicle of any type 4-12 hours per day and 300 days per year, we may take it in for a serious evaluation one every 2-3 years from a competent technician. Same is probably a good idea for audio components. I take my best CD players in for service every 3 years as well.