Me Loves Heresy's Posted May 14, 2007 Share Posted May 14, 2007 Hey, I have been busy with school but i have some time to post, ; i just turned on my amp and there was a big blue flash of light...( no not a U.F.O.....sadly) it was one of my tubes. You dont appreciate something you got until you lose it (unlles it is sound gear, then you can just go to a bose shop (- ; ) So if you guys halve any suggestons for new tubes let me know, .......And i mean for my amp, ..............Or of course a new amp for my dad (because I'm next in the food chain (- ; ) PC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mas Posted May 14, 2007 Share Posted May 14, 2007 And all along I thought that blue light was part of the charm! I appreciate you pain! There are a few good sources. One that has great prices and great service is Antique Electronic Supply. http://www.tubesandmore.com/ I am sure others will chime in with a few others that I cannot remember off the top of my head! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seti Posted May 14, 2007 Share Posted May 14, 2007 Get the credit card from your dad and order some new tubes : ).. If the tube isn't too pricey get a couple.... oh nevermind it is your dads card..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted May 14, 2007 Share Posted May 14, 2007 I've been pleased with price and service from these folks: http://www.tubedepot.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Me Loves Heresy's Posted May 14, 2007 Author Share Posted May 14, 2007 Thanks i dont know the card`s limit. (- : what would sound good (or better) than i had?..............for under the credit card limit )-: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbuckster Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 Just got an order from www.tubedepot.com great prices and quick service....or try www.dougstubes.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Me Loves Heresy's Posted May 30, 2007 Author Share Posted May 30, 2007 Well, my dad, Me Loves Khorns, ordered a new tube. He got it from TubeDepot. It was a 5AR4 tube. He also put in a new fuse. Currently admiring all of the tubes glowing orange with the lights off. Listening to Sting...... Of course.... COOL =-b PC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 Great to have tubes glowing again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lwhaples Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 Good to hear you are enjoying the tube sound again. Enjoy! Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 Was the tube that blew an original mullard or a modern replacement? If it was an original mullard chances are something in the amp was stressing the tube and caused it to blow so be aware with the new mordern production 5AR4 the problem could quickly resurface those modern production 5AR4 are just not even remotely as tough as the good old Mullard 5AR4. One thing you need to refrain from doing is turn the amp back on from a hot state always allow 5 minutes or kore for the 5AR4 to cool a bit so its slow start feature will work. If you turn it on hot it slams the tube and causes it to flash over and ruin it, especially with the modern production tubes. That said I hope you just had a tired tube. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 One thing you need to refrain from doing is turn the amp back on from a hot state always allow 5 minutes or kore for the 5AR4 to cool a bit so its slow start feature will work. If you turn it on hot it slams the tube and causes it to flash over and ruin it, especially with the modern production tubes. Not to hijack the thread but can you expand on this just a bit more? It's always confused me. I would have thought, just like an automobile in winter...once it's cozy & warm you can just jump in fire it up and take off without a concern about 'warmup'. Seems I'm wrong. Would this logic apply to ALL tube amps? For example, I"ve got this Mc-2102 with Mcintosh branded tubes in it. Sometimes I change speakers and yank a single Jubilee 402 out and put that lead to my LaScala downstairs. Both are on banana plugs so I can do it in matter of moments. I've done it two different ways, simply leave the amp turned on (volume down) and flip the speaker leads or I've also turned the 2012 off, flipped leads and turned it right back on again. (the 2102 feeds the K402 on the Jube and when I send it down to the LaScala, I change settings in the Dx-38 and make that line a full signal so the passive on the LaScala does the work) Are BOTH of those evils to avoid? (amp on, no speaker attached and the quick turn off, switch wires & turn on) ?? If they're both bad, is one worse than the other? Although I don't understand the logic why what you say above is true, I certainly can't doubt it since I'm so ignorant of this stuff. I'd hate to blow something out of my further ignorance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 Tube rectifiers and especially slow start types are designs to ramp up the voltage slowly. They do this via the warm up process. When you turn them on hot the entire slow start is bypassed and to add insult to injury all the other tubes in the amp are hot and ready for instant action and place full current demands on the rectifier tubes. This event is sure death if repeated especially with the not so stellar modern production versions. Mullard hold up to it better but still suffer from fatigue from doing so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Me Loves Khorns Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 PC, my son, aka Me Loves Heresy's... turned the amp on from a cold start. He saw a blue flash coming from what he was pretty sure was that tube, the 5AR4. So, got a new one, a J J Electronics. The old tube was not a Mullard. His Dynaco is a remake, or new version, rather than an original one. His tube that blew was a Chinese made Golden Dragon. So, I put in the new tube, and it would not start. I then checked the fuse. It had blown. Put in a new one, works just fine now. I suppose the original tube could be OK, have not tried with the old tube in with the new fuse yet... Any ideas? Thanks for the input from me and the young one. Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted June 2, 2007 Share Posted June 2, 2007 PC, my son, aka Me Loves Heresy's... turned the amp on from a cold start. He saw a blue flash coming from what he was pretty sure was that tube, the 5AR4. So, got a new one, a J J Electronics. The old tube was not a Mullard. His Dynaco is a remake, or new version, rather than an original one. His tube that blew was a Chinese made Golden Dragon. So, I put in the new tube, and it would not start. I then checked the fuse. It had blown. Put in a new one, works just fine now. I suppose the original tube could be OK, have not tried with the old tube in with the new fuse yet... Any ideas? Thanks for the input from me and the young one. Paul No No throw the old tube in the trash. You most likely just had a modern production tube fail and the amplifier is just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Me Loves Khorns Posted June 2, 2007 Share Posted June 2, 2007 OK, Thanks, Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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