|
Post by Chilly Gibbons (Todd T.) on Nov 26, 2018 17:03:19 GMT -7
In my Maz 8. It went very quietly, just died out softly during practice. So uneventfully in fact that at first I suspected it was a preamp tube. No arcing, redplating, no drama at all.
|
|
|
Post by dcarver on Nov 27, 2018 1:19:00 GMT -7
Chilly, how many hours do you think you had on it ?
|
|
|
Post by Chilly Gibbons (Todd T.) on Nov 27, 2018 2:04:05 GMT -7
Quite a few, but driven really hard most of the time. I’m guessing 750 or so.
|
|
|
Post by heynewguy (Ol’ Bill) on Nov 27, 2018 4:46:51 GMT -7
Wow! I thought these were good for 5000 hours?
|
|
|
Post by Chilly Gibbons (Todd T.) on Nov 27, 2018 4:56:52 GMT -7
Me too, but they do work much harder in single ended applications.
|
|
|
Post by mudman on Nov 27, 2018 8:34:21 GMT -7
Wow! I thought these were good for 5000 hours? Just a guideline.
|
|
|
Post by Maddog on Nov 27, 2018 8:42:56 GMT -7
No arcing, redplating, no drama at all. Sad......
|
|
|
Post by zpilot on Nov 28, 2018 0:09:21 GMT -7
I would have to see a tube last 5000 hours before I would believe it. I don't care what anyone says. Just call me a doubting Thomas. It doesn't matter though. Based on what these cost, and that I'm only using one in my MAZ 8, I'll change them at 500 hours and still call it a good deal.
|
|
|
Post by heynewguy (Ol’ Bill) on Nov 28, 2018 4:31:39 GMT -7
I would have to see a tube last 5000 hours before I would believe it. I don't care what anyone says. Just call me a doubting Thomas. It doesn't matter though. Based on what these cost, and that I'm only using one in my MAZ 8, I'll change them at 500 hours and still call it a good deal. I agree. It is a very good sounding tube.
|
|
|
Post by premiumplus (Dave) on Nov 29, 2018 17:35:00 GMT -7
500 hours isn't bad considering that Brad Paisley's amp technician replaces his tubes every 30 hours. I'm running them in most of my EL-84 type Z amps and haven't had to replace one yet. They still sound new too which is great. Usually my EL-84s start losing their edge after 50-100 hours or so.
|
|
|
Post by zpilot on Dec 28, 2018 0:36:34 GMT -7
I have been running one tube of a matched pair in my MAZ 8. I probably have 200-250 hours on it. I took it out and put the other one in and I could not perceive any difference. I thought this was a good test. Tube performance degrades so gradually that it is hard to tell when there is a change. Usually for me it becomes apparent when I start needing to make significant EQ changes to compensate. I will put the first tube back in and continue to run it until I have 500 hours on it. I'll swap tubes again then to see if there is any noticeable difference.
|
|
|
Post by perryr on Dec 29, 2018 21:01:24 GMT -7
Some of the old tubes were rated for 10,000 hrs. Back when everything had tubes there was plenty of tube gear that ran 24x7, never turn it off, that’s 9000hrs a year. I’m no Xpert, but I’d wager that the operating conditions of that 24/7 equipment (voltage, current etc) were more inline with the tube specs, at least when compared with a guitar amp that might be biased up pretty hot.
What is tube life.. till the tube dies? There really isn’t a spec that says it’s time to replace a tube, other than it’s dead or it just don’t sound as good as a fresh tube. But just because it don’t sound as good doesn’t mean it’s not a functionally useful tube. So that whole hours thing is a little misleading IMO, it’s rock’n’roll, my tubes likely start misbehaving from cabinet vibration, transporting, power up and down, cranking that volume with the attenuator 3 clicks in.. I’m sure the specs weren’t based on the way I’ve deployed em!!
|
|