[arcorob]

  Man, I wish some of you guys are over here. I still don't know what to do with my channel imbalance maybe you guys can use your modding skillzz to take it apart and take a look at it.

Simple question...have you tried a different tube? What channel imbalance?

 

[NCSUZoSo]

Guys I can't believe it!  My Aune T1 arrived today with both of my NOS tubes and my tube dampening rings, all together!!  Only bad part is I can't put the protective part around the tube with how thick these dampening rings are (they are "aerospace" grade).
 
I'll let you know my first impressions after I rotate through the 3 tubes I have available.  After I fix some lunch and settle down to let my SoundMAGIC HP100s rip!
 
Really excited to come home from work and find this outside!!
 
 
BTW I think I am going to go with the dampening rings over the plastic like shield, because that shield really protects nothing, I actually snapped one (glad you get an extra set) trying to fit it around the rings.

 

[arcorob]

  Guys I can't believe it!  My Aune T1 arrived today with both of my NOS tubes and my tube dampening rings, all together!!  Only bad part is I can't put the protective part around the tube with how thick these dampening rings are (they are "aerospace" grade).
 
I'll let you know my first impressions after I rotate through the 3 tubes I have available.  After I fix some lunch and settle down to let my SoundMAGIC HP100s rip!
 
Really excited to come home from work and find this outside!!
 
 
BTW I think I am going to go with the dampening rings over the plastic like shield, because that shield really protects nothing, I actually snapped one (glad you get an extra set) trying to fit it around the rings.

Plastic shields are for sissies..LOL
 
Glad to hear....just a reminder...everything requires break in. You will have an initial impression (should be a good one) but after 20 to 40 hours of good play, it will bloom....caps DO have to form...and if you have any NEW or VERY NOS tubes, they will also break in...
 
CONGRATS...
 
Again, shields are for sissies...no matter what size,,..LOL
 

 

[NCSUZoSo]

Here she is with the Amperex ECC88 6DJ8 in it, I snapped this before sitting down to watch True Detective and then I'll start playing with my new toys

 

 
BTW I have noticed we have a few tube "noobies" in here and guys you don't want to touch tubes with your bare hands due to the oil on your hands.  It is best to put on latex gloves or cotton if you have them.  You can using rubbing alcohol to clean the oil off, but you may take off the labeling on the tube.

 

[q2klepto]

Is replacing the tube on these Aune T1s just simply plug and play or is there some soldering involved? 

 

[tonephile]

Plug and play. My socket is pretty tight, so use caution. Definitely worth putting in a better tube. I think with the better tubes, this compares with units costing 3-5x. 

 

[Chs177]

  I think with the better tubes, this compares with units costing 3-5x. 

You can find good tube for $10 shipped and can spend 300-600$. It's you choice.

 

[arcorob]

New tube arrived. Its a replacement for a Mullard I bought that was bad. So he sent me this as a replacement  - Mullard Seimens 6DJ8 in incredible shape. - gave that cool startup FLASH
 

 

[lwrs10]

  Here she is with the Amperex ECC88 6DJ8 in it, I snapped this before sitting down to watch True Detective and then I'll start playing with my new toys

 

 
BTW I have noticed we have a few tube "noobies" in here and guys you don't want to touch tubes with your bare hands due to the oil on your hands.  It is best to put on latex gloves or cotton if you have them.  You can using rubbing alcohol to clean the oil off, but you may take off the labeling on the tube.

 
Tubes do not run hot enough to worry about oils on your fingers. The only thing to worry about is wiping off the label. I have never used gloves handling thousands of tubes.

 

[arcorob]

   
Tubes do not run hot enough to worry about oils on your fingers. The only thing to worry about is wiping off the label. I have never used gloves handling thousands of tubes.

I am glad you said it first...LOL
 
For decades, people handled tubes, dirty hands, etc. The were not aficionado's, they were average people where all their STUFF had tubes...Only with the rise in vintage gear have these rituals come to be...LOL

 

[djvkool]

I'm pretty n00b when it comes to tube, but what is the best place to buy the tubes, and is there connector type that I need to worry about, or do they all use the same connector?

 

[mhamel]

 
I am glad you said it first...LOL
 
For decades, people handled tubes, dirty hands, etc. The were not aficionado's, they were average people where all their STUFF had tubes...Only with the rise in vintage gear have these rituals come to be...LOL

 
+1  - I think the myth about tubes comes from the very true direction not to get skin oils on high temperature bulbs like projector laps, halogen bulbs, etc.
 
In that case, the glass envelope gets so hot that it can interact with the oils to increase the temperature enough where it can crack/fail.   The replacement lamps for my home theater projector come with a set of thin cotton gloves similar to what's used in photo labs to keep fingerprints off of photo prints.  Makes me wonder how many support calls/bulb replacements those $0.10 gloves have saved them, I'm guessing quite a few.   
 
Most tubes aren't anywhere near as fragile as they might seem to be.   The printing/labels on NOS tubes can be extremely fragile and easily rub off with a finger, but I've found that once they go through testing and get heated up, that becomes less of an issue.   Side note - I had ordered a pair of 1962 Dario E188CCs from Europe.  The seller "packed" them in a small bubble-wrap lined envelope, as-is, nothing else protecting them, not even in boxes and dropped them in the mail.   They arrived unscathed.  I consider it very lucky that they did, but at the same time, NOS tubes were built to be rugged and to last.
 
     -Mike

 

[teb1013]

I'm pretty n00b when it comes to tube, but what is the best place to buy the tubes, and is there connector type that I need to worry about, or do they all use the same connector?

You need a 6DJ8 type tube for the Aune T1. This tube is also listed as E88CC, 6922, 7308 and others.
Take a look at the thread opener which talks about some different sources and tube types. Depending on where you live there are various dealers. If you are from Australia you can put this in the in thread search and you should find recommendations for dealers. The following provides a basic summary of the 6DJ8 type tubes which work with the Aune T1. http://www.upscaleaudio.com/pages/6922-Tube-Types.html I wouldn't recommend upscale audio for those out of the US. Shipping is too high. There are many tubes discussed on this thread, but the tube starter is

 

[NCSUZoSo]

I buy all my tubes (mainly guitar amp tubes) off of Ebay from sellers who have high ratings and test their tubes on Hickoks or similar.  There is a seller named greengirl613 who is very highly rated for selling tubes and I personally recommend her.  Some people are nay sayers towards Ebay, but I have found some great sounding tubes at very reasonable prices.  However for tubes like my Power/Output tubes on my Fender Blues Jr, I paid a nice premium for highly rated NOS US GE EL84s (from greengirl613).
 
 
For example here is my RCA/Amperex tube:
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/161206328275?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649
 
 
Guys sadly I was too tired last night to test the Aune T1, so I am going to test it at work when I have time, lol.  I will also being using the DAC side with it going USB.  I will report back once I have an initial impression.
 
I do have one question, what gain settings do you recommend for SoundMAGIC HP100's (32Ω).  I'm guessing 0dB?

 

[NCSUZoSo]

   
Tubes do not run hot enough to worry about oils on your fingers. The only thing to worry about is wiping off the label. I have never used gloves handling thousands of tubes.

 
You mean *these* tubes (6922/E88CC/etc.)?  Because I am highly involved in tube amps for guitars which use EL84/EL34/6V6/6L6/etc. and those tubes reach a completely different temperature from preamp tubes in a guitar amp (12AX7/12AY7/etc.)  You are probably right about the oil on your hands not mattering on these low heat output tubes, but I'll stick my policy of not touching tube directly.  There are guys that have been working on amps since when NOS was current production (lol) who I know that all agree with not touching tubes.
 
However there is one thing I mentioned a few days back that would still apply to these lower heat tubes.  When the tube is "hot" it is way more likely to be damaged (microphonics) than if you let them cool off first before pulling/moving them.