[atarione]

so... something I have never been able to get a clear idea about?  perhaps someone can help me out here with it.
 
How Long should the Tubes last in a DV336 (assuming NOS USA tubes).. in this case GE 6AS7G and RCA 6SN7GT .. this amp gets used several hours at least a day (up to 6~ working from home most days)
 
should I expect to have these tubes last years or months or ???   I can't imagine back in the day if people would have been happy if the tubes in their TV's or stereo's ate it every couple months.. so I'm guessing?? the tubes last awhile...    I realize there are probably a lot of variables and differences in individual tubes.. but a ball park would be helpful...
 
 
so I thought about it a minute (probably should have done that before.. but whatever) blah blah so now I think I have reached my own conclusion ...that time will tell I guess?
 
so assuming the tubes have a 10,000hr or such rating.. and the got used 6hrs a day.. they would in theory last about 4 1/2 yrs...  since it is not usually actually 6~ hours but something less... the tubes at least in theory should soldier on for years vs months???

 

[Mr Rick]

  so... something I have never been able to get a clear idea about?  perhaps someone can help me out here with it.
 
How Long should the Tubes last in a DV336 (assuming NOS USA tubes).. in this case GE 6AS7G and RCA 6SN7GT .. this amp gets used several hours at least a day (up to 6~ working from home most days)
 
should I expect to have these tubes last years or months or ???   I can't imagine back in the day if people would have been happy if the tubes in their TV's or stereo's ate it every couple months.. so I'm guessing?? the tubes last awhile...    I realize there are probably a lot of variables and differences in individual tubes.. but a ball park would be helpful...

Typically 10,000 hours. I have tube radios built in the 1950's that still have original tubes.

 

[atarione]

  Typically 10,000 hours. I have tube radios built in the 1950's that still have original tubes.

kewl.. thanks for the reply... i feel better having seen this / thought about it myself for a minute... I didn't want to have be be buying tubes....  these tubes are pretty rugged little buggers it seems..

 

[gerryS]

Hey guys I need some help
 
My darkvoice came in from massdrop a few weeks ago and I have been enjoying it, but the last time I unplugged my headphones while they were still on I got this really loud popping sound that came through my headphones, it was so loud that my ears were ringing afterwards and I was afraid the headphones might have been damaged. The next time I used the darkvoice I turned the volume all the way down and flipped it off using the switch and the same exact thing happened. Has anyone else had this problem or know what might be causing this? Now I'm afraid that I'll break my headphones if I use the amp again, and I don't know if I can return it.

 

[rudra]

May I suggest that you don't have your HP connected when switching off/on. Since the DV is a OTL the HP is coupled direct to the tubes. There is a possibility that one of your tubes are faulty. If you have access to another set of tubes you can test them.

 

[gvl2016]

  Hey guys I need some help
 
My darkvoice came in from massdrop a few weeks ago and I have been enjoying it, but the last time I unplugged my headphones while they were still on I got this really loud popping sound that came through my headphones, it was so loud that my ears were ringing afterwards and I was afraid the headphones might have been damaged. The next time I used the darkvoice I turned the volume all the way down and flipped it off using the switch and the same exact thing happened. Has anyone else had this problem or know what might be causing this? Now I'm afraid that I'll break my headphones if I use the amp again, and I don't know if I can return it.

 
Could be due to a bad connection in a socket, a slight vibration such as flipping the switch could cause a pop, this has been my experience anyway. Try tapping on the top plate with your finger and see if you can reproduce the popping sound while the amp is on, or gently rock the tubes in the sockets this can cause it too. If so get some deoxit and clean tube pins with it, if there is visible oxidation on the pins you can use very fine sandpaper to clean it before applying deoxit. Apply deoxit inside the socket too, I wouldn't use the spray type, they sell a "battery" kit for like $4 with applicators, they work well inside the socket. Socket contact retention might help too.

 

[gerryS]

   
Could be due to a bad connection in a socket, a slight vibration such as flipping the switch could cause a pop, this has been my experience anyway. Try tapping on the top plate with your finger and see if you can reproduce the popping sound while the amp is on, or gently rock the tubes in the sockets this can cause it too. If so get some deoxit and clean tube pins with it, if there is visible oxidation on the pins you can use very fine sandpaper to clean it before applying deoxit. Apply deoxit inside the socket too, I wouldn't use the spray type, they sell a "battery" kit for like $4 with applicators, they work well inside the socket. Socket contact retention might help too.

 
I have a cheap pair of $10 headphones laying around that I have been testing with since I don't really care if they get damaged, and I found that I can reproduce the issue by tapping on the plate. I'll try cleaning the pins when I get a chance and I sent a note to Massdrop support just to see what they say and if I have any options if I can't get it fixed. For now I have been getting around the issue by connecting an A/B switcher between the amp and my headphones and just flipping the switch on that before turning off the amp. I don't really like adding extra cables to the chain but at least I have a way to switch the amp off without potentially killing my 650s.
 
Thanks for the advice.

 

[gvl2016]

   
I have a cheap pair of $10 headphones laying around that I have been testing with since I don't really care if they get damaged, and I found that I can reproduce the issue by tapping on the plate. I'll try cleaning the pins when I get a chance and I sent a note to Massdrop support just to see what they say and if I have any options if I can't get it fixed. For now I have been getting around the issue by connecting an A/B switcher between the amp and my headphones and just flipping the switch on that before turning off the amp. I don't really like adding extra cables to the chain but at least I have a way to switch the amp off without potentially killing my 650s.
 
Thanks for the advice.

 
Thing is the pop can happen any time, even without tapping on the case or flipping the switch. Seems the recent DV drops have this issue as never came across it when reading earlier discussions. The core of the problem is the crappy tube sockets, the only guaranteed remedy is to get them replaced and I doubt MD will do it. So far cleaning the pins gives good results but I still get an occasional pop or scratching sounds in one of the channels, both sockets have this issue. I saw some decent gold-plated 8-pin socket savers on eBay with stronger clamps on the tube side, they might help too.

 

[rudra]

Have you ruled out that the stock tubes are not bad before you start changing the sockets.

 

[gvl2016]

  Have you ruled out that the stock tubes are not bad before you start changing the sockets.

 
If this was addressed to me then yes, in fact my stock tubes do not pop, but others do, and by others I mean more than one tube so it is unlikely they are all bad, plus deoxit and cleaning the pins with sandpaper helps.

 

[tej789]

Replaced the tubes and the distortion is still there. I have reached out to Massdrop to try and replace/return the unit. Thanks for all the help everyone.

 

[atarione]

  Replaced the tubes and the distortion is still there. I have reached out to Massdrop to try and replace/return the unit. Thanks for all the help everyone.

 
bummer.. that is too bad... hopefully massdrop can sort it out for y'all...   it is a very nice amp if you get one that works properly (imho) but sometimes this is the way things go..
 
good luck with MD support ..I hope they can make this right for y'all.

 

[TYATYA]

Power tube JAN-CTL-5998-TUNGSOL U.S.A
Preamp tune JAN CHS 6SN7GT VT-231 SYLVANIA U.S.A
HD650
******* good combine on DV336!

 

[DoctaCosmos]

Local speaker shop talked me into buying a high priced shu guang preamp tube for $100. Not a nos tube just a "more refined version of stock". Maybe it is but sure isn't when the left channel is buzzy a good 70dbs! Not really local as I'll have to drive two hours tomorrow to replace it but oh well

 

[gvl2016]

Give it some time, new tubes are known to hum the DV, it should diminish significantly over first 50hrs or so.