How often should I replace tubes

[Selfish Android]

What the tittle says, how often should you replace tubes on a headphone amp, I have not changed the tubes in my Little Dot for about 7 years now, since they don't catastrophically fail and stop working but they might wear out slowly losing their sonic characteristics you just don't know at what point more or less they need to be replaced.
Also can you recommend me a store where to buy tubes I need a pair of Voshkod 6zh1p-ev

 

[Doug2507]

Tubes do fail eventually but you are right, they can dull over time.

A quick Google brings up multiple sellers...

https://tubes-store.com/product_info.php?products_id=955

 

[Deleeh]

Hi,
That depends on how often you have listened to music in the last 7 years.
If, for example, you have only listened to 400 hours a year and it still works, then I wouldn't worry, even if it was more.
The best indication that a tube is coming to the end of its life is when the glass starts to turn milky.
If this is not the case, pay a little more attention to it.
It can't hurt to keep a spare pair in stock.
There are plenty of platforms for this type of tube that would fit, so I wouldn't worry about that either.
If you buy some, you should install them and check that they work, then reinstall the old ones and wait.
Tubes can last a very long time, maybe another 7 years.

 

[lairpost]

In my experience, the best way to know if a tube is nearing its sonic end is to swap for a new set and compare by listening. I've had tubes go all kinds of colors, dark, light and not change sonically. The slow degradation is best revealed by comparison with a new set...and even then you still may like the rolled off 'worn' out set...

 

[Selfish Android]

Interesting, thank you all for your replies, gonna get another pair then, will try listening to both critically to see if I notice some difference.

BTW I see in this store https://tubes-store.com/product_info.php?products_id=955 these tubes are pretty cheap compared to what I have paid before, is it because they are not sold in matched pairs? or are there variations of these tubes?