Schiit Valhalla Tube Rolling thread.

[Lvivske]

fingers crossed, i asked beforehand and Dan @ Langrex told me they can do matched pairs, and made sure to request it in my order comments

 

[Wes S]

fingers crossed, i asked beforehand and Dan @ Langrex told me they can do matched pairs, and made sure to request it in my order comments

That's good to know!

 

[chrisnyc75]

Is there consensus as to how long the 6N6P tubes last before they should be replaced? I know the input tubes should last a few thousand hours, but I'm coming up on a year with my Valhalla and I'm sure I've put 1000 hours on it and wondering whether I should order new power tubes yet? I don't hear any degradation, but I suspect that's like expecting to see your own hair grow.

 

[Guidostrunk]

Is there consensus as to how long the 6N6P tubes last before they should be replaced? I know the input tubes should last a few thousand hours, but I'm coming up on a year with my Valhalla and I'm sure I've put 1000 hours on it and wondering whether I should order new power tubes yet? I don't hear any degradation, but I suspect that's like expecting to see your own hair grow.

Obviously it's a concern to you so just snag a backup pair for the event that they should fail. It'll definitely ease your mind.

 

[chrisnyc75]

Obviously it's a concern to you so just snag a backup pair for the event that they should fail. It'll definitely ease your mind.

That's super helpful.

 

[Guidostrunk]

That's super helpful.

I'm a tube addict. What did you expect?

 

[Ripper2860]

6N6Ps are SUPER CHEAP right now. Grab 2 pairs of the Foton on eBay and call it a decade.

 

[aviationwiz]

Is there consensus as to how long the 6N6P tubes last before they should be replaced? I know the input tubes should last a few thousand hours, but I'm coming up on a year with my Valhalla and I'm sure I've put 1000 hours on it and wondering whether I should order new power tubes yet? I don't hear any degradation, but I suspect that's like expecting to see your own hair grow.

I’m brand new to all this - so potentially take this with a grain of salt, but I’ve seen 2,000 hours service life and “no less than 2,000 hours” service life online when searching about the 6N6P - I don’t know if this potentially varies by manufacturer though.

 

[Wes S]

There are way to many variables to say for sure how long a tube will last. Like other's have mentioned already the 6N6P is so cheap, just buy a few sets and you never have to worry about it again. Unfortunately, I don't think you will find a definitive answer, as I don't think very many people if any at all have even had to replace a 6N6P from being used up. Just my 2 cents.

 

[chrisnyc75]

There are way to many variables to say for sure how long a tube will last. Like other's have mentioned already the 6N6P is so cheap, just buy a few sets and you never have to worry about it again. Unfortunately, I don't think you will find a definitive answer, as I don't think very many people if any at all have even had to replace a 6N6P from being used up. Just my 2 cents.

Thank you, that's a bit more helpful than the rest. I wasn't asking whether I should buy more tubes, I can make those decisions without any direction from the peanut gallery. I was HOPING the experts here might be able to share some insight on how long 6N6P retains its full performance before beginning to degrade in a way that might impact sound and/or performance. I haven't encountered any other amps that use this tube type before, so I just have no idea how long it should last before it is advisable to replace it.

But I guess the answer is to stockpile them and wait for one to explode before replacing it. lol Super.

 

[Ripper2860]

@chrisnyc75 -- as cheap as the 6N6P are, I was suggesting picking up a couple of pairs for the purpose of swapping the old ones out and see if you notice any audible difference. I should have provided more info, but I posted from work so brevity was required.

A slow degrade in tubes may be difficult to perceive over a long period of time, but a direct comparison of old vs fresh should provide the answer you seek re: are your tubes possibly worn. It is truly difficult to ascertain a tube's decline until it reaches a point of noise, greatly reduced output, or no output at all -- it just typically happens too gradually. As stated by Wes, there are far too many variables to assign a definitive number of hours to calling a specific tube as done. Fortunately the 6N6Ps are priced where one could compare and do that inexpensively as opposed to other more costly power tubes.

BTW -- the Fotons I suggested previously are very good (and inexpensive) tubes and do represent an nice upgrade to the usual Sovtek tubes included at purchase. Worth exploring.

 

[chrisnyc75]

@chrisnyc75 -- as cheap as the 6N6P are, I was suggesting picking up a couple of pairs for the purpose of swapping the old ones out and see if you notice any audible difference. I should have provided more info, but I posted from work so brevity was required.

A slow degrade in tubes may be difficult to perceive over a long period of time, but a direct comparison of old vs fresh should provide the answer you seek. Fortunately the 6N6Ps are priced where one could do that as opposed to other more costly tubes. It is truly difficult to ascertain a tube's decline until it reaches a point of noise, greatly reduced output, or no output at all -- it just typically happens too gradually. As stated by Wes, there are far too many variables to assign a definitive number of hours to calling a specific tube as done.

BTW -- the Fotons I suggested previously are very good (and inexpensive) tubes and do represent an nice upgrade to the usual Sovtek tubes included at purchase. Worth exploring.

This helps. Thanks And I'm all about an upgrade, I'll check out the Fotons you mentioned.

 

[KoshNaranek]

Thank you, that's a bit more helpful than the rest. I wasn't asking whether I should buy more tubes, I can make those decisions without any direction from the peanut gallery. I was HOPING the experts here might be able to share some insight on how long 6N6P retains its full performance before beginning to degrade in a way that might impact sound and/or performance. I haven't encountered any other amps that use this tube type before, so I just have no idea how long it should last before it is advisable to replace it.

But I guess the answer is to stockpile them and wait for one to explode before replacing it. lol Super.

Lifespan is 5000 hours. About 5 years of daily use.

 

[40lb]

Being reading this thread off and on. All this talk about Brimar 4033 had my curiosity at the max.
This thread is bad for my wallet, I now want more tubes.

 

[Ripper2860]

There may be better sounding tubes for Valhalla 2, but they are very few and far between. The CV4033 is an excellent combo and no one would blame you if you stopped right there. But we all know that's not gonna happen, right?