The Reference 6SN7 Thread

[JTbbb]

Why is my left channel silent? Sigh, time to start troubleshooting. Oh, the heater isn’t lit on my left TS BGRP. As they’d say on Mythbusters, well there’s your problem right there! No troubleshooting required lol.

This does bring home something that I joke about from time to time but I am actually serious. Tubes can fail. The good ones keep getting more and more expensive to replace. I’m down one TS BGRP but I have quite a few left in reserve. We can joke about being hoarders but the reality is that you should probably buy what you think you will need for the rest of your life. Even new tubes aren’t guaranteed to be around when you need them. Buy them as you find them and can afford them!

I take it that whilst the amplifier was on you gently wiggled the tube around? I’ve done this and the heater started glowing and along came the music. I think this would indicate some pin re-soldering.

 

[mourip]

Why is my left channel silent? Sigh, time to start troubleshooting. Oh, the heater isn’t lit on my left TS BGRP. As they’d say on Mythbusters, well there’s your problem right there! No troubleshooting required lol.

This does bring home something that I joke about from time to time but I am actually serious. Tubes can fail. The good ones keep getting more and more expensive to replace. I’m down one TS BGRP but I have quite a few left in reserve. We can joke about being hoarders but the reality is that you should probably buy what you think you will need for the rest of your life. Even new tubes aren’t guaranteed to be around when you need them. Buy them as you find them and can afford them!

Swap the tubes L to R. If the issue follows the tube then you know it is the tube, not the socket. You could have a cold solder joint in a tube socket connection. If the tube is not lighting up you might still have HV going to it which is bad for the tube so you might not want to spend too much time with the amp powered on and the tube not lit up. Especially with a $$$ TSRP/BGRP!

 

[Isaacc7]

Swap the tubes L to R. If the issue follows the tube then you know it is the tube, not the socket. You could have a cold solder joint in a tube socket connection. If the tube is not lighting up you might still have HV going to it which is bad for the tube so you might not want to spend too much time with the amp powered on and the tube not lit up. Especially with a $$$ TSRP/BGRP!

Put in another tube and the amp is fine. The Tung Sol is toast. This is a 12sn7 so not quite as dear as the 6v. It’s a good reminder that tubes are consumables, they will die at some point.

 

[whirlwind]

Why is my left channel silent? Sigh, time to start troubleshooting. Oh, the heater isn’t lit on my left TS BGRP. As they’d say on Mythbusters, well there’s your problem right there! No troubleshooting required lol.

This does bring home something that I joke about from time to time but I am actually serious. Tubes can fail. The good ones keep getting more and more expensive to replace. I’m down one TS BGRP but I have quite a few left in reserve. We can joke about being hoarders but the reality is that you should probably buy what you think you will need for the rest of your life. Even new tubes aren’t guaranteed to be around when you need them. Buy them as you find them and can afford them!

Yeah, it happens.

I am to the point I only use my favorite tubes relaxing in my chair at night and away from the computer.
When I just relax and have nothing on my mind except music.

Replacements are crazy money for many of these tubes.

My favorite tubes I just made sure I had a few replacements,that measured decent.

 

[triod750]

Why is my left channel silent? Sigh, time to start troubleshooting. Oh, the heater isn’t lit on my left TS BGRP. As they’d say on Mythbusters, well there’s your problem right there! No troubleshooting required lol.

This does bring home something that I joke about from time to time but I am actually serious. Tubes can fail. The good ones keep getting more and more expensive to replace. I’m down one TS BGRP but I have quite a few left in reserve. We can joke about being hoarders but the reality is that you should probably buy what you think you will need for the rest of your life. Even new tubes aren’t guaranteed to be around when you need them. Buy them as you find them and can afford them!

Too late! Why didn't you tell us five years ago?

 

[Isaacc7]

Yeah, it happens.

I am to the point I only use my favorite tubes relaxing in my chair at night and away from the computer.
When I just relax and have nothing on my mind except music.

Replacements are crazy money for many of these tubes.

My favorite tubes I just made sure I had a few replacements,that measured decent.

It helps if you can find favorites that aren’t that expensive and stock up None of my power tubes are all that expensive and many of my input tubes aren’t either. It helps that I am heater voltage and base flexible. Buuuut….. I do have a few input tubes that are quickly getting to the crazy level. Trying to get my GEC/MOV b36 situation solved before they get even more money. The Tung Sol BGRP 12sn7 can still be found for reasonable prices, at least compared to the 6sn7 version but they are also starting to climb. I love my single triodes but since I need to use 4 at a time in both my preamp and power amp the price can get crazy fast. I’m taking the advice of a certain somebody in this thread and looking into using triode wired pentodes for input duties to see if I can find some bargins.

 

[Isaacc7]

I take it that whilst the amplifier was on you gently wiggled the tube around? I’ve done this and the heater started glowing and along came the music. I think this would indicate some pin re-soldering.

I did not do that. This tube came from a lot of used and untested BGRP 12sn7. Most were very low and several didn‘t light up. This one and two others measured ok but the other 12-13 didn’t look so good. Maybe some resoldering could fix them. I’m not all that interested in messing around with that though. I have plenty of good ones in reserve. Haven’t had the will to recycle them yet, I’ll get around to it one of these days. I do try to get these recycled at an electronics recycling center instead of throwing them out. Tubes were made with all sorts of nasty stuff like leaded glass, barium, thorium, and other metals.

 

[Galapac]

Fun fact, Barium is used in fireworks to make the green color. Think about that next time you face is pointed up to the sky watching the pretty colors.

 

[keenerz]

does anyone use anything specific to have as a stand/rack for standing the tubes straight up like on a shelf or on my desk?

 

[jonathan c]

Fun fact, Barium is used in fireworks to make the green color. Think about that next time you face is pointed up to the sky watching the pretty colors.

At least the crowd doesn’t get peppered by Philips ECG tube shards….

 

[Mr Trev]

Fun fact, Barium is used in fireworks to make the green color. Think about that next time you face is pointed up to the sky watching the pretty colors.

Not so fun fact… barium is also used in an enema for x-raying your lower intestinal tract.

 

[jonathan c]

Not so fun fact… barium is also used in an enema for x-raying your lower intestinal tract.

…. flashing element in a ‘rectumfier’….

 

[Galapac]

does anyone use anything specific to have as a stand/rack for standing the tubes straight up like on a shelf or on my desk?

I have used these before, test tube racks. They work well and are a bit flexible.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/274324906675

 

[Isaacc7]

So I finally got around to trying those Miniwatt branded Fivre made b36. Have them paired up with 5b/254m outputs. Sounds amazing right off the bat, solid, rich, slightly warm, timbarrally lush.

Checked Langrex and they only have 5 left. Because of FOMO I bought 2 pairs. YOLO right? Following my own advice lol. Fingers crossed I’ll place another order with them, but maybe next month lol. Or maybe not…

 

[LobalWarming]

So I finally got around to trying those Miniwatt branded Fivre made b36. Have them paired up with 5b/254m outputs. Sounds amazing right off the bat, solid, rich, slightly warm, timbarrally lush.

Checked Langrex and they only have 5 left. Because of FOMO I bought 2 pairs. YOLO right? Following my own advice lol. Fingers crossed I’ll place another order with them, but maybe next month lol. Or maybe not…

Wonderful tubes. Have a pair of Fivre-branded Fivre B36/12SN7. Very sweet and clean in my machines. Superb palette cleanser for my filthy ears.