[mojorisin676]

I just received 3 different tubes in the mail today, 2 are International C Brand NOS 1S5 tubes, and 1 tube was a Sylvania NOS 1S5 tube also. So when I plugged in the pair of International C tubes and I listened to it out of my line out on my iPod, I expected bliss...But what I got was a sound that I could barely hear with my LDII turned all the way to MAX and MAX on my iPod volume. So I tried to replace one of the Int. Tubes witht the Sylania and as soon as I flipped it on, I got a loud crackling sound in the left ear and no sound at all came out. I'm now afraid I might have damaged the left ear of my SR225s and also nothing gained from the 3 tubes I purchased...Were these fake "NOS" tubes that were already used when I received them? Does the LDII just somehow not work with these tubes? What's going on?

 

[mojorisin676]

O yea and also, when I plugged in the Sylvania tube and it crackled in the left ear for a few seconds and then just went silent, what are the chances that it could have been damaged?

 

[aznsensazian]

If you have a newer model LD2 with the 1K2 stock tubes, chances are Mr. Yang(the designer) switch out the pin configuration for it to work with the 1K2 tubes. Previous versions of the LD2 used the 1B2 (which is the one i have) and is a direct substitute to the 1S5. I tried the 1U5 tubes which were suppose to be substitutes for the 1S5 and it didnt work in my LD2, i got the same problem as you did. Apparently from gathering more news, the 1U5 tubes had a different internal pin layout. So, the 1S5 tubes worked for my version 1 LD2 which uses 1B2 stock tubes, but not the 1U5 ones. The newer versions 2 and 3 of the LD2 that uses 1K2 stock tubes may have a pin layout similar to that of the 1U5 instead of the 1B2 and 1S5. Hope this is not too confusing. You might want to post a similar question from the little dot 2 website and forum, www.little-tube.com. Good Luck.

 

[Ferbose]

There are lots of fake NOS tubes everywhere.
A lot of them are just not NOS, but used tubes and there is no way to tell them apart.
Then the paper boxes and branding on the tubes can all be faked.
The only way to identify NOS tubes is by the internal structure.

 

[upstateguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mojorisin676 I just received 3 different tubes in the mail today, 2 are International C Brand NOS 1S5 tubes, and 1 tube was a Sylvania NOS 1S5 tube also. So when I plugged in the pair of International C tubes and I listened to it out of my line out on my iPod, I expected bliss...But what I got was a sound that I could barely hear with my LDII turned all the way to MAX and MAX on my iPod volume. So I tried to replace one of the Int. Tubes witht the Sylania and as soon as I flipped it on, I got a loud crackling sound in the left ear and no sound at all came out. I'm now afraid I might have damaged the left ear of my SR225s and also nothing gained from the 3 tubes I purchased...Were these fake "NOS" tubes that were already used when I received them? Does the LDII just somehow not work with these tubes? What's going on?

Hi mojorisin676

Been there and done that with tubes that either didn't work or blew out.

How does 3 tubes work, btw?

Or do you mean 3 pairs of tubes?

I went through 6 NOS RCA 1S5s and only found one that didn't fizzle out. That left me with one Chinese 1S5 and one RCA 1S5, which was kind of a mismatch so I don't use them.....

I have a pair of, don't get your finger near it or it'll buzz real bad, 1B2s that work, and that's out of 3 pairs that came with the amp.

On a brighter note, if I don't go near the 1B2 tubes and the amp isn't having an RF hissyfit, the LD has more presence, bass extension, sparkle and sound stage than my Hornet (on any of its 3 gain settings).... although I really have to qualify that by saying that the two amps sound remarkably a like.

Regards

USG

Hey aznsensazian, how are you?

 

[SonicDawg]

Have you forgotten to change the jumper from 1K2 to 1S5 on both channels? Open up your amp and it's next to the tube socket.

 

[mojorisin676]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SonicDawg Have you forgotten to change the jumper from 1K2 to 1S5 on both channels? Open up your amp and it's next to the tube socket.

What exactly do you do to change the jumper and how do you change the jumper? Is there a picture I could see before I venture out and crack open my amp without any experience?

 

[mojorisin676]

Well I had enough guts to open up my LDII, and I looked next to the tube and indeed, yes, it does have two little holes, one that says 1k2 and another that says 1b2, there looked to be solder coming out of the 1k2 and thats all I saw. How exactly can I change the amp to work with my 1s5 tubes? Will the 1s5 tubes work with the 1b5 settings? I'm a complete noob when it comes to anything hands-on when it comes to electronics, if this is a setting that a noob like me can do with my amp, then I'll attempt it.

 

[upstateguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mojorisin676 What exactly do you do to change the jumper and how do you change the jumper? Is there a picture I could see before I venture out and crack open my amp without any experience?

Hi m676

If no one comes up with a picture sooner, I'll open my LD, take a picture of it and post it for you later tonight.... NY time.

Regards

USG

 

[upstateguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mojorisin676 Well I had enough guts to open up my LDII, and I looked next to the tube and indeed, yes, it does have two little holes, one that says 1k2 and another that says 1b2, there looked to be solder coming out of the 1k2 and thats all I saw. How exactly can I change the amp to work with my 1s5 tubes? Will the 1s5 tubes work with the 1b5 settings? I'm a complete noob when it comes to anything hands-on when it comes to electronics, if this is a setting that a noob like me can do with my amp, then I'll attempt it.

Hi m676

It sounds like you have a V2 version where the jumpers are soldered. It is not user adjustable.

What do the tubes that came with your LD say on them?

Regards

USG

EDIT: I found a picture of the V2, which is the version before the user adjustable jumpers, from Cybertred on ipodsutdio. It is not user adjustable. Is this what you have?

 

[SonicDawg]

Actually I just recently replaced my tubes as well. Similar situation occurred, where the volume was LOW. For 1S5 tubes, you have to switch the jumper to 1B2. The two jumpers are just like those of other computer equipments, e.g harddrives, motherboard, etc. They are something like these :
http://www.monicoinc.com/Downloads/R...20Settings.jpg

Just switch both jumpers to 1B2 and the tubes should work

 

[mojorisin676]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SonicDawg Actually I just recently replaced my tubes as well. Similar situation occurred, where the volume was LOW. For 1S5 tubes, you have to switch the jumper to 1B2. The two jumpers are just like those of other computer equipments, e.g harddrives, motherboard, etc. They are something like these : http://www.monicoinc.com/Downloads/R...20Settings.jpg Just switch both jumpers to 1B2 and the tubes should work

But how?

 

[upstateguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mojorisin676 But how?

see above photo... that version is not user adjustable.

is that what you see when you opened your case?

usg

 

[mojorisin676]

Quote:

Originally Posted by upstateguy see above photo... that version is not user adjustable. is that what you see when you opened your case? usg

unfortunately yes...is there any better quality 1K2 tubes?

 

[upstateguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mojorisin676 unfortunately yes...is there any better quality 1K2 tubes?

may I ask what's wrong with your 1k2 tubes?