[ColtMrFire]

I'm not getting a Valhalla.  But I will look into those tubes.  Which brand?

 

[KoshNaranek]

I'm not getting a Valhalla.  But I will look into those tubes.  Which brand?

It is very subjective and this is not the appropriate place to discuss. Take a look at Lyr an Valhalla tube rolling threads or PM me.

 

[rkrug20]

For a lay person, what's the best way to test tubes to see if they're bad? Back in the day you could take it to a hardware store but unfortunately those times have gone away.

 

[sam6550a]

  For a lay person, what's the best way to test tubes to see if they're bad? Back in the day you could take it to a hardware store but unfortunately those times have gone away.

Without any test equipment, the best way is to substitute a known good tube.

 

[7ryder]

  RE Tube life - I really have not studied this topic to be able to comment authoritatively; that said, I do have quite a bit of experience with tubes over the last 50 years or so as a user.  That experience tells me that (power tubes aside)they tend to have quite a long life, much more so than I expected.  My experiences with 6DJ8ish tubes over the last 40 years or so tell me they seem to last at least 5 years or so of hard life, before replacing them reveals that the older ones are beginning to sound like ass. Power output tubes (EL34, 6550, 6L6, 2A3, 300B, etc.) seem to be shorter, with 2 years or so of the same hard use life.
 
I just found a textbook from the 1940's that deals with tube design.  NOT design with tubes, but how to design vacuum tubes themselves.  More will be revealed as the book is already in my bathroom.

ahh, so that's where these schiity ideas come from! 

 

[ColtMrFire]

  ahh, so that's where these schiity ideas come from! 

 

 

[jacal01]

  ahh, so that's where these schiity ideas come from! 

 
Martin Luther was supposed to have had his big revelation about every person could pray directly to God instead of having to petition him through a priest or cleric intermediary while having a huge dump after being constipated.  And was immediately branded a heretic.
 
Sound familiar? 

 

[Baldr]

You've promised never to release a server. Can you make that same promise on tubes?

 

[Argo Duck]

For a lay person, what's the best way to test tubes to see if they're bad? Back in the day you could take it to a hardware store but unfortunately those times have gone away.

One easy way is to drop it onto a hard surface. If it breaks, it is now definitely bad

(I'm joking)

 

[johnjen]

That's a derivative of the float test.
If it sinks it was bad, if it floats, well, you're free to go get it…
 
JJ 

 

[JohnnyCanuck]

  That's a derivative of the float test.
If it sinks it was bad, if it floats, well, you're free to go get it…
 
JJ 

 
Isn't that the test for witches?  Didn't know it worked for tubes, too.

 

[US Blues]

 

  That's a derivative of the float test.
If it sinks it was bad, if it floats, well, you're free to go get it…
 
JJ 

 
Isn't that the test for witches?  Didn't know it worked for tubes, too.

"Who are you, who are so wise in the ways of science?"

 

[johnjen]

   
Isn't that the test for witches?  Didn't know it worked for tubes, too.

It's SoP testing procedure for Alaska.
Which when used up north tends to add to the finality of the test…
 
JJ

 

[jacal01]

But, but, king eiders have been known to sink.  Pity the poor Inuit angakkuq. 
 
Tube, or not tube. 
-Billy the Trouper   

 
.

 

[ScottFree]

   
Isn't that the test for witches?  Didn't know it worked for tubes, too.