[Uncle Erik]

Tonight, I lost an EL34. Aged over 2,000 hours, he died of natural causes while doing what he loved best, making music.

He is survived by three brothers who are now contemplating an early retirement to the spare tube box.

However, we should celebrate the life of this tube, not mourn his passing. He had a long life working with other components and sending a wonderful signal to output transformers. He made me happy for hours and hours. He had a good life inside, kept free of dust and rebiased every few months.

He even kept the cat warm.

So, after an appropriate period of grieving, and placing a black band around the amp, I'll recruit some new talent.

He will be missed.

Has anyone else lost a tube?

 

[Snips]

I lost 9 of my 13 ECC88 tubes last week. Been in my loudspeaker setup for over 2 years since I put them in, but they only have around 3000+ hours of usage since I am almost always away from home. 

 

[FrankCooter]

Quote:

I lost 9 of my 13 ECC88 tubes last week. Been in my loudspeaker setup for over 2 years since I put them in, but they only have around 3000+ hours of usage since I am almost always away from home. 

If you lost 9 of 13 tubes in a week there is probably something wrong besides the tubes.
 
I've lost occasional tubes over the years, usually output tubes in power amps. In the headphone world, tubes are usually run  very conservatively and rarely flat out expire. Right now I'm running an amp based on blue glass Arcturus globes. The newest tube can't have been manufactured any later than 1932. Who knows how much use they had before I got them. I've had some of them running for years with  no problems.
 

 

[kstaken]

I had a two week old JJ EZ 81 rectifier arc and take out the left channel in an amp.

 

[Anaxilus]

Hmm, I see potential here, perhaps a rename?  Tube Obituary/Tubituary?
 
I've been stockpiling a little collection of 6SN7s while awaiting the birth of my amp.  I have a nice dedicated spot where it can rest and grow before my proud eyes.  It is my desire to not join your ranks anytime soon.  

 

[Austin Morrow]

Trying to not put too much stress on my 6N1P's and my 6N6P's...