[Coran]

Mine are "lightly gripped" in the WA5-LE, which is odd considering the death grip the amp has on every other tube. Having said that, once I re-seated them the ringing went away.

I think it definitely will. Keep us posted when you have time of course.

An update on my ringing issue. I have finally had some time to do some tube swapping and I think it is definitely my Elrog 5U4G. Swapping out the Elrog for the stock rectifier the WA22 came with, (sadly, all I have right now) it becomes clear who the culprit is. The ringing is shockingly audible in the room. I have tried re-seating the tube many times, and also using a socket saver to try and see if that could help matters. The problem remains.

Does anyone have any thoughts as to what might be causing this? Perhaps a faulty tube? It's unfortunate because the Elrog is a rather fantastic rectifier (and the stock one is...not great).

 

[ColSaulTigh]

An update on my ringing issue. I have finally had some time to do some tube swapping and I think it is definitely my Elrog 5U4G. Swapping out the Elrog for the stock rectifier the WA22 came with, (sadly, all I have right now) it becomes clear who the culprit is. The ringing is shockingly audible in the room. I have tried re-seating the tube many times, and also using a socket saver to try and see if that could help matters. The problem remains.

Does anyone have any thoughts as to what might be causing this? Perhaps a faulty tube? It's unfortunate because the Elrog is a rather fantastic rectifier (and the stock one is...not great).

My ringing has faded with time. I think there a window in the 100-500 hour mark where they become "chatty", but it's since gone away for the most part. Every now and again they'll ring for a few minutes.

As to why - good question. Maybe if we're nice, @paradoxper can reach out to Thomas and ask him...

 

[elwappo99]

If you don't have one, a solid state rectifier is great for trouble shooting problems in amps that use a rectifier. Also I have a pair of current production electro harmonix 6sn7 which are incredibly quiet for 6sn8 which also serve as trouble shooting duty.

 

[paradoxper]

My ringing has faded with time. I think there a window in the 100-500 hour mark where they become "chatty", but it's since gone away for the most part. Every now and again they'll ring for a few minutes.

As to why - good question. Maybe if we're nice, @paradoxper can reach out to Thomas and ask him...

This is likely mechanical resonance in the filament, it was suggested you return them.

As to the conditions of why:

"Impossible to say what causes it. So far I had 3 similar cases. Changing the tubes to another solved it and the tube all worked fine in other amps.
There are so many different conditions a tube can see, load capacitance, voltage, current draw, transformer voltage, transformer DC resistance etc.

The lower the load capacitance the lower the tube is prone to such effects, best is choke loaded power supplies, tube rectifiers prefer to be choke loaded.

Mechanical noise from tubes, especially rectifiers is not uncommon. Also in indirectly heated tubes the heater wire can rattle in the cathode.

Admittedly our thoriated tungsten filaments are thinner than oxide coated filaments and more flexible. The current through the tube is pulsating and the pulse shape depends on the load capacitance and the other parameters mentioned above. In directly heated rectifiers the plate current flows through the filament and is imposed on the heater current which is also AC."

It's possible the tube will settle down (not knowing how many hours you've acquired, gathering from Nov 20, it's a new tube) but easier to return.

 

[Coran]

This is likely mechanical resonance in the filament, it was suggested you return them.

As to the conditions of why:

"Impossible to say what causes it. So far I had 3 similar cases. Changing the tubes to another solved it and the tube all worked fine in other amps.
There are so many different conditions a tube can see, load capacitance, voltage, current draw, transformer voltage, transformer DC resistance etc.

The lower the load capacitance the lower the tube is prone to such effects, best is choke loaded power supplies, tube rectifiers prefer to be choke loaded.

Mechanical noise from tubes, especially rectifiers is not uncommon. Also in indirectly heated tubes the heater wire can rattle in the cathode.

Admittedly our thoriated tungsten filaments are thinner than oxide coated filaments and more flexible. The current through the tube is pulsating and the pulse shape depends on the load capacitance and the other parameters mentioned above. In directly heated rectifiers the plate current flows through the filament and is imposed on the heater current which is also AC."

It's possible the tube will settle down (not knowing how many hours you've acquired, gathering from Nov 20, it's a new tube) but easier to return.

Thanks for all this! I truly appreciate it. I love how great this community is.

I purchased this tube in September. I might have around 60 hours on the tube at this point. I should be well in warranty. I will email Parts Connexion and see what can be worked out. If the problem repeats, well...I guess I'll power through and see if the ringing subsides over time as @ColSaulTigh suggests.

 

[hung031086]

Any recommendations for the rectifier tube ? My Sophia Aqua produced too much noises lately.

 

[cj3209]

Any recommendations for the rectifier tube ? My Sophia Aqua produced too much noises lately.

I use the 596 USAF Tube with Adapter that I got from Woo Audio. It's a little wide with those dangled wires but sounds very good.

https://wooaudio.com/tubes/usaf596-withadapter-each

 

[cj3209]

I use the 596 USAF Tube with Adapter that I got from Woo Audio. It's a little wide with those dangled wires but sounds very good.

https://wooaudio.com/tubes/usaf596-withadapter-each

That rectifier tube with the Tung Sol 5998 power tube pair, and the 6SN7WGT Sylvania driver tube pair produce the best sound I've ever heard on my Abyss Diana Phi headphones. Not cheap but so sweet.

 

[bpcans]

That rectifier tube with the Tung Sol 5998 power tube pair, and the 6SN7WGT Sylvania driver tube pair produce the best sound I've ever heard on my Abyss Diana Phi headphones. Not cheap but so sweet.

My USAF 596 rectifier tube was made in the mid-fifties. I bought it new over ten years ago, and it’s my favorite with Tung Sol 5998’s and the Sylvania brown base 6SN7’s that were also both made in the 50’s and purchased new within the last 3 years. You never know though. You might want to try a Takatsuki 274b.

 

[mab1376]

That rectifier tube with the Tung Sol 5998 power tube pair, and the 6SN7WGT Sylvania driver tube pair produce the best sound I've ever heard on my Abyss Diana Phi headphones. Not cheap but so sweet.

You can def find all those tubes cheaper with a little looking. I got my 5998 for $320 from another Head-fi'er who sold their WA22.

You won't find it instantly, but the savings is worth the search.

 

[nephilim32]

Any recommendations for the rectifier tube ? My Sophia Aqua produced too much noises lately.

For a more sane, affordable and good quality rectifier there is nothing wrong with the 5AR4 from SOVTEK. It is not even NOS and it delivers quiet power.

 

[ColSaulTigh]

What's your budget? There are some very good $50 rectifiers (Brimar 5Z4GY), and some excellent $700 rectifiers (Elrog 5U4G), and a bunch of stuff in between.

 

[cj3209]

My USAF 596 rectifier tube was made in the mid-fifties. I bought it new over ten years ago, and it’s my favorite with Tung Sol 5998’s and the Sylvania brown base 6SN7’s that were also both made in the 50’s and purchased new within the last 3 years. You never know though. You might want to try a Takatsuki 274b.

My brown base 6SN7's started to hum and buzz on me so I had to replace them with the newer 6SN7WGT Sylvania tubes. They both sound great!

 

[hung031086]

What's your budget? There are some very good $50 rectifiers (Brimar 5Z4GY), and some excellent $700 rectifiers (Elrog 5U4G), and a bunch of stuff in between.

Around $300.

 

[ColSaulTigh]

That will put you between a Sophia Princess 274B or a USAF "Mighty" 596 (with an inexpensive adapter) and an Emission Labs (EML) 5U4G or KR Audio 5U4G "Riccardo Kron Anniversary Edition" (if you can find one).