[MisterMoJo]

Some noise like that is normal on startup and shutdown, but should subside after a minute or two. Sometimes when using NOS tubes for the first time, it can take a week or two before it settles down. If it doesn't get better over time then the tubes are probably defective. One possible thing that can make the popping worse is if your rectifier tubes are warm but the power tubes are cold. Like if you listened to music for a while then changed the power tubes and turned on your amp before you let the rectifiers cool down completely

Thanks for the help

 

[MisterMoJo]

Just a general question for reference: when facing the front of the amp, are the tubes on the left the left channel and the tubes on the right the right channel, or visa versa?

 

[headpower]

How can you tell if a tung sol 5998 tube is fake?

 

[exchez]

How can you tell if a tung sol 5998 tube is fake?

The main one is that the broad side of the triode plates should be solid (no slots) with two rows of three dots (aka "domino" plates). Less expensive tubes do not exhibit that design.

 

[billyleungkt]

The main one is that the broad side of the triode plates should be solid (no slots) with two rows of three dots (aka "domino" plates). Less expensive tubes do not exhibit that design.

Hello exchez. Thanks for helping someone like me who just got into tube world. btw, I have read there are few variations of TS5998. something like
1. o-getter
2. d-getter
3. top getter
4. bottom getter
Which one should go (sounds the best) for for WA2?
cheers,
Billy

 

[headpower]

The main one is that the broad side of the triode plates should be solid (no slots) with two rows of three dots (aka "domino" plates). Less expensive tubes do not exhibit that design.

Are these tung sol 5998 legiit? I see the domino plate , not sure what you do mean by solid vs slot though

 

[exchez]

Hello exchez. Thanks for helping someone like me who just got into tube world. btw, I have read there are few variations of TS5998. something like
1. o-getter
2. d-getter
3. top getter
4. bottom getter
Which one should go (sounds the best) for for WA2?
cheers,
Billy

All 5998s should sound good so I wouldn't worry about finding a specific getter type. Keep in mind that the triode construction of tube is what matters most, as the getters don't play any active part in the operation or sound of a tube. Collectors use the getters to help determine the production year and design of other components which aren't visible so that's why people tend fixate on them, but I haven't heard of any type of 5998 being better than another. The Western Electric 421A is very similar--if not identical--to the 5998, but some say it sounds slightly better. It's certainly harder to find and more expensive if nothing else!

 

[exchez]

Are these tung sol 5998 legiit? I see the domino plate , not sure what you do mean by solid vs slot though

Seems legit to me. If I were a scammer, I try to pass a Russian tube or an RCA off as a 5998, but, to my knowledge, none of those cheaper tubes have domino plates so you don't have to worry about that.

 

[billyleungkt]

All 5998s should sound good so I wouldn't worry about finding a specific getter type. Keep in mind that the triode construction of tube is what matters most, as the getters don't play any active part in the operation or sound of a tube. Collectors use the getters to help determine the production year and design of other components which aren't visible so that's why people tend fixate on them, but I haven't heard of any type of 5998 being better than another. The Western Electric 421A is very similar--if not identical--to the 5998, but some say it sounds slightly better. It's certainly harder to find and more expensive if nothing else!

Thank you again

 

[headpower]

Is it normal for the Tung sol 5998 to hiss at no volume, I noticed the 5998 hiss when no music is playing or at low volume, but the hiss doesn't increase when I turn the volume up. When I swap the wa2 stock tube (Jan 6080) back, I didn't notice any hiss at all at lower volume, should I be worried about this hiss?

 

[jonathan c]

Is it normal for the Tung sol 5998 to hiss at no volume, I noticed the 5998 hiss when no music is playing or at low volume, but the hiss doesn't increase when I turn the volume up. When I swap the wa2 stock tube (Jan 6080) back, I didn't notice any hiss at all at lower volume, should I be worried about this hiss?

The hissing is not an inherent characteristic of the TS 5998 in my experience. The ‘amplification factor’ of the TS 5998 is 5.5; that for a TS 6080WA is 2.0. That could be a reason why you do not hear the hiss with the ‘stock’ JAN 6080.

 

[exchez]

Is it normal for the Tung sol 5998 to hiss at no volume, I noticed the 5998 hiss when no music is playing or at low volume, but the hiss doesn't increase when I turn the volume up. When I swap the wa2 stock tube (Jan 6080) back, I didn't notice any hiss at all at lower volume, should I be worried about this hiss?

Should be silent with volume at min. I start to get some tube noise (faint hum) when turned up around 11-12o'clock, but that's far beyond listening level for me. It may be the 5998 or may not. If the hum is the same in both channels then it would be odd for both 5998s to have the same intrinsic noise problem. Microphony can be audible even when the amp volume is at min. Try touching or lightly tapping the tube with your finger. If you can hear the tapping, then you know it's the 5998 for sure. Sometimes, taking out the tubes and putting them back in helps with hum, but typically it's in one channel and not both.

 

[headpower]

I switched to a second set of 5998 and it doesn't hiss anymore , but the crazy thing is I can hear a loud pop on the left side once, and then it pop on the right side. Now both tubes seem to operate fine without any weird pop/crackle noise for 2 hours.

 

[exchez]

I switched to a second set of 5998 and it doesn't hiss anymore , but the crazy thing is I can hear a loud pop on the left side once, and then it pop on the right side. Now both tubes seem to operate fine without any weird pop/crackle noise for 2 hours.

Some popping is normal at first, but should go away after a week or two.

 

[headpower]

Thanks for your help, when I first heard the pop, I thought I got strike by lightning haha.