Do my tubes sound worn out?

[57Strat777]

Hey guys - I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe and healthy!

My amp has had the same set of 6V6 tubes for three years. This amp gets played 3-4 hours per day at cranked high volume. We're talking 3600+ hours on these tubes. I use an attenuator to get the volume level down to a nice level. Given the hours on these tubes, I am thinking they must be spent, but they still sound really good to me. If you have time, please check out this recording and let me know what you think. Thanks!

If you don't have a DropBox account, just close out the log-in box and click play
https://www.dropbox.com/s/23hq2aljoieixlb/hey_joe_sunburst_strat.mp3?dl=0

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Sounds fine to me through an iPhone and some tasty playing as well!

 

[RallyFanatic]

Any tube I had that started to go would cause volume inconsistencies and a generally muddier sound. What tubes are in there, they sound great for that amount of abuse!

 

[57Strat777]

Any tube I had that started to go would cause volume inconsistencies and a generally muddier sound. What tubes are in there, they sound great for that amount of abuse!

These tubes are 1950's RCA 6V6.

 

[gush]

FWIW. I bought a 5150 head new in 1994 and only retubed it TWICE and I gigged the ever loving crap out of that amp up until 2016.

I thought it was odd that they lasted that long.

 

[AaeCee]

Sounded good and crisp to my ears. Also liked your delta-bluesy style ... as though you've possibly visited them ol' crossroads.

 

[RickP]

Hey guys - I hope everyone is doing well and staying safe and healthy!

My amp has had the same set of 6V6 tubes for three years. This amp gets played 3-4 hours per day at cranked high volume. We're talking 3600+ hours on these tubes. I use an attenuator to get the volume level down to a nice level. Given the hours on these tubes, I am thinking they must be spent, but they still sound really good to me. If you have time, please check out this recording and let me know what you think. Thanks!

If you don't have a DropBox account, just close out the log-in box and click play
https://www.dropbox.com/s/23hq2aljoieixlb/hey_joe_sunburst_strat.mp3?dl=0

If it sounds good, play it! They’ll sure let you know when they’re done working. By the amp tech gospel, yeah... every 1 to 2 years of regular use. But then that’s asking a barber if you need a haircut. Trust your ears.

I have a couple of sets from 57 and 58. RCAs were well built tubes.

 

[Jazzedout]

Get some spares, so you don't wait for new ones when the old ones die. Which is not now.
They sound fine to me as well.

 

[JJJ]

IME when they go bad, they either stop working and go with a pop, or they start giving you rustling leaves, crackling and output issues. If they're not behaving strangely I wouldn't worry about it

I have original power tubes from 2005/2006 in an orange ad30... I had it serviced a year ago and during a power test they're still putting out 31 or 32 watts. No issues, no worries.

A lot of the tube swapping regimens I see on the net are pretty nuts, it's all overkill. I only swap stuff if it breaks.

 

[57Strat777]

Thanks for the advice guys! I really appreciate it!

When a power tubes fails, is there a risk it could damage my amp?

Also wanted to ask about the characteristics of volume fluctuations on a failing power tube. Does the sound get louder and softer and louder and softer, repeating this over and over? Or does the volume decrease and not go back up as the tube heats up?

 

[RallyFanatic]

Thanks for the advice guys! I really appreciate it!

When a power tubes fails, is there a risk it could damage my amp?

Also wanted to ask about the characteristics of volume fluctuations on a failing power tube. Does the sound get louder and softer and louder and softer, repeating this over and over? Or does the volume decrease and not go back up as the tube heats up?

When the 6v6’s started to fail in my old Egnater amp, it would drop volume and stay that way and there were lots of random static and popping. Your fuse or potential some resistors will likely take the brunt of a fully failed tube.