For practice in a bedroom a couple of times a week at modest volumes, you'll probably get five to ten years out of them. If you practice twice a week for a couple of hours at full volume and play two gigs a weekend, count on one to two years out of a set of output tubes.
How long do vacuum tubes last?
Tubes don't just "quit" suddenly. They lose their drive capability gradually with use. Small signal tubes like a 12AX7 or 6922 will work well on average for about 10,000 hours. If you leave your equipment on 24 hours a day, well you do the math: There are 8,760 hours in a year.
How long do valve tubes last?
“In theory, a valve should have a working lifespan of anywhere between 1,000 and 5,000 hours for common types, and up to 8,000 or so for the more rugged industrial/mil-spec variants.
How often should tubes be replaced?
On average, tubes can last from 500 to 1,000 hours, so if you play with your amp two to three hours every day, you can safely expect to get around a year or less from your vacuum tubes.
What is the difference between EL34 and EL84 tubes?
The EL34 is larger and it puts out two to three times the wattage as the EL84. More watts equals more volume, more headroom, and a better frequency response — even at low volumes. Lower bass frequencies require more power, and the higher wattage of the EL34 is better able to handle the full frequency spectrum.
How does a tube affect sound?
We use tubes simply because they make the music we create sound better: smoother, warmer and cleaner. Ditto for guitar amplifiers used in creating music. The ways that tubes distort when pushed to the edge are much more musical than the artificial sounds that come from transistor amplifiers when overdriven.
Do power tubes make a difference?
As rock music was demanding louder and larger amplifiers, makers started using larger power tubes. Here come the 6550, KT88, KT66, and KT77. They are known for more headroom and a harder edge when they eventually distort.
Can 6V6 replace EL84?
Yes, the socket change is a fairly major operation, but the 6V6s are pretty compatible with the EL84 voltage and output impedance.
What does a EL84 tube do?
The EL84 is a thermionic valve of the power pentode type. It is used in the power output stages of audio amplifiers, most commonly now in guitar amplifiers, but originally in radios. The EL84 is smaller and more sensitive than the octal 6V6 that was widely used around the world until the 1960s.
What do 6V6 tubes sound like?
Sonically, the 6V6 sounds warm but gritty it does a gnarly overdrive without any strident highs. The 6L6 on the other hand is the all-tube sound that is smooth think melted chocolate.
Can I use EL84 instead of EL34?
In the specific case of swapping an EL34 for an EL84, you actually can't swap them because the two different tubes have a different number of pins on their sockets.
What amp tubes are interchangeable?
The 12AX7, 12AT7, and 12AU7 all belong to the same family of nine contact, twin triode tubes. In many cases, these tubes are interchangeable and can easily be swapped.Jun 8, 2018