$200 is VERY steep for a set of tubes. You should be looking anywhere from $50 (for smaller amps like a 30 watter)) to $130ish (For larger amps. like a 120 watt behemoth.)

The 12AY7 valve (also known as the 6072) is a 9-pin tube. This is actually two valves in one glass envelope. It is what is called a ‘double triode’. It was originally designed as a low noise tube and was actually developed before the 12AX7 (ECC83). The application for the 12AY7 is usually an audio preamplifier.

Amps are designed to use specific power tubes (for example, EL34 or 6V6) and are not compatible with other types of power tubes without serious circuit modifications. Also, remember that in many amps, the power tubes are designed to work in pairs. It’s best to replace both tubes in this case.

Never, never, never run the amp with no speaker plugged in. This can cause major damage. Do not flip the power switch off, then back on rapidly. This can cause power supply damage.

This myth started with a misunderstanding of the old RCA tube manual recommendation for using standby switches when running very, very high voltage radio station transmitter tubes. Don’t leave your tube amp on standby for too long, it can cause damage!

As a rule of thumb, your tube amp needs to be warmed up for 20 to 30 minutes at least before you can start playing your guitar. Most of the time, tube amps have warm up specifications included in their instructions for use.

A: These are the most common signs that tubes need replacement:

• Excessive noise (hiss, hum) including squealing or microphonic tubes.
• Loss of high end.
• A muddy bottom end; Sounds like there is too much bass and note clarity is lost.
• Erratic changes in the overall volume.
• The amp doesn’t work!

They definitely make a difference but not as big as say, speakers. Reliability is probably the more important factor when evaluating tubes, but there are very real tonal differences as well.

A solid state amp does not need to warm up. You are confusing with tube amps. If you are noticing differences, its the placebo effect. Not necessarily, but it’s hard to prove either way so remains open to debate.

A tube preamp (not power amp, just the preamp) should not have to be warmed up beyond the 15 to 30 seconds needed for the filaments to arrive at temperature.

In particular, the voice coils begin to warm-up. The call by some audiophiles for extended break-in with new loudspeakers requires long periods of playing music at relatively high levels to supposedly help the loudspeaker reach peak performance. Thus, speaker warm-up periods produce no audible change in the system.

We definitely recommend running in your amplifier to ensure you are achieving the best possible performance. The running in process ensures certain components (such as capacitors) settle and perform at a constant. The amplifier will sound excellent out of the box, and will only improve as it is run in.

Absolutely. However, the burn in period depends on the amplifier design as well. I have noticed long burns ins for amps that use large caps in the design. Many such designs need to kept powered on for best results as well.

New Member. As we begin to indulge our passion in music, We usually buy the best speakers we can on our budget . However in most cases I have seen that we cringe on Amplifiers. As far as I know the ratio should be 50% of total budget on speakers and 50% of total budget on a Amplifier.

No, amplifiers don’t improve sound quality. They just increase the signals to required levels. However if amplifiers have equaliser or other signal processing facility, they can make it sound different and possibly more suitable for listening pleasure. But again that is the work of signal processing part of amplifier.

Based on the Kind of Input Signal: Voltage, Current, and Power. I will answer this based on the concept of voltage. An amp will only improve the quality of a sound by adding voltage. If you hear a guitar as you play up to 10 on your volume control, and you turn it up to 11, you will hear a difference in tone.