Break-in tubes ?

[mattkw80]

Do Tubes' need to be "broke-in" ?


I thought I read some where that tubes need to run for about 100 hours before they're running their best.

(Not 100 hours straight, but 100 hours OF USE)

[Massive Master]

There's a lot of back-and-forth on that... Me? I run a piece for several days (constant-on) after new tubes are installed.

One of several reasons that I try my best to avoid tubes wherever possible... I'm not "anti-tube" by any stretch - But if I can get what I'm looking for without them, I'm a slightly happier dude.

[cusebassman]

Originally Posted by Massive Master

One of several reasons that I try my best to avoid tubes wherever possible... I'm not "anti-tube" by any stretch - But if I can get what I'm looking for without them, I'm a slightly happier dude.

It certainly decreases startup time, and is a pain when you want to put up a tube mic that you would normally let "warm up" for a good 30 minutes - 1 hour.

It may have been due simply to the fact that I have heard this before, but when I bought my Rode K2, I swapped the tube out for a NOS Telefunken tube that, as far as tubedepot said, had never been used. When I turned the mic on and let it sit for an hour, it still had a rather sizzly top-end, but after leaving it on for a day or two (I believe it was 2), that sizzle went away.

I don't know if its my brain trying to justify the added cost of the nicer 6922 or what, but it did seem to make a difference letting it "burn-in" a bit. Again, this comes with the stipulation that it might just be my imagination

[mattkw80]

Thanks for the response guys.

I think I'll let this stuff run a few days, just in case.

[dementedchord]

a techs perspective... no real advantage to burn in.... and why does it matter??? you start to use it it's "burning in"... but it aint a bad idea to warm up a piece for 1/2 hr before useing to let the temp kinda stabilize...