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Tube Question

I have an amp that has Russian Tubes. This amp purchased in the 90's has always had a hum to it which when playing music isn't heard. I'm thinking of buying 1 6SL7 and 1 6550EH tube to swap out and see if I can find if one of the tubes is the problem. The 6SL7 is Sovtek and the 6550EH is electro-harmonix. Should I replace with a similar tube from another company or continue with the same company? Is this approach to finding the problem sensible or a waste of time?
jcbach
jcbach's avatar
jcbach OP
41 posts
 
Thank you for all your responses. Dealing with the transformers is beyond my pay grade. Does anyone have a suggestion on where I should send the amp for professional repair?  I live in the northeast US  but would be willing to ship it anywhere.The company that made the amp no longer exists so that isn't an option. 
lewm
6,770 posts
 
I guess you've chosen not to respond to my question about the source of the hum. If you don't know what's broken it will be difficult for a repair shop to fix it. If the problem is due to AC grounding in your system it may not exist when the unit is in a repair shop, for example.
Anyway: Bill Thalmann at Music Technology in Springfield VA is the best on this side of the Mississippi 

Weve established that if the tubes have never been replaced now is the time.

invictus005
597 posts
 
Tubes can 100% absolutely positively hum! I used to use Sovtek tubes and they were horrid, many hummed like crazy. New Electro Harmonix are much better. NOS US made are best and quietest. I definitely recommend getting new tubes to try.
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
1,457 posts
 
What made/model is the amp?  As already said, there's a strong chance there's nothing to repair.  If you send it anywhere, have a good long talk with the repair person before you send it.  The problem may be inherent in the AC coming into your house, in the wiring of your house, or in the model or unit itself.  Lots of variables...
lewm
6,770 posts
 
2leftears, Most likely, it would be the ground scheme of the audio system itself and what is plugged into what receptacle and/or how any one piece of gear is grounded internally (some mix chassis ground with signal ground; some isolate one from the other), but you're basically right.

Invictus, Please tell me in what way your anecdotal report proves that tubes per se can be a prime cause of "hum"?  Let's be clear also, that when one uses the term "hum", it typically refers to 60 Hz or 120 Hz noise.  Tubes certainly can be noisy, especially aging tubes, but when they are noisy it's usually a mixture of many frequencies, which sounds quite different from "hum".  So, I guess a grossly defective tube that is shorted out could play a role in causing horrendous hum, but in that case you'd get no music at all.

Anyway, maybe the OP will come back and explain his problem more clearly.
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