Tubes for Cal Audio Labs Alpha Processor

I never had any trouble with my Sigma or Alpha being hard on tubes, but I was using 10kHr Telefunken ECC803S tubes. If you enjoy transparency and quiet background; they, or Siemens E83CC's(triple mica, from the 60's) are a very good bet(both very accurate, extended in highs and lows w/o glare or bloat, and faithful to the original signal). If you prefer a warmer coloration: Mullard long plates from the 50's are very popular. Either Brimar or Mullard CV4004's will cost less and still please you, if you like the Brit sound.

I've had an Alpha for a many years but upgraded to a Tri-Vista last year but I can't seem to part with it. All the years I used my Alpha I never had at 12AX7 quit and it was powered up 24/7 for years. I tried a bunch of tubes but the one I liked most at the end of the day was the Groove Tubes GT12AX7M reissue.

BTW it reacted well to changes in cabling.

Good Luck

I've had an Alpha for about 15 years - tube longevity has never been a problem for me. Tube selection has always been made based on ancillary equipment and speakers. I like a clear neutral tone, one that if it errs at all errs on the warm side. I'm presently using EI12AX7E (grey plates/steel pins).

I've also never had any problem with tubes in my Alpha.

For sound, the best I've encountered so far are Sylvania 5751's.

Michael

The tubes fail because people turn their units on and off, this being hard on the tubes. I've owned a Sigma II for almost fourteen years and ran it 24/7 until it went into a second system in a little-used second apartment six years ago. It just went back into my system last week to decode signal from a Wadia IPod dock - it sounded as good as ever - I had never changed the original tube - but I had some extra tubes laying around and an hour to kill, so I finally retubed it, if only for the hell of it.

Most people do not understand what gear should be left on 24/7 and what gear needs to be turned off when not in use. Generally speaking, turn off tube amps, Class-A biased solid-state amps, and maybe tube preamps with tube power supplies (depends on preamp). Leave everything else on 24/7, including any tube gear that uses small-signal tubes, like tube preamps with solid-state power supplies (that's 97% of them), tube DAC's and tubed CD players, and tubed tuners. If you insist upon turning off digital gear, sell your system and buy yourself a double-wide.