[mjosef]

Every GL reissue power tube I have tried in my Jolida/Jolida-based amps has failed within 2-3 months.
In the 102b 7 GL EL84 out of 2 quads has either failed to meet bias or made bias but failed within 2 weeks, or has been fine for 2-3 weeks then suddenly would just go dead with a flash. THe first quad I bought two failed within a week, got those replaced...but a couple months later (after the summer heat) when going back to this tube amp, the replaced tubes failed leaving just the original pair still working.
Fast forward to 3weeks ago, bought another quad from a different dealer...all well and good for two weeks, great sound and fairly stable bias, then suddenly <poof!> another two tubes crashed and burn...replace those with the last two good ones from my first quad purchase, one week later I see one of them going red...
Other tube brands like EH 84 and the Russian 6N14N-EB seem to work fine long term. THey just don't sound as good as the GL.

My other tube amp is a Response Audio 3205 essentially a souped up Jolida 302. In the recent group buy for GL KT77, I had problems with 3 of the 4 tubes (one went red, two others couldn't make bias), I promptly received a replacement quad which worked fine. After about two months of playtime, during my regular bias check I found one tube with the trim pot maxed out and barely making bias (about 36mV). THis has been the best power tubes sound wise in the 3205 I have ever heard in the 4-5 years I have had this amp.
Yeah the Gold Lions tubes are darn good, but they just don't love Jolida amps.
I love the sound of tubes but its kinda high maintenance...
Oh for a SS amp with a tube sound...

 

[ltr317]

.
Yeah the Gold Lions tubes are darn good, but they just don't love Jolida amps.
I love the sound of tubes but its kinda high maintenance...
Oh for a SS amp with a tube sound...

 

You know that's never going to happen. 

[lonewolfny42]

Maybe it's the music your playing Martin....

[tgp06]

It looks like you have a bad connection in the amp. Could be a bad tube socket, but more likely a bad solder joint affecting a ground connection. If you can isolate the tube socket (or at least the side the red, glowing tube occurs) it will help whoever is troubleshooting the amp. The tube sockets are often wired in pairs on esch side. This happened to me recently with an old Dyna 70 based amp. The red giowing tube generally occurred in the left front socket- the actual bad solder joint was on the left rear socket end of a common wire.

[carusoracer]

I have a similarly modded Jolida 302b.  I lose the 3rd tube or V3 Tube. I'm biased at around 32.0 with El34's.

It seems to be only that particular socket and only the Svetlana tubes. I had the Treasures in there and no problem at all   The Treasureas are now in the Dodd 120 but I miss the sound of them.
I just had another Svetlana go out last week, it lasted 6 months...

It is a darn good sounding amp for the money. Interested in any remedies as well

[Ericus Rex]

Sounds like an amp issue.

Do you have a meter to check bias and plate voltage at each individual tube?

DISCLAIMER

If you don't know what you're doing don't even try to check plate voltage in a tube amp.  The voltage in the tube can kill you.  Get one of these:

http://www.amp-head.com/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=70

...and keep it safe.

[mjosef]

Bad connections in two different amps? How likely is that?
And if so, why does it not affect The other brands of tubes like EHs? I would think I would have failures regardless of the brand, no?

Are the GL tubes not as rugged as other brands( all cheaper by the way  )?

THe 3205 was the work of BIll Baker at Response Audio. I have had a small nagging problem with the V8 socket, which seem to have a tendency of runaway bias (after being on several hours), however since I have re-soldered that socket (last year), it seems to have solved that issue. This time the problem tube was in V7. 
Them GOld Lions sure are finicky. 

Later edit:

I bias the tubes on the safe side, usually under the recommended value, check it regularly, ie daily.
I purchased the Jolida 102b about 4 years ago, it came with EH EL84, and never had any problems, bias has been rock solid with the stock tubes. After 3 years of using the EH tubes, I finally got around to trying other power tubes, first that previously mentioned Russian Military tube, which didn't sound any better than the EH but was inexpensive, then I sprung for the GL which was 2X the price of the Russian mil., and the GL did sound great while they lasted.
I was hoping someone (expert or not) familiar with the Jolida tube circuits could shed some light on possible cause of the premature failure of the GL power tubes.
Does Jolida run their plate voltage on the high side? I did contact Jolida and the answer I got was they 'think' the plate voltage was at 400v. I was not successful in getting a copy of the schematic.

Perhaps I should just stick with what works huh...any brand but GL.

[mjosef]

Maybe it's the music your playing Martin....

Mhnn...maybe they only like smooth jazz or 70's rock huh.
Well I am using my Exposure 2010 SS amp now...sounds kinda tube-like. 

[Bob in St. Louis]

I've had a stock JD202 for several years. The amp is almost never off, as it does music, TV, gaming, etc... for not only me, but the entire family. I've only been "through" a couple sets of tubes, and that was only to "roll". I can officially say I've never labeled a tube "failed" and thrown it in the trash. I currently own three(ish) sets of tubes:
(EL34 and 12AX7)

What's your bias voltage?
It's been forever since I've biased mine, but if memory serves, it's around 40.

Good luck man. Sorry to hear the bad luck, but if you need someone to verify your amps, I'll be more than happy. 

Bob

[tgp06]

I solved a couple year glowing tube and unstable bias issue in one of my two Dyna 70 based amps when I replaced the old octal sockets for the EL34s and 5AR4 and touched up the solder joints on all the point to point wiring. The tube pins were rather sloppy in the sockets. During this period I never had an issue with the other amp. Then, this previously "good" amp started having glowing tubes on one side (it already had new ceramic sockets) and erratic bias readings. Found a loose and intermittent ground wire to one tube socket. Gave everything a good cleaning with Deoxit and have had two 100% reliable and stable amplifiers for the past 2 years. I would not suspect a connection in a Bill Baker built amp but you apparently fixed one when you resoldered the V8 socket, which was probably bad from Jolida. My amps are 40+ years old and who knows who did the original wiring! That said, GL may be making their new EL84s to a slightly different spec than others- I suspect many of the various brands come from the same factories, though, and are just labeled differently.

[rollo]

Every GL reissue power tube I have tried in my Jolida/Jolida-based amps has failed within 2-3 months.
In the 102b 7 GL EL84 out of 2 quads has either failed to meet bias or made bias but failed within 2 weeks, or has been fine for 2-3 weeks then suddenly would just go dead with a flash. THe first quad I bought two failed within a week, got those replaced...but a couple months later (after the summer heat) when going back to this tube amp, the replaced tubes failed leaving just the original pair still working.
Fast forward to 3weeks ago, bought another quad from a different dealer...all well and good for two weeks, great sound and fairly stable bias, then suddenly <poof!> another two tubes crashed and burn...replace those with the last two good ones from my first quad purchase, one week later I see one of them going red...
Other tube brands like EH 84 and the Russian 6N14N-EB seem to work fine long term. THey just don't sound as good as the GL.

My other tube amp is a Response Audio 3205 essentially a souped up Jolida 302. In the recent group buy for GL KT77, I had problems with 3 of the 4 tubes (one went red, two others couldn't make bias), I promptly received a replacement quad which worked fine. After about two months of playtime, during my regular bias check I found one tube with the trim pot maxed out and barely making bias (about 36mV). THis has been the best power tubes sound wise in the 3205 I have ever heard in the 4-5 years I have had this amp.
Yeah the Gold Lions tubes are darn good, but they just don't love Jolida amps.
I love the sound of tubes but its kinda high maintenance...
Oh for a SS amp with a tube sound...

 

 I believe the Gl tibes are made by Shuguang. Good tubes. S&G Custom Sound in Douglaston Queens sells and is the service rep in NY for Jolida. Give Scott a call and he will solve your problem. We had our Audio Syndrome meeting there last evening and the Jolida gear sounded pretty darn good on Scotts custom speakers.


charles

[Ericus Rex]

Check the plate voltage and bias of each tube individually and get back to us with the info.