one bad tube in a set of matched quads

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R_burke

one bad tube in a set of matched quads
« on: 31 Dec 2022, 04:31 pm »
I have a single bad tube in one of my monoblocks.  It's part of a matched quad set of EL-84s.  Can I replace just the one tube without affecting sound quality?

musicdre

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Re: one bad tube in a set of matched quads
« Reply #1 on: 31 Dec 2022, 05:32 pm »
depends on what tube you use as a replacement.  its certainly very possible to find a tube that will sound great as a replacement. 

FullRangeMan

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Re: one bad tube in a set of matched quads
« Reply #2 on: 31 Dec 2022, 05:49 pm »
Your amp have individual bias?
Your amp use four EL84?

R_burke

Re: one bad tube in a set of matched quads
« Reply #3 on: 31 Dec 2022, 07:47 pm »
Yes to both

FullRangeMan

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Re: one bad tube in a set of matched quads
« Reply #4 on: 31 Dec 2022, 09:00 pm »
Só you will insert an new EL84 adjust the bias and watch what happens :thumb:

WGH

Re: one bad tube in a set of matched quads
« Reply #5 on: 31 Dec 2022, 10:53 pm »
Since you have 8 tubes, the odds of another one failing is greater than zero. Buy another set of matched quads of the same brand and type as the originals and keep the 3 old tubes as backups. I wouldn't put Mullards in one monoblock and JJs in another, that would be too weird sounding.

More info about the amps and current tubes would be helpful, someone here on AC may have the same amp and know if you can stick in any old EL84. The boxes the tubes came in might have the test numbers, I don't know how close the numbers have to be to qualify as matched but you may find a single tube with test numbers close enough.

If the amps are uber expensive then the manufacturer will have a record of the 2 sets of matched quads and help you buy a single tube. I borrowed a pair of monoblock amps not too long ago and something was slightly off about the sound, my Van Alstine Set 400 amp imaged better. The effect was subtle but led to my theory that monoblock amps have to be precisely matched to each other, any deviation in frequency response will smear the image leading to a more diffuse sound stage.

opnly bafld

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SET Man

Re: one bad tube in a set of matched quads
« Reply #7 on: 1 Jan 2023, 02:40 am »
I have a single bad tube in one of my monoblocks.  It's part of a matched quad set of EL-84s.  Can I replace just the one tube without affecting sound quality?

Hey!
 
    Technically if your amp allow you to adjust the bias for each individual tubes, you can just replace the bad tube with a new one of the same brand and type, readjust the bias for all the tubes, wait 30 mins and check the bias on all the tubes again. And do this again on the listening session.

    It is unlikely that you will notice much different if you replace the bad with the same brand and type but that also depend on the system also. Now, the question is how anal are you? Can you live with the fact that those tubes with the new one in are not matched and will not age at the same rate?
 

seikosha

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Re: one bad tube in a set of matched quads
« Reply #8 on: 1 Jan 2023, 12:37 pm »
I had a tube go bad in a new matched quad set of el34’s after a week.  The manufacturer replaced it with a tube of the same reading.  After replacement, the soundstage was slightly skewed towards one side…fixable with dual volume controls on my preamp..but that diminished after about a month.