[rlw3]

friends with 15 yr old tube amps report less bass,less dynamics etc. the music flows but a lot flatter like old soda pop.they believe the problem to be the caps. do transformers change over time? PLEASE NO TUBE AGING COMMENTS NEEDED.

[BobM]

Well, everything changes over time, but old transformers are well valued by many DIYers. I would start with the caps first, because new caps are often much better in terms of tolerance. That being said, it could make your amp sound very different than the old sound you are used to.

I would also suggest looking at any wires and perhaps RCA jacks as well before you venture into anything else.

Take it slow, one step at a time until you are happy with the new sound.

Bob

[Wayner]

The usual problem is the breakdown of the insulator inside of a capacitor. Voltage and current are the enemy, thru time. I've known for some time that anything made by man begins to break down the second it is created. Most alloys of metals or dissimilar materials will start degradation immediately after creation. Heat is the other enemy.

Wayner

[K.C.]

I've known for some time that anything made by man begins to break down the second it is created.

Introduce high operating temperature, then remove it. Provide high in-rush currents at startup and suffer brownouts when operating. Now distribute these variations over years.

Temperature influenced components age, just like the men who designed them.