Is the tube amplifier easy to use? How long is the life of the tube amplifier?

Are tube amplifiers useful?

There are many modern music electronic devices, such as MP3, Walkman, stereo, etc., which enrich our music world and make our life colorful. Amplifier is also a very useful music player, especially tube amplifier, which has very high playback quality and good listening effect, so it is loved by many audiophiles. Tube amplifier is also called tube audio power amplifier, which is of course a device for amplifying volume. So is tube amplifier good? Let's talk about it in detail.

advantage:

1. The input dynamic range of the tube amplifier is large and the conversion rate is fast.

2. Most electronic tube amplifiers use discrete components, manual wiring, and welding, which are inefficient and costly. This is particularly evident in developed countries.

3. The open-loop indicators of the tube amplifier are better than those of the transistor. It does not require deep negative feedback and can work stably without adding phase compensation capacitors. Therefore, its dynamic indicators are better.

4. Generally speaking, the sound quality of the tube amplifier is soft and pleasant. To be more specific, the low-frequency sound of the tube amplifier is soft and clear, and the high-frequency sound is delicate, tender and clean. The performance of human voice is its strong point.

5. The treble of the tube machine is smoother, has enough air feeling, and has a kind of sound coloration that many people like. The soft and slightly fuzzy sound is very beautiful.

6. The main harmonics caused by the tube amplifier are even-numbered second harmonics. This harmonic component is very pleasing, just like adding rich overtones to beautify the sound.

shortcoming:

1. The life of the electron tube is relatively short, and some technical indicators will drop significantly after one or two thousand hours of use.

2. Tube amplifiers consume high power and often operate in Class A mode, which further reduces efficiency. However, there are basically no factors that are harmful to sound quality, such as transient intermodulation distortion, switching distortion, and crossover distortion.

3. Vacuum tube amplifiers have no advantages over transistor amplifiers in terms of weight, efficiency, and lifespan.

4. During use, the electron tube must have good ventilation and heat dissipation. Overheating will inevitably shorten the life of the electron tube, so the temperature of the electron tube should be kept as low as possible.

5. Electron tubes are afraid of vibration, so it is also important to take anti-vibration measures to avoid vibration as much as possible.

6. When high voltage power is applied to the cathode of the electron tube before it reaches the required temperature, its cathode will be damaged, which will shorten the life of the electron tube.

7. The sound of tube amplifiers has fewer details and layers.

8. Among the harmonics produced by tube amplifiers, the odd harmonics account for a considerable amount, which can cause discomfort in listening.

9. The internal resistance of the electron tube is large, and the damping coefficient of the electron tube amplifier is low, which is not conducive to the control ability of the speaker.

Well, the above is the editor's summary of the detailed introduction of the question of whether the tube amplifier is good or not. This article gives a separate explanation from the advantages and disadvantages. I believe that through this article, everyone can understand the characteristics of the tube amplifier more clearly. After the 1980s, the quality of the tube amplifier has been improved to a certain extent, so it has won everyone's welcome. In fact, any kind of electronic music equipment has advantages and disadvantages, we just need to choose according to our needs.

How long is the life of a tube amplifier?

The service life of a tube power amplifier depends on the life of the tube filament and the effective emitting material of the cathode. Generally, if it is used for 2 hours a day, it will not be less than 10 years.

How to prolong the life of tube amplifier

In use, the electron tube must have good ventilation and heat dissipation. Overheating will inevitably shorten the life of the electron tube, so the temperature of the electron tube should be kept as low as possible. Electron tubes are afraid of vibration, so it is also important to take anti-vibration measures to avoid vibration as much as possible. If these two points are achieved, the service life of the electron tube can be at least doubled. For this reason, there should be appropriate space around the electron tube equipment, especially above it, so that there is good convection ventilation, and fans can be used to help dissipate heat if possible.

If the cathode of the electron tube is not yet at the required temperature and the high voltage power supply is applied, its cathode will be damaged, which will also shorten the life of the electron tube. Therefore, if the electron tube equipment has a preheating device, it must be used, such as turning on the low-voltage power supply of the filament for preheating first, and then turning on the high-voltage power supply. If there is no preheating device, then you should not rush to connect the input signal. You can turn down the volume to the minimum and wait for 20 to 30 minutes before turning on the machine to warm up before using it. If a side-heated rectifier tube is used to supply the whole machine with high voltage, it just provides a simple and effective high-voltage delay. In addition, do not turn on and off the power frequently during normal use.

Of course, if the tube circuit is designed correctly and incorrect use is avoided, the tube will not die young, and it should be normal for the tube to be used for thousands of listening hours. The most common errors in circuit design are too high potential difference between the tube filament and cathode, the maximum voltage of the tube screen or screen grid, too low or too high voltage of the tube filament, improper installation of the tube causing electrode overheating, and no delay device for the high voltage power supply.