Tube ?

Jim Peter · Post by **Jim Peter** » 2 Aug 2004 9:24 am

I have a Mesa Boogie 50/50 stereo power amplifier. In most cases (95% of the time) I only need to run one channel and the other channel is sitting there idling with the volume control turned down to 0 and no load applied. The question I have is, are the tubes in the unused channel getting any use? Would it make sense to keep an old pair of tubes in that channel and only put in a good set when they are needed so that I do not wear them out so fast?

Thanks,
Jim

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 2 Aug 2004 10:40 am

sorry I completely missread the author's post. Sorry bout that.[This message was edited by C Dixon on 02 August 2004 at 11:41 AM.]

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 2 Aug 2004 12:56 pm

I'm not familiar with that amp, but if it's a true stereo amp, you can just remove the output tubes on the channel you're not using. Tubes which are not being driven (idling, as they call it) last much longer, but they are still subject to filament burn-out and cathode depletion. They will eventually wear out or burn out.

The preamp tubes are probably not discrete (separate tubes for each channel), but if they are, you can remove them, too![This message was edited by Donny Hinson on 02 August 2004 at 02:07 PM.]