Tube amps + bass - Overclock.net

Luda · 08-11-09

Ive seen some people run Tube amps with there audio setups and something ive always wondered but never gotten a clear answer on:

Does high levels [excessive to some] of low frequency SPL affect tube amps in a negative fashion. as in if i had a tube amp setup and was running bass at the level that it was vibrating/rattles the table would that break the tubes or otherwise disrupt them?

Socom · 08-11-09

I have a bass amplifier in my garage that has tubes i think.
EDIT:And no, the tubes won't break unless a certain frequency is hit which would cause the tubes to vibrate so fast they shatter.

TwoCables · 08-11-09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Socom

I have a bass amplifier in my garage that has tubes i think.

What's your point? Edit: nice ninja edit, Socom.

Luda: tubes are very much like lightbulbs in that vibrations can affect them negatively over time and possibly shorten their life. However, you probably won't notice any negative affect on the sound. But if it were my tube amp, then I would probably put it somewhere where it wouldn't be vibrated.

Socom · 08-11-09

Quote:

Originally Posted by TwoCables

What's your point? Edit: nice ninja edit, Socom.

Luda: tubes are very much like lightbulbs in that vibrations can affect them negatively over time and possibly shorten their life. However, you probably won't notice any negative affect on the sound. But if it were my tube amp, then I would probably put it somewhere where it wouldn't be vibrated.

TwoCables: I forgot to put the EDIT: in there

Luda: Listen to twocables, he knows more about audio than I do

TwoCables · 08-11-09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Socom

TwoCables: I forgot to put the EDIT: in there

Luda: Listen to twocables, he knows more about audio than I do

Nah, I'm just a geeky/nerdy musician.

So, I mean, it kinda helps with this stuff too.

Luda · 08-11-09

well my last subwoofer broke numerous bulbs in my room, part of the reason i switch to the curly energy efficient bulbs.

im planning on building a 18" ported tuned to 27hz in a 14cuft box[box is going to be my coffee table, albeit without drinks on it] hence my curiousity since ive heard amazing things about tubes for listening to music.

and im just curious in general.

**soloz2** · 08-11-09

that much bass/vibration isn't good for any electronics, but were it bad enough it could damage tubes.

TwoCables · 08-11-09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luda

well my last subwoofer broke numerous bulbs in my room, part of the reason i switch to the curly energy efficient bulbs.

im planning on building a 18" ported tuned to 27hz in a 14cuft box[box is going to be my coffee table, albeit without drinks on it] hence my curiousity since ive heard amazing things about tubes for listening to music.

and im just curious in general.

By the way: vibrations can really shorten the life of those compact fluorescent bulbs. I was going to replace the incandescents in the garage door opener, but I learned by way of research that the vibrations would cause the compact fluorescents to have a noticeably shorter life than the incandescents. Not only that, but another way to help them last as long as they're supposed to is to make sure they're in a socket that gets used for longer than 15 minutes each time it's turned on.

But damn, if your last subwoofer broke numerous bulbs, then perhaps you have the low end a little too high. hehe

Ok, so I guess in this case, the best place for the tube amp would be somewhere where the vibrations would be at an absolute minimum. However, it may not matter since a tube bass/guitar amp gets vibrated by the speaker(s)!

Luda · 08-11-09

ya the low end was pretty intense, but that what happens when you have 3 10"s being abused with 1.2KW.

im going for a much deeper tone this time around, although its going to be a while til i start the build, still need to do a bit of reasearch first [and make sure the house will stand up to it, there are multiple loose tiles on the upstairs bathrooms, along with some picture frames i had to replace]

i lost a few HDDs to the vibrations... but i gel'd them [put gel isolating rings around the screw holes] i would imagine the same principle would work for a tube amp, get a gel bed for it to rest on instead of resting on a hard surface. or i could do a equipment rack with a 'floating' shelf with small coil springs to isolate it, or a combination of both.

TwoCables · 08-11-09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luda

ya the low end was pretty intense, but that what happens when you have 3 10"s being abused with 1.2KW.

im going for a much deeper tone this time around, although its going to be a while til i start the build, still need to do a bit of reasearch first [and make sure the house will stand up to it, there are multiple loose tiles on the upstairs bathrooms, along with some picture frames i had to replace]

i lost a few HDDs to the vibrations... but i gel'd them [put gel isolating rings around the screw holes] i would imagine the same principle would work for a tube amp, get a gel bed for it to rest on instead of resting on a hard surface. or i could do a equipment rack with a 'floating' shelf with small coil springs to isolate it, or a combination of both.

I really like the isolation ideas of either a gel bed or a floating shelf - or the combination of both. Either way, it seems very logical to me that having it on any hard surface would only transfer the vibrations.

Would it be possible to go ghetto and use a pillow, blankets, sheets, or towels?

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Tube amps + bass

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