Jim... about biasing the PR's (and PRRI's) at 30...

ruger9ruger9
edited July 2013 in Root
I have also liked biasing my amps "hot" over the years, I agree it seems to pull the most tone out of the tubes... but I was wondering... when you mention on your website you bias your PRs at "at least 30"... and you also mention it will shorten tube life, how much tube life do you normally get out of the 6V6s when biased that hot? I'm curious because I only got about 10-12 hours out of the stock set of 6V6s (which were probably sovteks or chinese, I'm guessing), while they were biased at 30. I have a set of Tung Sols (new production) in there now.

Comments

  • JimCampilongoJimCampilongo
    10-12 hours? No, my experience is more like 6 months to a year...
  • awpawp
    10 to 12 hours? I don't care how much better the amp sounds I can't imagine it sounds good enough to justify burning through tunes that fast.
  • JimCampilongoJimCampilongo
    10-12 hours? No, my experience is more like 6 months to a year...
  • ruger9ruger9
    That's what I thought. Like I said, I have no idea what brand tubes were in there, but there were OEM, so probably not great...I'm suspecting one of them was probably not up to spec or something. Thanks for the answer- at least I have an idea now. I expect the new Tung-Sols to last quite a while.
  • JimCampilongoJimCampilongo
    good luck!
  • CaptainBbCaptainBb
    Does biasing a PRRI this high increase the noise floor significantly?

    I used to own a DRRI but that amp would hiss like a box of snakes if I biased it hot (anything above 22mA).
  • ruger9ruger9
    No, it does not increase the noise floor, at least it didn't in mine. It CAN in some amps, for sure. But I don't really notice a difference, and it's certainly not a difference you would notice in a gigging situation, regardless.

    I think maybe the tube brand, quality, and rating (how early or late the tubes begin to distort) may play a role in tandem with the bias, regarding noise floor.
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