Do tubes have "good days" and "bad days"?

[BluePat]

I ask this as I have seen it mentioned before, and I swear that my amps can sound "different" from day to day. The difference is slight, but perceptible. The only conclusion that I can come to is the tubes can vary in their sonic performance, due to the way they are (heat) stressed and the demand placed on them at any given time. :dunno

Thoughts?..

[rockon1]

I think (seriously) factors like variances in wall voltages (which affects how the tubes /amp operates),humidity (which affects the paper material of the cone-especially in very high situations) and how sound travels along with day to day perceptual changes(us) all factor into the "good days ,bad daze " thing. Bob

[Rosewood]

I think (seriously) factors like variances in wall voltages (which affects how the tubes /amp operates),humidity (which affects the paper material of the cone-especially in very high situations) and how sound travels along with day to day perceptual changes(us) all factor into the "good days ,bad daze " thing. Bob
I'll buy that, I've never owned anything that sounded exactly the same every day, even my wife's voice.

[BluesForDan]

I think (seriously) factors like variances in wall voltages (which affects how the tubes /amp operates),humidity (which affects the paper material of the cone-especially in very high situations) and how sound travels along with day to day perceptual changes(us) all factor into the "good days ,bad daze " thing. Bob

+1 absolutely. Which makes me wonder if yesterday's revelation about my champ might not be replicated today if I try again. I've noticed this before. I should have gotten the mic and mixer out while the getting was good.

Not to be confused with the days that your brain seems unable to get your fingers to cooperate.

[RussB]

I would be more suspect of your hearing, which can and does change from day to day

[rob2001]

I think amps can change somewhat but after many years of thinking about it, I think we change more than the amps do.

[wyatt]

I think (seriously) factors like variances in wall voltages (which affects how the tubes /amp operates),humidity (which affects the paper material of the cone-especially in very high situations) and how sound travels along with day to day perceptual changes(us) all factor into the "good days ,bad daze " thing. Bob

+1 (edit: or 2 or 3, RussB and rob2001 also beat me to it)

The biggest difference is our own ears. None of our amps should ever sound exactly the same from day to day because our hearing is relative and our ears constantly adjust to compensate and shift what we perceive as "normal" based on what we have been listening to just prior to that moment.

This is why classical musicians often use a tuning fork or reference instrument to try and "center" their hearing before playing.

[mbratch]

I would be more suspect of your hearing, which can and does change from day to day
Which raises the mildly philosophical question: if you hear something again and it sounds different you, did it make a different noise? (corollary to the tree falling in the woods) ;)

[RussB]

Which raises the mildly philosophical question: if you hear something again and it sounds different you, did it make a different noise? (corollary to the tree falling in the woods) ;)


The answer is yes and no :D

[BCJek]

I think that my main amp sounds different at different times [same settings]. I think it's the wall voltage that does it. I live in a 100 year-old building, so it might be more of a factor than in other places.

[samwheat]

The electrical grid is all messed up with power factor issues and harmonics. I go down to the boiler in the basement of my apartment and the wiring is humming. Wall voltage varies by the hour. A variac and an EMI filter can clean it up.

[TNO]

I've noticed that if I'm tired or stressed my rig will sound thin and harsh. Sometimes it has more to do with brain voltage than wall voltage.

[Rosewood]

One thing Ive learned is not to compare the tone of an amp that's been on for minutes to one that's been running for over an hour, of course that could be ear fatigue along with amp changes.

[cjshaker]

The biggest difference is our own ears. None of our amps should ever sound exactly the same from day to day because our hearing is relative and our ears constantly adjust to compensate and shift what we perceive as "normal" based on what we have been listening to just prior to that moment.

This is why classical musicians often use a tuning fork or reference instrument to try and "center" their hearing before playing.

Ill add too, that even barometric pressure has a lot to do with this also. If you think about it, sound is nothing more than air pressure waves, so it would only figure that the higher or lower the barometric pressure is the more that "tone" or more accurately, how its perceived, is received into the eardrum........which is also affected by barometric pressure.

Think about when you go up in altitude. Ever notice how the tone of sounds really deadens or goes flat until your ears pop to adjust to the pressure, but its still not the same as before. The same applies here.

So to me, its a multitude of things. Wall voltage, humidity, barometric pressure plus a few others.

[RonnyLee]

Or..................just a figment...............

[aleclee]

IME, wall voltage and humidity make the biggest difference in day to day tone

[picnic]

I have a Fargen Blackbird and three different pairs of 6L6's. EH's, GT's and Sovteks. I change them all the time.
Why?
I don't know. there isn't very much change in the sound or power of the amp. I think I like the EH's more, but the "improvement" in so small.
Solution
Buy some JJ's and really get into a fog. 8^)

[INX]

One thing Ive learned is not to compare the tone of an amp that's been on for minutes to one that's been running for over an hour, of course that could be ear fatigue along with amp changes.

+1

My amp sounds best after it's been running quite a while, like over a half an hour. I went to the gym last night and came home (it had been on standby) and SO LUSH. Hot JJ 6L6's and Mullards FTWOFDEATH9000.

:banana

[rockindog]

Guitar strings don't improve with age either. They loose their brightness little by little. That's just one more thing to consider along with the aforementioned factors.

[jspax7]

I've experienced this at home, and playing in different rooms. The number one issue (for me) has been wall voltage. I now use a Furman regulator every time I plug in. Second would be the room acoustics.

[roknroll]

Your ears change day to day depending on the amount of abuse you give them.