Power Tubes will generally last 1 - 1.5 years.
Preamp Tubes will generally last 2 - 3 years.
Signs of Wear
Power Tubes:
• Low end response is not as clear and distorts earlier.
• You turn your amp’s master volume up to hear the level that
you are used to hearing.
• Eventually you will hear 'crackling' 'popping' sounds, often accompanied by:
• 'Swelling' volume levels.
• Buzzing.
Preamp Tubes:
• Hissing, 'shooshing'.
• Sputtering, 'grumbling'.
• Microphonic squealing (feedback type sound).
• Loss in signal in one or more modes of the amp (channel, reverb, fx-loop).
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