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Audio Research State of the Art Audio Reproduction |
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#1
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Anyone familiar with the 6h30 tube layout in the ARC Ref 5SE?
My ARC Ref 5SE has developed a low level hiss and crackle in the right channel. It is volume dependent, but cannot be perceived at the listening position at normal listening level, only with an ear close to the midrange driver. I have removed the tubes and cleaned the pins and sockets with no change in the noise. So, I have a couple of old 6H30 tubes on hand that I can swap in and out of the four sockets in the preamp to try to identify a possible noisy tube. The four 6H30s installed are labeled V1, V2, V3, and V4 on the main circuit board. Does anybody know which pairs of tubes serve the right and left channels? I can easily change one tube at a time, but knowing the general circuit design would help with interpreting the results. Thanks in advance.
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#2
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Noise that can only be heard by putting my ear up to a midrange driver doesn't trouble me. If a tube does develop an issue, I replace all four of the signal tubes at the same time. I reason that once one fails the remainder cannot be far behind and there's no fun in fiddling with them. If the tubes reach around 5,000 hours with no issue I simply replace them all prophylactically.
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Primary sources: VPI TNT III/SDS turntable, SME-V arm; Bryston BDP-3 digital player; Bryston BDA-3 DAC; McIntosh MVP-881 disc player; McIntosh MR-80 tuner. Preamplifier Audio Research Ref 5SE; Audio Research Ref Phono 2SE; Moon 430 HA. Amplifiers Conrad Johnson Premier 1B; Audio Research D-300; Bryston 4B. Speakers Infinity IRS Beta. Recorders Tandberg TD20A; Crown SX-822; Nakamichi 670ZX; Alesis Masterlink ML-9600. Power Tice Power Block/Titan (x2); McIntosh MPC1500; API Ultra II-20; multiple 20A derated dedicated lines. |
#3
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#4
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Here's a related question. I just purchased a set of replacement 6H30 tubes for my REF 5SE. They came in matched pairs. Does anyone know if matched pairs are actually necessary in the REF 5SE? If they are, what are the matched tube positions (V1,V2,V3,V4) for each matched pair?
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#5
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#6
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I got my 6H30's from Upscale. I also think that V1 and V3 are for the right channel and V2 and V4 for the left channel, based on the board layout. However, I was thinking of keeping the matched pair in the same channel, which would be one pair for V1/V3 and the other pair for V2/V4. But I'm not absolutely sure about this, which is why I was asking the question.
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#7
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#8
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The answer I got from Upscale is that one matched pair should be used for V1/V2, and the other pair for V3/V4. I'll also ping Audio Research for their recommendation.
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#9
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Thanks, I will be interested to hear what ARC recommends.
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#10
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This is what ARC says about tube matching in the REF 5SE:
"The 6H30's do not need to be matched like they do in the power amps but you do want to make sure they are well balanced on each part of the triode." The 6H30 is a dual triode, so I presume the balance that they refer to is the matching of each triode within the individual 6H30. |
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