Tips for removing induced noise

[4krow]

I recommend gently placing the tube on the floor and stomping on it just once. If it survives, keep it. It may have magical powers. If it doesn't make it through this test, it's better that you found out now, 'cuz as soon as it went to the dark side, it would come back with a vengance and take out all the circuitry it could.  No joke.

 

[grufti]

Congratulations on finding the culprit.

Somebody else will have to come up with a good answer to your question about the tube's fate. One thing your story does remind of however, is that problems will more often be found in the circuit that is misbehaving rather than "being induced from the outside".

The usual demons: SMPS, CFL, normal fluorescents, transformers, displays, ... should not be able to cause really bad noise in a well designed and correctly built circuit. They sometimes do anyway.

You might want to shake your troubled tube rather than stomp on it. I'm worried about your foot.

 

[Paul Birkeland]

When I find dead tubes at the shop, I will put them in a plastic bag and hit them with a hammer.

This is after Josh insisted on taking home some dud 9 pin tubes for display (duds have a habit of making their way back into the pile for lab use).

 

[PassionForSound]

Well thankfully I didn't take the stopping or "hammering" advice. I decided to try the 6080WA one more time and it's fine. There must have been a poor contact between the tube and the socket (despite no movement or anything). I guess some mild oxidation or something.

Either way, re-seating completely fixed the issue and I have my audio heaven back ;-)

Thanks for all the advice and suggestions everyone!

 

[earwaxxer]

I'm still too retentive to get rid of a questionable tube. I put them back in the box and mark it with an 'X'. I guess I'm hoping for a healing. Maybe a 'rest' will help. Dont know, they are just too pretty to throw away.

 

[Grainger49]

Break the glass and file it down with a diamond file.  Then you can see/display all the intricate innards.