1/ regularly remove the tubes and have them commercially tested;

2/ replace the tubes with new stock on a regular basis.

These two methods may give the operator a degree of confidence ///but in fact, it can be shown that the faith placed in both methods is misplaced.

It is a known fact that removal of a tube from its socket results in a number of potentially damaging mechanical stresses on the metal to glass seals around the pins. Each insertion of an all glass tube will cause micro-cracking of the glass around the pin. This will invariably cause a small leakage of air into the tube, causing ‘gassing’ and eventually leading to its demise.

Removal for testing will also break the intimate contact between the holder and the tube contact pin, resulting in a poorer contact on re-insertion.

Many tube testers apply unreasonable electrical stresses to the valve internal electrodes and it is not uncommon for a known good valve to be damaged during the test. Tube testers can also give erroneous results depending on the way they perform the tests, possibly allowing faulty tubes to show ‘good’ and the good valves to be rejected as ‘bad’.

The second method of ‘blanket replacement’ with new stock on a regular basis can also lead to problems because if the failure distribution curve for tubes is analysed, it can be seen to follow the classic ‘bathtub’ failure curve. This inevitably means that an amplifier which is regularly ‘re-tubes’ will inevitably be considerably more likely to fail during the first hundred hours service than one which has been left untouched.

TubeSync overcomes these problems by performing an ‘in circuit’ test on the tubes every time the amplifier is powered up. The mutual conductance (gm) of the tube is measured by monitoring the cathode current of each valve whilst adjusting the grid bias in fixed steps. The results are tabulated and the new value is compared with previously stored values. A decision is then made on how far the tube has decayed in emission since the last test. Outputs from the device inform the user of the predicted remaining life of the tube.

“I believe the product is very interesting and definitely nothing like anything I’ve seen or used before. The main advantages of the product are that not only does it give you a valve maintenance feature by displaying a light if a fault is found within a valve, but it manages your valves to run at an equal number of milliamps. This means that each valve is working at an equal rate which in theory gives you optimum amp performance.

Above : TubeSync fitted to a Mesa Boogie F-50

Pics from Glory Days music in Joplin, MO USA. A reporter at CNN saw the orange tolex and took the pics.

We sincerely hope that the company can recover from this, our thoughts and best wishes go out to all.

Checkout the cymbal sliced into the door frame

”TubeSync DIVO works perfectly and does an excellent job of keeping even the most wayward valves on the straight and narrow. If you want to get the absolute best out of your amp and improve its reliability, DIVO is almost an essential – it’s a real innovation”.

Northern Newcastle Guitar Show

The Lancastrian Suite, Federation Brewery, Lancaster Rd, Dunston, Gateshead, NE11 9JR

on Sunday 6th  March 2011

With Blues Guitarist : Mitch Laddie

In an attempt to guard against this possibility, it is common practice to do one of two things on a regular basis.

1/ regularly remove the tubes and have them commercially tested;

2/ replace the tubes with new stock on a regular basis.

These two methods may give the operator a degree of confidence but in fact, it can be shown that the faith placed in both methods is misplaced.

It is a known fact that removal of a tube from its socket results in a number of potentially damaging mechanical stresses on the metal to glass seals around the pins. Each insertion of an all glass tube will cause micro-cracking of the glass around the pin. This will invariably cause a small leakage of air into the valve, causing ‘gassing’ and eventually leading to its demise.

Removal for testing will also break the intimate contact between the holder and the tube contact pin, resulting in a poorer contact on re-insertion.

Many tube testers apply unreasonable electrical stresses to the tube internal electrodes and it is not uncommon for a known good valve to be damaged during the test. Tube testers can also give erroneous results depending on the way they perform the tests, possibly allowing faulty tubes to show ‘good’ and the good valves to be rejected as ‘bad’.

The second method of ‘blanket replacement’ with new stock on a regular basis can also lead to problems because if the failure distribution curve for tubes is analysed, it can be seen to follow the classic ‘bathtub’ failure curve. This inevitably means that an amplifier which is regularly ‘re-tubes’ will inevitably be considerably more likely to fail during the first hundred hours service than one which has been left untouched.

TubeSync overcomes these problems by performing an ‘in circuit’ test on the tubes every time the amplifier is powered up. The mutual conductance (gm) of the tube is measured by monitoring the cathode current of each valve whilst adjusting the grid bias in fixed steps. The results are tabulated and the new value is compared with previously stored values. A decision is then made on how far the tube has decayed in emission since the last test. Outputs from the device inform the user of the predicted remaining life of the tube.

Click on the link above if you would like to join the TubeSync Revolution

]]> http://tubesync.co.uk/blog/amps-tubes-valves/tubesync-facebook-friends-are-now-2000/feed 0 http://tubesync.co.uk/blog/amps-tubes-valves/gary-moore-is-gone-gary-moore-guitarist-and-gunslinger http://tubesync.co.uk/blog/amps-tubes-valves/gary-moore-is-gone-gary-moore-guitarist-and-gunslinger#comments Mon, 07 Feb 2011 15:46:13 +0000 Andy http://tubesync.co.uk/blog/?p=424 A musician as prolific as he was diverse, it’s no wonder Moore’s passing this weekend at the age of 58 has touched so many fans

A modern bluesman’ … Gary Moore in 1979. Photograph: Richard Young/Rex Features

When the current lineup of legendary rock band Thin Lizzy toured last month, one of the highlights was an emotional performance of Still in Love With You, their mournful ballad from 1974. The song – with vocalist Ricky Warwick filling in for Phil Lynott who died in 1986 – was presented as a tribute to Lizzy’s famous fallen leader, with images of “Philo” in his 70s heyday resulting in barely a dry eye in the house. But no one could have possibly predicted that Gary Moore, the Belfast guitarist who contributed so much to the song, not least its extraordinary solo, would be dead within the month.

Moore’s sudden death this weekend at the age of 58 didn’t just rob music of one of Thin Lizzy’s best-known former members, but a giant of modern-day guitar playing whose work stretched far beyond rock and heavy metal to pop, jazz and even techno. Inspired to pick up a guitar by Fleetwood Mac’s Peter Green, Moore will be remembered as a true modern bluesmen whose ability to make a guitar seemingly cry in pain touched many. This morning, Bob Geldof positioned the guitarist/singer as part of a golden triangle of Irish blues including Van Morrison and Rory Gallagher. Moore’s former bandmates have paid tribute to a “great player and a great guy”. Most astonishing has been the outpouring of love and respect from ordinary people. On internet sites, Twitter and even football forums, fans have come together to honour an unpretentious, unassuming, prodigiously talented man whose soulful music one fan praised for “getting me through the bad times”.

Although Moore was at school with Lynott and drummer Brian Downey, Thin Lizzy had been going for five years before Lynott recruited Moore to replace Eric Bell in 1974. Moore’s first spell in the band lasted just three months, but his blistering playing on the single Little Darling took Lizzy towards the driven hard rock that made their name. Moore filled in for Robertson for a US tour in 1977, but his third spell in the group in 1979 inspired one of their greatest, most successful albums, Black Rose: A Rock Legend, featuring such classics as Waiting for An Alibi and Do Anything You Want To, before Moore quit again. His relationship with Lynott was famously fractious, but the pair united for Moore’s 1979 top 10 single Parisienne Walkways (another example of Moore’s melancholy blues) and 1985’s harder rocking Out in the Fields.

Perhaps Moore was too much his own man to be confined to a band. He recorded over 20 solo albums, including 1990’s Still Got the Blues, and worked with everyone from BB King to Bob Dylan. While recording a track called The Loner, Moore epitomised the idea of a guitar man as gunslinger, following whatever path his restless spirit demanded. A man who kept his emotions in check as much as he allowed them to pour out through his guitar, Moore once said he would like to be remembered as someone who “meant it, no bullshit”. Nobody who hears his remarkable playing would ever disagree.

For over 30 years, Geoff Pugh has been providing the musicians’ community with vital repair services. We repair, modify and produce high quality valve amplifiers. Our services extend beyond that of just valve amplifiers and therefore we are highly skilled in repairing and modifying other products such as effects pedals, solid state amplifiers, hi-fi amplifiers, etc.

Aston Electronics is the home of Volt Amplifiers. Volt Amplifiers are a range of high quality hand made amps built on demand. Specific features and requirements can be provide you with the ultimate amp of your choice.

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We are proud to annouce that Aston Electronis is now an approved installer of TubeSync.

To find out more visit : http://www.voltamps.co.uk