Ocean sound?

Facelift · Sep 14, 2010

I recently got some NOS preamp tubes in today and 2 of them sounded like the ocean was about to crash through my speakers. This only happened when I wasnt playing anything. THey sounded great while playing. Kinda weird. Is this an indicator that something is wrong with the tube? I mean, obviously it is, but what could be causing it? The only slot i tried them in were V1 in my Mark III as that one makes the most difference. I also have 6 of the same type tube, different plant, that I compared them to and none of them did this, jsut those two. The seller claims to have checked the tubes on 3-4 different tube testers. Is it possible for these to test good on a tester and then make this noise when used in an amp?

Facelift · Sep 15, 2010

16 views and noone has a reply?

swbo101 · Sep 15, 2010

If your hearing swishing sounds coming out of your amp.....then it's most likely a tube issue, unless it's picking up some outside signals from the guitar or bad cable.

212Mavguy · Sep 15, 2010

Sounds like a heater-cathode short.

GD_NC · Sep 15, 2010

212Mavguy said:
Sounds like a heater-cathode short.

I have a similar issue with my DC-2. Sounds like wind blowing across a microphone with an occasional crackle. Volume setting makes no difference. Could this be the cause?

dodger916 · Sep 16, 2010

Facelift said:
I recently got some NOS preamp tubes in today and 2 of them sounded like the ocean was about to crash through my speakers. This only happened when I wasnt playing anything. THey sounded great while playing. Kinda weird. Is this an indicator that something is wrong with the tube? I mean, obviously it is, but what could be causing it? The only slot i tried them in were V1 in my Mark III as that one makes the most difference. I also have 6 of the same type tube, different plant, that I compared them to and none of them did this, jsut those two. The seller claims to have checked the tubes on 3-4 different tube testers. Is it possible for these to test good on a tester and then make this noise when used in an amp?

Tubes can test fine and be noisy. I might work well in a slot other than V1, which is most transparent for noise.

Facelift · Sep 18, 2010

THing is, no other tubes make this noise. THe tubes are RFT and I have a variation of them, 4 different labels to be exact between 8 tubes. THe only ones that make that noise just happen to have the same label. Coincidence? Like I said, they sounded fine while playing but are unbearable to hear when I stop.