mercredi 29 octobre 2014

Cryogenic freezing of vacuum tubes (valves)

Hi all.

New house - nice, I like it.

Where are the toilets?



So I need to get new valves for my guitar amp and came across the practice of cryogenic treatment of valves, to do the as-usual "improvement" of the sound they make the amp produce.



The description of the process is thus:-


Quote:








Harma Cryo / 5881-HARMA CRYO

Harma Deep Cryogenic Treated valves offers the immense warmth and smooth distortion characteristics only normally found in very expensive NOS valves such as Mullards. The process involves taking the vacuum tubes and freezing them down to -312 f and soaking these for a minimum of 12 hours. Then the temperature is held at this low level for 24 hours. The vacuum tubes are then slowly brought up to normal levels over the next 12 hours. Metals respond very well to deep cryogenic process. The reasons are as follows. During the cooling or solidification phase of the manufacturing process, molecules are trapped in a haphazard pattern. This is down to stress caused in the bending and welding of the anode plate material. This random placement causes obstacles for electrons and when encountered this interference can cause noise, slow down electron flow and sound deterioration affecting the quality of the sound of the vacuum tube. At very cold temperatures (below -312°F), the molecules will align in a more uniform, compact structure through the removal of kinetic energy. When the material is returned to ambient temperature, this new uniform, compact pattern is maintained, Thus changing the structure of the nickel permanently. This process makes a permanent change and the benefits do not deteriorate over time or upon return to operating temperature, it changes the whole way the vacuum tube performs. The biggest benefits I have found has been a dramatic improvement in dynamic range. Bass response has been clearer with reduction in microphonics and clear more transparent highs.



I'm posting this up here under the Science tag, as I'd like to know more about the molecular realignment they talk about and if there's anything behind the claim of misalignment interfering with the path taken by electrons .

It would also be very interesting to learn about what effect the freezing treatment would have on the glass casing too, especially with a view to the claims made all over the internet that the glass itself has an effect on the final sound produced.



With my current knowledge and inherent skepticism, I see no reason to believe that the freezing process will make any change to the valve which results in a change I can hear as an end user and I have no intention of paying more for cryo-treated valves without clear evidence of the benefits.

Thanks!





via International Skeptics Forum http://ift.tt/13aa3Z7

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