De-populate unused sections of tube preamp?
 

Does anyone know if there is any problem using a preamp where the unused sections have been de-tubed? For example, I only use the line level side of my preamp, not the phono input. Regardless, it's heating up the phono section tubes. The tubes are mildly expensive, perhaps I should pull them and put them aside.

Any thoughts?

SA

pretty sure that is a bad idea.

I definitely wouldn't do so without first contacting a Shindo rep and getting their approval.

It is hard enough to get them to work with all the tubes in them why take any out.

I would contact Shindo. I have an Aesthetix janus which I did the exact thing with for about 6 months before I received my turntable. I did of course call Aesthetix first to verify that it was ok

No probs but adjust the heater voltage after the pull by changing one of the white resistors in value to remain 12,5V heater voltage.

The day anyone takes the advice of Uwe Seck i.e. Hotzenplotz.... Is this user name number five? I wonder when they will ban this new user name.

When you pull unused tubes, you unload the filament power supply and the plate power supply, potentially causing them to run at higher voltages. These higher voltages could stress the power supply filter capacitors and cause them to fail prematurely. Much better to just use some cheap new tubes that have the same specs as the ones you want to pull.
Tom

Thanks Tom,

I was literally just coming to that conclusion (populate with inexpensive alternatives) when I read your message. This seems like the most rational course of action.

Simon

Thanks Tom. This was literally an excellent advise, too.

Best, Hotz