C2300 unused MC tube question
 

On my C2300 I do not use the MC input and have had the stock tubes in there since the preamp was new. The MC tubes have about 5 years/6000 hours on them. Do I ever have to worry about replacing them since I don't use them? I will soon be rolling some new tubes in my line stage and figured that might be a good time to change the MC tubes if needed.

I bought a used one, I use only line stage, I have replaced the line stage tubes. but when i change the others , the improvement was audible even in the line stage.

Gain should be dependent ?

I don't see how the stages outside the line stage would make a difference when you only use the line stage.

How would that make any difference?

If you’re not using the MC or MM sections you should at least put in operational tubes. I put in the original McIntosh tubes as I’ve amassed quite a collection of them over the years.

The reason you do this is that the power supplies were designed to be loaded by the full complement of properly operating tubes, even if they are not in the direct signal path that you are using.

Tom

I thought the same, I still heard weak with only 2 tubes-line news. When i replace all tubes , the pre return to normal as the first day :thumbsup:
I simply was not happy with something when I change only the 2 tubes-line stage

This makes sense to me. As long as the unused tubes were operational, I'd expect the line stage to sound top notch.

What I don't see, is why you'd go with a full replacement (like all Gold Lions for example) and how that would affect the line stage if that is all you used.

I think I will just replace the unused MC tubes when I'm changing the others to be on the safe side.

The old adage “everything matters”.