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Tube amp cooling noises. Should I worry?

dyche01

dyche01

"Buy high. Sell low"
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I have had a Fisher 500B receiver for a while and recently acquired a Scott 399. I never noticed the Fisher making any noises after turn-off but, whenever I run the Scott for a couple of hours and then turn it off, it makes sporadic 'tick' noises for several minutes as it cools down. It sounds like an old car cooling down.

I can't tell whether the noise comes from the chassis or the tubes. Should I be concerned?
 
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Pretty sure that's just the tubes cooling down (the metal is going to expand when it gets hot and contract as it cools). Happens in pretty much all of my amps, too... I don't think it's anything to be particularly concerned about.
 
It just makes me a little nervous to hear something made of glass make a ticking noise when it expands and contracts.
 
thorpej said:
Pretty sure that's just the tubes cooling down (the metal is going to expand when it gets hot and contract as it cools). Happens in pretty much all of my amps, too... I don't think it's anything to be particularly concerned about.
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+1
 
dyche01 said:
It just makes me a little nervous to hear something made of glass make a ticking noise when it expands and contracts.
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It's not the glass. It's all happening very gradually, so glass breaking due to thermal shock is not going to be a problem.
 
ferninando said:
you need to have oxygen free air circulating around the amp to allow for
the necessary air molicules to gradualy let the air cool properly.
It is usually sold locally at your nearest air dealer.
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arts said:
And don't buy the cheap stuff; cryo'd only!
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Thanks for the tips. I just bought some audiophile-grade xenon from a local dealer. He said nitrogen was okay if you don't care so much about the sound quality.
 
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