Re: Ever hear a cryogenically treated tube?

Posted by Brian Walsh on October 14, 2000 at 11:54:14

In Reply to: Ever hear a cryogenically treated tube? posted by maldar on October 13, 2000 at 20:25:12:

Discussion threads come up on the AA periodically on cryogenic treatment, so I suggest searching the archives. The topic has been covered in Stereophile, and recent issues of Bound for Sound discuss cryogenic and dry ice treatment.

Cryogenic treatment has its uses, in my opinion especially on power cords, cabling and CDs. Whether it's safe with phono cartridges I don't know, but I'd surely like to hear from others who have done it, as one friend who had his oldie but goodie Dynavector treated reported it was substantially better. I'm not willing to risk my new Koetsu Rosewood Signature, though, unless I know it's safe and reliable. I think audio tubes may be OK to treat, provided the treatment is done by someone who knows what they're doing - the cool down and warm up rates have to be sufficiently slow.

I have heard of one small volume tube equipment manufacturer (I'm not free to say who) who has his equipment (complete amplifiers, etc.) cryogenically treated, with few if any problems at all. However, treating equipment which is several years old, with aging capacitors and transformers, may involve risk. You do not want to take a chance with rare and/or valuable equipment which is difficult or impossible to repair in case there is a problem. One audio designer expressed serious reservations about the treatment creating grain boundaries in components, which could lead to premature failure. When you're dealing with hard to get or NOS parts, such as capacitors, FETs, and so on, you probably don't want to take a chance.

Peter Belt's website has some good information on cryogenic treatment of audio equipment:
http://www.belt.demon.co.uk

Chicago Audio Society

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - cooling tubes in freezer section of refrigerator - maldar 04:30:17 10/13/00 (17)

another approach to thermal cycling: using an oven - maldar 21:07:48 10/13/00 (0)

Re: cooling tubes in freezer section of refrigerator - Albert B. Broman 19:31:26 10/13/00 (7)

Ever hear a cryogenically treated tube? - maldar 20:25:12 10/13/00 (6)

Re: Ever hear a cryogenically treated tube? - Brian Walsh 10/14/0011:54:14 10/14/00 (3)

thanks for the information - maldar 22:57:38 10/14/00 (2)

One more thing... - Brian Walsh 18:32:46 10/15/00 (1)

the black arts - maldar 13:39:54 10/16/00 (0)

Frozen Bull Semen - Albert B. Broman 07:40:03 10/14/00 (0)

Cryogenically treated matierials - VoltSecond 00:21:31 10/14/00 (0)

Re: cooling tubes in freezer section of refrigerator - olen 12:24:48 10/13/00 (2)

Re: cooling tubes in freezer section of refrigerator - maldar 14:51:38 10/13/00 (1)

Re: cooling tubes in freezer section of refrigerator - olen 19:30:23 10/13/00 (0)

Re: cooling tubes in freezer section of refrigerator - andrew cooke 07:40:22 10/13/00 (4)

Re: cooling tubes in freezer section of refrigerator - maldar 09:08:36 10/13/00 (3)

Phycsic [Was: cooling tubes in freezer section of refrigerator] - andrew cooke 08:47:28 10/14/00 (0)

Re: cooling tubes in freezer section of refrigerator - Doc B. 09:46:15 10/13/00 (1)

Re: cooling tubes in freezer section of refrigerator - maldar 12:19:15 10/13/00 (0)

Follow Ups

Re: Ever hear a cryogenically treated tube? - Brian Walsh 10/14/0011:54:14 10/14/00 (3)

thanks for the information - maldar 22:57:38 10/14/00 (2)

One more thing... - Brian Walsh 18:32:46 10/15/00 (1)

the black arts - maldar 13:39:54 10/16/00 (0)

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