Audio research reference 10 tube replacement

At 12 hours a day, the 6550 tubes in the power supply will need to be replaced at around 5 months. (2,000 hours.) The remaining tubes (6H30) will last about twice as long.

Good luck in buying new Russian 6H30 tubes!

My experience has been, confirmed by my dealer / friend that, it depends. It depends on how much stress you put on them. For instance, if you turn on stuff and just have it idling 10,000 or more hours are not uncommon. I assume you have  your REF 10 on for background music… it would not surprise me if 5,000 or much more. 
 

I have all Audio Research Ref equipment. I never changed the tubes in my REF 5SE over five years before trading it in… unfortunately I don’t remember how many hours it had. Nothing like 12 hours a day.

I would order a set of replacements… then you will not have to worry until you know (when you have to use them).

Many years since ref 10 is debut, and I just expect to have ref 11 coming soon.

Audio research  power amplifier is far better than its preamplifier, and due to 6h30 in the preamplifier,it becomes a  hard job, cause 6h30 is a strong horse and I am wondering who can ride it well.

I expect they change the drive tube in the ref 11 and then I will definitely go for it.

Reference 11 is a pipe dream it will never happen.

Reference 6SE upgrade will likely have a second chassis and Will be the new ref 10.  Unfortunately the upgrade won't happen for years as the 6SE upgrade really hurt customer relations, it was a mess 4 everybody.  They left the people hanging who bought reference six, how miserable

I'm hearing ref 10 is a dinosaur and not really a good buy at this point.