Tired of Problems with Tube Equipment

Aw shucks. The only interesting people at a party are the ones who come over and just stare at all the pretty lights and the fantastic McIntosh blue faceplates.

It all sounds kinda good, too.

"Smeyers - can you give us a rundown of some of the components you've had the problems you've described?"

Please take the following for what its worth. I've enjoyed all the equipment mentioned despite the problems I've had.

BAT vk-5i preamp - one channel popping and cracking due to blown capacitors in one channel; repaired by BAT.

Wright Sound Mono 10 amp - not sure what the actual problem is since I have not sent this one back yet, but one channel is way down in level. Also had to replace stock cheap speaker connectors which broke quickly. One of the switches that control the input connection has worked itself loose.

Cary/AES Sixpac amp - Blown bias pot, Jensen Oil Cap, and several resistors (oil from blown cap got all over the inside of the amp). This was an expensive repair and the bias is now much more sensitive on the repaired amp as compared to the other. I've also had more than my share of blown power tubes on this amp.

Audio Mirror SET 45 amp - Blew many fuses until replaced with higher value than supplied slow blow (Ok'd by the company). One tube not biasing (bad solder joint; I resoldered connection). After owning a very short time, two of the tubes won't bias within spec, and now getting popping noise from one channel. I do by the way really like the sound of the amp.

Lector Digicode 224 DAC - this was a two month odyssey as initially there was no-one in the U.S. that knew anything about the unit and Lector had no U.S. distributer. One channel was down in level that turned out to be a burned out component.

In contrast, I've had an Adcom GFA-555 solid state amp that had been in service for 20 years (and I bought it used); the only problem was a power switch that was easily replaced.

Stew I couldn't agree with you more...
I started out with tubes, migrated to solid state, tried to go back to tubes, but couldn't stand them.
And I really tried to give it a fair shake too.

Class A or hybrid A/B mosfets are my favorites.
Tube PA's: unreliability, heat, microphonics, rushing noises, expense.
Although I do have a Golden Tube pre that's quite nice without the nuisance.
All depends upon the design I suppose?

listen to oregon i own the sevens and a cat ultimate, sme10 and the new marantz sacd player, sonus faber cremonas pre.solid state is for home theater

if one prefers tube gear, but has had intermittant loss of use and outlays of cash due to breakdowns , and one does not prefer the sound of solid state, the solution is to buy a good inexpensive "personal" stereo.

i realize that this forum is oriented to consipicuous consumption and the purveyors of such, however, one can still have satisfying musical experiences on a budget of under $500.00 . the brookstone is a prime example.