Tube reliability in amps

I am currently running the BC21/BC22 combo from Blue Circle and am very happy with it. Since I got this setup two months ago it's been turned on constantly. The sound is much better when I leave them on all the time. I really haven't worried much about tube life since only the BC21 preamp has two tubes and the BC22 amp is solid state. However, I just received an e-mail from Blue Circle warning me against this practice. Aside from the lightning strike consequences, they feel many of the citcuits will suffer for it and it robs tube life. They suggest a 15 minute warm up period before each listening session.

Hi, I agree w/the posters who mentioned ARC power amps for having long tube life. Both of my ARC amps use 6550's; ARC gives a very conservative estimate of 1500 hrs on these power tubes but I and other owners have found much longer life. My VT100 Mk 3 uses 6H30 supertubes for drivers, rather than 6922's as the older VT100's do, and the 6H30's are rated for 10,000+ hours. BAT gear also uses the new 6H30's w/this very long tube life. But again, these are driver tubes and they tend to last longer anyway. My ARC gear need matched quads of 6550's, so keep a spare single around just in case one tube goes bad and you have a good one to test with. About B&W 804's w/tubes: there is a guy selling his Matrix 804's and his Anthem tube amp on this site right now, I would email him about his experience running the 804's with tubes. I think 100 tube watts would be fine w/these speakers, but I haven't heard them for myself.

I've had very good luck with Conrad-Johson, first MV-75A1s and now Premier l2s. The output tubes are biased individually (and easily). And, IMO, the sound is outstandingly musical. have to confess, though, that the fact CJ is about l2 miles away is very comforting.

Gads, it ain't just the amp;It's the type of tubes within the amp.My CJ Preimerer 5a's have 16 el 34's.--Rewired for all triode. The Svets last much longer,but are dull, compared to nos Siemens which get eaten at an expensive rate.

Find the amp whose sound you like, then contact the manufacturer to see which brand of tubes he recommends and which setting to bias at. Different brands in different amps perform differently. Also, the guys at the tube store (.com) have a lot of experience with this subject.