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People who are Irrationally Afraid of tube amps

Recently I've had a tube amp For Sale on this site. It's a well respected, great amp from a major mfg. I've owned it for 3 years, with absolutely no problems, only enjoyment. I'm only selling it because I sold the speakers I used it with, & my current speakers are a lot more power-hungry. And it's the 2nd tube amp I've owned, my first being a really early model VTL ST-85 that was several years old when I bought it, then I had it for 5 years, & the only problem I had in all that time was replacing a fuse once. And I know almost nothing about electronics, but I learned how to use a multi-meter & successfully biased & replaced tubes in both amps.

Here's the thing: Almost every person who has written to me about my amp for sale asks a zillion questions, you know the routine, e-mails back & forth, then finally says they are too freaked out at the possibility of replacing tubes someday to buy it, whining about the (relatively modest) expense, etc. (And my amp has new tubes!!). Now, these queries are from presumably experienced A'goners because most of them have a large no. of positive feedback ratings here. I mean, we're not dealing with the average shopper at Circuit City, presumably.

My questions are: 1. Why do experienced A'goners waste so much time shopping for tube gear if they're freaked out over the potential traumatic effect that replacing tubes may have on them someday? There's plenty of SS gear FS if that's what they want. 2. Why do many even relatively experienced audiophiles still believe in the "tube hassles" myth? 3. Are there no tube afficiandos who are willing to put up with a minor inconvience every few years?

I feel like putting a warning in the next ad I run for a tube amp: WARNING: THIS DEVICE CONTAINS HIGHLY VOLATILE "TUBES", WHICH MAY BLOW AT ANY SECOND & COULD DESTROY YOUR ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD! USE AT YOUR OWN PERIL, PREFERABLY IN A NON-POPULATED AREA. EVEN IF THEY DON'T KILL YOU, THE TRAUMA OF REPLACING THE "TUBES" SOMEDAY COULD REQUIRE YEARS OF PSYCHOTHERAPY, & MAY BANKRUPT YOU & YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY.

Well, at least that might discourage the "tire kickers". Now, if I could just afford those Cary 805C mono-blocs I've been wanting for years........& thanks for listening to my rant!
steveaudio
tubegroover
2,320 posts
 
Nrchy -They're not watching, just glowing in your reflection :)

steveaudio OP
331 posts
 
Thanks for all the great responses! And for letting me rant (I figure Dennis Miller is not on HBO anymore, so maybe I can take up some of the slack :-) I just wanted to say a couple more things: 1. I have absolutely no problem with those who prefer SS, for whatever reason. One of my favorite amps right now is SS (with certain speakers, other speakers I think really need tubes). 2. Guys (or gals) like Jmcgrogan2 are a blessing, in having their system strategy figured out, regardless of whether they want tubes, SS, or both, & I'm sure he already knows what he wants when he contacts sellers. 3. Handholding, or mentoring, that's a good point: I try to do as much as I can in any sale, but it's hard to do long distance via e-mail, esp. if people already have their minds made up. 4. I know tire-kickers are inevitable when selling almost anything; maybe a lot of people who e-mailed me about my amp just use the "tube hassles" excuse later on because they really weren't going to buy anyway. They're probably also e-mailing people with SS amps FS, then later bailing because they say they really want "the sound of tubes". (I'm being facetious, but it certainly wouldn't surprise me).

BTW, it looks like I have a buyer for my amp, a great guy with a great system. And in fact, he was a bit reluctant at first to buy a tube amp. But I've offered to show him how to bias it, replace the tubes, etc. (all of which I'm amazed I can even do, with my limited technical knowledge). And someday I'm gonna get those Cary mono-blocs......I just hope the tubes aren't too expensive! :-)

thanks again, steve
audiobugged
528 posts
 
Seriously, tube equipment has a major advantge over solid-state. And yes, I guess it could be scarry for a novice? With SS you can only tinker so much with different interconnects where with tubes you can really tailor a entrirely different sound w/ just one swap. I guess sorta like a Turntable cartridges? DON'T BE FRIGHTENED BY THE TUBES, THEY DON'T BITE!!! Like MIKEY says, try em you might like em??? Heck you might Love Em?
slappy
903 posts
 
Its probably a lack of knowledge about tube gear.

When im able to get a good 2ch system ive been debating on going with Conrad Johnson Tube equipment, or going cheaper and buying a Krell 300i, Running some GMA Europas with either.

Im leaning more twards the Krell because i like/trust/know SS gear. I dont PREFER it because i never heard tube gear, but tubes gear looks like fun. Albeit, more maintenance is required, but im sure there is a payoff.

If i do end up getting some tube gear, i might very well opt to buy some bottlehead kits and do it that way. It would be a good learning experience and would get me into tube gear without going broke.
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
The high voltages running around in tube amps cause capacitors, both in the power supply and between amplification stages to degrade. Of course tubes degrade.

Reliability, both with regard to performance specs and physical damage, is certainly affected by the degree of skill and care taken in the design and manufacture of the unit, be it tube or solid state, but success is harder to achieve with tubes.

Except for a few audiophiles, transistors have replaced tubes. There must be a reason.
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