Audio Research preamps EXCESSIVE OPERATING COSTS


Soooo disappointing.
So you want to use in home theatre mode.  Get ready to pay up to operate.   The tubes stay on and when family uses system 10 plus hrs a day for tv and videos, the tubes burn away.  Most of the 8 tubes have life of 4000 hrs and cost $150 per tube to replace.  Over 5 years operating costs could approach $5000 or more.  And this excludes wasteful elec costs of $100 to $200 per year for bulbs running without being used.   Sooooo disappointing.


I called audio research and they confirmed all this.  Further, they lacked any sensitivity to theses issues.  Seemed kinda arrogant.  

Sooooo disappointing.
emergingsoul
emerging soul I have a Bryston amp that shares double duty. I hook up to Luxman w/the RCA connects and the Balanced to the Krell processor. I just flip the switch on the amp according to what processor I'm using . I E-Mailed James Tanner at Bryston to see if it was OK. He wrote back there was no problem. Saves on tube life as w/most HT/passthroughs you have to leave the preamp on. 
Which ARC preamp do you own that costs $1200 to re-tube? And why in this world would you have it in a home theater system?
No sympathy.  Who was it that bought an ARC preamp?  Who was it that made their OWN DECISION to operate it that many hours a day?

It's ALL personal decisions.  
If you run a respectable hobby but cannot keep away people from your gear who do not cherish the value of this high end-preamp you do not deserve any compassion for the situation/problem.
There are enough solid state solutions out on the market to amplify goofy films on TV.
Just my opinion...

Jan
If your family has to use these all the time invest in A SS amplifier for home theatre.