When making a budget product, every nickel saved is significant. If better parts are used for the amp, it is a different product that would have to be sold at a significantly higher price point. For a lot of buyers of budget gear, even just $50 more can be a deal breaker.
I agree that a cheap PCB is a potential source of trouble, particularly if repairs have to be made. This is the sort of amp that is worth repairing rather than being treated as disposable. But, the fact that it is not easy to "upgrade" by replacing parts is not a big fault of design--this is not the sort of amp one would expect buyers to be upgrading.
I am also not that big a fan of tube sockets being directly soldered to PCBs. I own a very expensive amp where this is done--Audio Note Kageki--so I am extremely careful when it comes to pulling tubes even though the PCBs are extremely thick and well supported.
I agree that a cheap PCB is a potential source of trouble, particularly if repairs have to be made. This is the sort of amp that is worth repairing rather than being treated as disposable. But, the fact that it is not easy to "upgrade" by replacing parts is not a big fault of design--this is not the sort of amp one would expect buyers to be upgrading.
I am also not that big a fan of tube sockets being directly soldered to PCBs. I own a very expensive amp where this is done--Audio Note Kageki--so I am extremely careful when it comes to pulling tubes even though the PCBs are extremely thick and well supported.