2. amps-preamps
  3. 175757-293

The panic selling of tube audio had begun.

I think it is a bit crazy. I run tube gear sometimes 12 hours a day and hardly ever have to replace any tubes. My tube amplifiers have been mostly as reliable as stones and maybe more so than my SS gear since I've had failures with that. And none with any of the 70 or so tube amps pres etc I have owned over the last 35 years. I design loudspeakers so run my amps much and have to have a wide selection of types. Still while sad for those who panic easily it's an opportunity to pick up low priced tube kit and after a week or so I will most likely be making some lower offers on ads till I get a bite. So if thinking of selling your tube gear because you feel no more tubes ever please do so I have my eyes on a few amps maybe it will be yours.

128x128johnk
engineears
39 posts
 

Most of the conjecture here is that an increase of listeners rotating out of tubes and into solid state is because of Issues with Tube Availability from Russia going forward. And that might be the final straw for many tube owners. But the reality is that many of them have heard truly high end Class-D (Hypex/Purifi) and then realized how cool it runs and how much less power it consumes and are sold. Whatever the issues are with solid state that tube aficionados seem to detest, they seem to be missing from these high end Class D offerings. Hell, when Atmo-Sphere announces a shift away from tubes, that would be the fat lady singing IMO.

seanheis1
624 posts
 

I ordered 4 tubes from The Tube Store on 3/11 and they shipped that day. Got them on 3/14. They were certainly efficient. I guess this was just before the panic buying. I already had replacements for my preamp. These were for my phono preamp. FYI these were Gold Lions. The day after I ordered, the price went up from $53.95 to $79.95 per tube. 

I think that's why The Tube Store website really went down for "maintenance". Not because of too much traffic on a poor web server, but to give them time to raise their prices. I don't support businesses that price gouge.   

jackshew's avatar
jackshew
18 posts
 

Yes, seems silly to be talking about tubes when people are being murdered by a mad man who has something against “oysters and gender freedom”. Suspect someone will put a bullet in his head at some point…and the world will be a better place.

but back to tubes… I will never buy a Russian tube again, or any other product.

robert53
460 posts
 

There is a 24 hour sale at Tube Depot today.

ticat's avatar
ticat
357 posts
 

Coincidently, I was at The Tube Store today to pick up some GL  KT 77 tubes that I ordered over this past weekend. (In the last 6 weeks I have had two fizzle out on me... bummer). I was told that they had received a Month's worth of orders over that Saturday and Sunday. They were so overwhelmed, the website crashed and I had to wait 4 days to do a Pick Up of an In Stock item!

Poor website support, lack of reliable supply (Parts Connexion was all out of KT 77) or panic buying? Who knows? Whatever ... I can go back to enjoying my system.

PS... The Tube Store was great to deal with despite the delay and will use them in the future.

More to discover