Why are people paying these stupid tube prices?

'Why are people paying these stupid tube prices?'

1.   Panic buying.

2.   Speculation.

3.   Certainly a big part of the increase is caused by 1. and 2.

4.   Therefore greed.

5.   And selfishness.

Aren't we a horrible lot!

I was told  by a reputable source that WE will be producing small signal tubes and power tubes .....not might, will be

Only common,  and desirable tubes are being gouged..   My forthcoming amp uses e180f for the driver / input position,  I just picked up a pair of NOS Telefunken for $150.   A lot , sure , but imagine if they were CCA or 12ax7?    I bought Mullard and Amperex e180f and they were between $6 and $20 each for true nos.   First time in 20 years getting a break on the price of tubes.

1. Tubes burning out

2. Covid 

3. Russia

4.  Audiophiles burning money 

5. The laws of supply and demand

The Shunguang plant in China is not up and running yet. As a state-owned enterprise the government seized the property after a fire at the facility. I don't know at what stage the new factory is in, but we won't see their tubes soon.

And with New Sensor, the Russian government stopped tubes from being exported, causing a supply chain interruption. Now that the factory is running at full capacity, their brands are available again. But the scuttlebutt is the US and Canada have added a 35% tariff to Russian imports.

In the US, WE has produced some tubes other than 300b's and are beta-testing them in a select group of audiophile's systems. There are very good reviews of their 6SN7.