Why are people paying these stupid tube prices?

I ran Jadus tube gear for years,in the 90s it cost more than a grand to retube a defy7....solid state has come so far in the past decade ie..Boulder,Constellation, Dartzel, Pass labs etc there is no reason to mess with tube amps anymore imo

We should have some empathy for poor musicians. They have their Marshall stacks getting bounced around in a van every night.

I can't believe it, but I just paid $300 for a pair of 1950's NOS RCA Black  plate 12AX7 and $150 for 1950's 12AU7 ......    Unobtanium and worth it.   

@oddiofyl : back in 2016 I bought four RCA 6L6GC black plate tubes taken from my friend's Fender amp. $300 - and worth it!

That's right. ....they don't make em anymore.    I have purchased from this seller before and tubes were time capsule condition