Tube Preamp: How many tubes does it take to .................

VTL 7.5 linestage only has two tubes. Nice not to be in the tube rat race

I think about the future when it comes to tube replacement time and the cost involved. Since I'm not a man of means as some folks here clearly are, I shy away from equipment with more than 2-3 tubes. 

I put several tubes in my Pass XA-25...they just roll around in there but it does make me feel better.

It also depends on when it was made. If it was in the 1950s or 60s them of course more tubes because that’s the technology of the day. My McIntosh Mx110z has 17 tubes but it’s a pre, phono and tuner and was made circa 1960. My more recent C2300 has 6, 2 for MM phono, 2 for MC phono and 2 for Aux. Same for amps where my MC30s have tube rectifiers instead of ss, They have one more tube per channel than my MC240. Technology.

It also matters if one is looking to have opportunities to work with the sonic through Tube Rolling.

I know a few individuals who have done this with their Pre-Amps and Pre-Stages on their Power Amp's.

Less is more in this subject area as a Amp' using only a couple of Tubes, is much easier as a preparation task, to attain matched tubes from which era is selected for the tubes production.

Transfer that same preparation to Multi Tube devices and options become diminished quite quickly, unless substantial sums are to be parted with for certain era's of production and follow up testing of supplied tubes is used to identify the measured accuracy of the matches.

It is doable, I am sure I know one person who has 6 x 1960's Vintage ECC 83's in their Amps Pre-Stage.