Is Audio Research PH3 phono the best for today's price?

It seems to me that PH3 needs a freequent retubing like a baby needs its diaper changed. You change the tubes every 1.5 years -- it feels better and sounds more open and faster.
Any thoughts?

With good tubes, probably 4 to 5 yeras.

Bingo! What is the best way to get high quality tubes? Their retail price is usually $100 each. I can see that some of them go off ebay for $25-30 a piece. Are these tubes fake? In fact I do not know how to distinguish real ones.

You can get great tubes for $50 - $60 each from eiher Upscale Audio or Vintage Tube. I use Mullards. I would only buy tubes from a respected dealer or with some sort of documentation.

Blues man, what tubes have you tried on the PH3/PH3SE? I've just had my analog front end set up for a few weeks. I've replaced the Sovteks with Amperex white label 7308s. And the whole thing sounded great! (Now I regret buying all thosed CDs.)

I've got a big stash of tubes, so I can experiment for a bit.