Tubes for Audible Illusions Modulus 3A?

El34
Read what Joe S has to say.
http://www.audioasylum.com/scripts/d.pl?audio/faq/joes-tubes.html#6DJ8

Jim

Yikes, $35 per tube sounds quite fair to me if they are high quality, tested, matched, warrenteed, etc.

I have had numerous AI products over the years and never had any trouble using AI's recommended tubes. They have always performed well and held up just fine.
You can also contact Kevin Deal at Upscale audio. The Russian type II and III tubes work well along with the "Rocket" tubes. You can read about these at www.upscaleaudio.com His website gives the price and description.

I've been going with NOS tubes and they've lasted years. I have a pair of JAN's that are still alive after two years.

The big question is "Do you power off the M3A or use the stand-by mode?" I don't. I leave everything on all the time. All The Time.

My cdp has been on 5yrs and has never had a problem. Electronic gear doesn't like powering up and down.

Audible Illusions advises caution when using NOS tubes in ours or several other mfgs open-loop no-feedback circuits. Also the 6DJ8 design was never really intended to be used in high performance audio circuits. They worked great in TV sets and oscilloscopes but they tend to be microphonic due to their small plates and thin mica structures. Most 6922 tubes have heaver mica structures and exhibit less microphony. We've found that the Russian, military grade, tubes perform the best in our circuits.

Regarding leaving your preamp on all the time, please understand the optimum life for good tubes is 2-3000 hrs. Our stand-by circuit prevents thermal shock and, over the past 20 years, we've proven it prolongs tube life. Regards, Jerry/AI's Service Mgr.