Audio Research Reference 3 and BAT spec 6H30

This is good information to know, but here's my ancillary question....I have an AR VT100iii and an LS26, both of which have 6H30's...assuming I can't afford to replace all of them at the same time, would you recommend starting at the pre-amp or amp?

77jovian, I would start with the preamp there will be a noticable difference. The LS-26 is a great preamp and deserves the DR's but eventually you will have to do the amp as well as you'll be craving what the total DR's in your system can do.

I only have experience comparing NOS 6H30DR to new- production Sovtek 6H30 in a VK75SE. In that amp there is only minor improvement with DR, which diminishes as the tube ages. In my amp a fresh Sovtek surpassed a DR after about 1500 hours of use. Do the math and decide. Though a tube may survive for 10K hours, its gradual degredation in performance will vary by application.

Agree with Dgarretson regarding the 6H30 in the VK75SE. BAT no longer supplies the DR tube as standard even in the REX where 8 are needed. Prices of the DR will only continue to rise as the supply falls.