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Tired of Problems with Tube Equipment

I switched over to tube audio equipment in some form some years back, and have certainly enjoyed music played back through them. I have had amps, preamps, and DACS at different times utilizing tubes. One unfortunate thing that's been common to all the tube equipment I've had are problems. It doesn't seem to matter whether the manufacturer is large or small, built in the USA or overseas, they all have had problems. Capacitors blowing out, bad solder joints, tubes only lasting a short time, loud pops that mysteriously go away on their own, etc. Although I have enjoyed the sound (and that beautiful glow!), I am starting to get tired of this and thinking of going back to solid state.

Have any of you also gone back (or thought about it) to solid state for this reason? What has your experience been with the reliability of tube equipment?
smeyers
shakeydeal
979 posts
 
I have owned tube equipment for about 12 years now and have had very few problems. None with tube preamps or DACs, but my music reference RM9 had to be repaired twice. I also had to replace the power switch on one manley labs monblock. Tube failure has been very infrequent and has never caused equipment failure when it happens. My Canary monos have been in my system for almost a year now with nary a hiccup. I think the sound of tubes far outweighs any negatives.

Shakey
trelja
3,224 posts
 
Based on what history has shown us, I'd take a wager that a tube amplifier will have a far better chance of working and/or be salvageable 35 years from now than a solid state unit.
ras422
182 posts
 
Hey Grant --maybe I misread the post but it seemed to me to be about everybodys experience with tube gear and reliability and mixed in with prsonal preference--Rich
vegasears
1,173 posts
 
Yes, I've all those issues over the last 9 years with my tube gear. Their just high maintenance.

Last year I tried to replace my tube power amps with well respected Solid State mono blocks. I spent months with the SS amps but at the end of the day, it was back to the tubes.

Most of the problems I've had with tube equipment can be traced to tube failure. So finally bought a tube tester. Nothing fancy but it test weather a tube is good or bad.
jallen
502 posts
 
I have decided to stay with tubes because tubes can always get fixed. SS, maybe, maybe not. Tubes are far more simple and with P-P wiring, even more easy to repair. Even output transistors wear out. Jallen
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