I need to retube my amp and I'm having trouble deciding whether I should buy my tubes from Audio Research or buy them on the open market. If you have any experience with this I'd appreciate your help.
Audio Research provides the most value for the money, especially since they burn. Stick with them unless you have a hi end tube tester and are prepared to return the dud's to the seller.
Elberoth2, et al- Read these procedural descriptions, and see how they compare with ARC's: (http://www.upscaleaudio.com/rare/tpm.htm) (http://www.upscaleaudio.com/rare/noisetest.htm) Then compare the prices on a matched set of tubes. I've been buying output tubes from Kevin for 16 years(NOS and new production), and have yet to have one failure, or disappointment.
The tubes are 6550 that have been matched and run for 24 hours. ARC matches the tubes and runs then for 48 hours. My guy buys the tubes right from the importer. He doesn't go threw a middleman. My guy can also get the tubes right from ARC but I'm going to have to pay 400.00 more. He says it's not worth spending 400.00 more and that if I did the sound would be the same. It sounds like the logical thing to do is let him get the tubes and Install them and save the 400.00. Do you see anything wrong with this scenario?
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