Hi Scott,
I'm sorry that you've had such failure and frustration with tube components. It's as if my experiences with tube electronics has been the polar opposite of yours (for whatever reason). A former push pull amplifier would occasionally blow a resistor due to a bad output tube (6550/KT88). Another PP amplifier (el34) is still performing flawlessly in a secondary system in my out of town apartment, this amp I've owned for 20 years.
My main amplifier is a 300b SET and is unquestionably the best sounding I've ever owned (tube or transistor). This SET has a very simple circuit with a low parts count. It is utterly reliable and has required hardly any maintenance at all. I agree with you in that I do find tube amplifiers better sounding if they're well implemented/designed. Scott you situation is an unusual string of bad luck it seems.
Charles,
I'm sorry that you've had such failure and frustration with tube components. It's as if my experiences with tube electronics has been the polar opposite of yours (for whatever reason). A former push pull amplifier would occasionally blow a resistor due to a bad output tube (6550/KT88). Another PP amplifier (el34) is still performing flawlessly in a secondary system in my out of town apartment, this amp I've owned for 20 years.
My main amplifier is a 300b SET and is unquestionably the best sounding I've ever owned (tube or transistor). This SET has a very simple circuit with a low parts count. It is utterly reliable and has required hardly any maintenance at all. I agree with you in that I do find tube amplifiers better sounding if they're well implemented/designed. Scott you situation is an unusual string of bad luck it seems.
Charles,