Nah, no stress here. Just a funky connection to the internet or bad browser. I cleaned up the mess before you replied (phew). It was hangin' up on me and I didn't think it posted after five minutes. Yeah, you have ECC88's which are the same as 6922's. Lifespan is rated at around 10,000 hours tops, depending on the pre. You know if that's the only piece of tube gear you own I wouldn't go the bucks for a tester (you can find them for anywhere from around $100-300 on average I'd guess). They are one of the more common and coveted tube-types, and also one of the most counterfitted as they can command a high price on the NOS market. Buy from a reputable seller. At 10,000 hours a pair of tubes is likely to last you 3-5 years of listening say 6-8 hours a day. So if you just make a note to replace them every three years, or when you start hearing the rice crispie dudes inside your rig, you can avoid the cost of a tester. If you want a tester they come up here and on eBay...you may have to get the one you buy calibrated though. I use a BK707 and it serves me well. There are others that do an excellent job, but do make sure they test your tube type(s).
Marco
Marco