Don’t think you have to remove them. I’ve driven to and from the dealer (4 hrs one way) with a pair of mono blocks in the car. Tubes in place. No boxes BUT I did have each amp in the huge, lower half custom-fit styrofoam block they shipped in. Dealer was okay with doing it that way.
If the tube gear is going to be shipped via FedEx or UPS I would remove the tubes and pack them separately.
If you are bringing the tube gear in your car and they are buckled up or properly secured I would keep the tubes in. I did that with my Jolida 502P amp once when I was bringing it over to a friends house for a listening session.
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