Is this bad?

The amplifier was a recent AudiogoN classifieds purchase. The seller indicated that the bias was set just prior to packaging. The tubes are fairly new.

Do you know how to bias the tubes? If not you should find out and check the bias on the tube. Perhaps the distributor can give you this information if your don't have a manual.

You could have a potential major tube failure in your future which might damage some amp's resistors. Unfortunately I don't think just dropping in new tubes without re-baising is a thing you want to do either. I wouldn't recommend that you continue to use the amp until your solve this issue.

I'm thinking I'll rotate a tube from a different socket, and test it out just long enough to see if it follows the tube.

Apparently the amp needs to be biased by a technician. I could handle it with proper instructions.

Thanks for the info!

Here is a possibility, assuming that the guy you bought this from was honest about biasing before sale. I'm sure you thought about it...If he did it, he knows how, can tell you how, can tell you the optimum bias point, you can get a meter and check it out. Not to be grim, but I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't have this info. Quite a few Chinese amps have made it to our shores w/out manuals, bias instructions, etc, making maintenance difficult for non techies. Good luck.

he had it modified for different tubes, replaced the caps and resistors, and updated the wiring. Aparently he had his tech that did the mods bias the amp prior to sale. So at worst I can get the info from him. The bias adjustments are supposedly not "user accessible" but I think I can handle it with clear enough instructions.