Powell wrote:


"notbob" wrote

The problem is finding vacuum tubes. No one makes
the same quality tubes I used to pay $40 for a matched
pair of power tubes.

Have you been living in a cave for the last 30 years?
Consumer have plenty of choices for high quality
new vacuum tubes.


Agreed. And also, a reasonable supply of NOS tubes such as Mullards, etc., if
one feels small preamplifier tubes of yesteryear are that important. As for
output tubes, modern tubes from companies like Svetlana and Ei are generally
considered to be quite reliable and decent sounding.



That matched set of new old-stock (NOS) tubes now
costs $400 ...if you can find them!

Yea, so? You can spend that much for new, too.
Consumers have plenty of choices and price ranges
to choose from.


For a reasonable idea of the broad spectrum of both NOS and new tubes
available, one can check out dealers like Upscale Audio in California, which
carries a very broad range of tubes at various price points. There are also
several other dealers who regularly advertise in Stereophile and on the web.
And of course, modern tubed equipment manufacturers such as conrad johnson,
Audio Research, VTL and others generally stock supplies of most tube types
needed for their products.



Because of this, the old high end tube amps like
Marantz, Fisher, and MacIntosh can now be had for
peanuts.

Not so. There are many considerations in establishing
the value of classic equipment. Many of the classic
vacuum tube amps (50's, 60's and early 70's) have
limited technical capability in reproducing digital
bandwidth and dynamics... modern tube amps
generally do not have these limitations.


And actually "old high end tubed amplifiers" from companies like McIntosh and
Marantz can *not* generally be had "for peanuts", especially when their age and
condition is factored in to the equation. A cursory glance at eBay and/or
Audiiogon will reveal that classic McIntosh and Marantz amplifiers (especially
the former) generally command quite high prices, relatively speaking. And try
and find a nice McIntosh FM tuner for anything remotely resembling that ot
yoiur garden variety SS tuner, and............. you usually won't. (And for
good reasons, soncially speaking). Even some of the relatively less expensive
Fisher receivers (when new), if in pristine condition, can command pretty
respectable prices compared to budget level SS equipment.


As you point out, there are fringe amp makers. They've
redesigned their products to use the inferior Chinese
and East European tubes.

Quack, quack, quack...


I'll second the quacking . Many users don't think that, for example,
Svetlana 6550C or EI KT-90 Type III output tubes are inferior to some of the
older GE or other historic brands at all. (Chinese output tubes, granted, are
not all that well received by many users).



But, they've put absolutely insane prices on them.
$5-20K is typical. Screw that!

Quack, quack, quack...


Decent tubed amplifiers can be obtained from companies like Conrad Johnson,
Audio Research, VTL, Cary, etc. can be had for a lot less than the price range
he's specified, especially if one does not need more than, say, 100
watts/channel.


I'll continue to use my circa '64 Fisher/JBL system as
long as I can.

Translation: You have no hearing acuity or no financial
means .













Bruce J. Richman