Tired of Problems with Tube Equipment


I switched over to tube audio equipment in some form some years back, and have certainly enjoyed music played back through them. I have had amps, preamps, and DACS at different times utilizing tubes. One unfortunate thing that's been common to all the tube equipment I've had are problems. It doesn't seem to matter whether the manufacturer is large or small, built in the USA or overseas, they all have had problems. Capacitors blowing out, bad solder joints, tubes only lasting a short time, loud pops that mysteriously go away on their own, etc. Although I have enjoyed the sound (and that beautiful glow!), I am starting to get tired of this and thinking of going back to solid state.

Have any of you also gone back (or thought about it) to solid state for this reason? What has your experience been with the reliability of tube equipment?
smeyers

Showing 1 response by philjolet

I have had problems with both tubes and SS but only a few times over 30+ years.

to some extent you need good common sense to use tube equipment. on occasion I will get a tube flash when I power up my amp and immediatly shut it down for about 10 minutes and then power back up and let it idle for at least 20 minutes and slowly turn it up, those tubes never give me a problem. I am sure if i had just played it the first time it would have flared worse and eventually taken out a cap or worse.

some people will ignore these signs and they are the ones who should own SS.