Good idea to swap McIntosh amp stock tubes?

What you need to take into account is that most top end manufacturers using tubes burn their tubes in and then test them thoroughly to select the parameters that are optimal in the intended place in the circuit.

So for example, they may use the same tube in their preamp and power amp, but you will find that they have selected tubes with specific performance parameters for phono or line etc, even down to what type of circuit the tube is used in.

In other words, quality manufacturers will buy in the tubes, run a burn in and selection process and then sell off what is outside the parameters required to tube resellers.

When you buy the same tubes from a reseller, chances are despite being carefully matched, it has probably already been rejected by a manufacturer, not because it is poor, but because certain parameters are outside the requirements they are looking for.

When you buy expensive NOS tubes, they can be an improvement, but the downsides are that if they are not optimum you might well find they are noisy ( most modern tube gear run tubes very hard to get linearity ) or not last - and if 1 goes you have to find another pair. If I use NOS I go for a matched quad for a single pair of tubes.

@facten + 1

Tubes changing the sound of an amp has nothing to do with how well the amp is designed. It's just a fact. If an amp uses 300B tubes for example, and it sounds the same whether you're using $400/pair Gold Lions or $1400/pair Western Electric, I would suggest that there is a problem with that amp's design. 

Is anyone experiencing very sensitive red lighting when it comes to McIntosh amplifiers? I’ve experienced red light blinking and constant red light conditions and both times I replaced all the small tubes and this solved the problem.

I’m told if I use NOS tubes and because of their age they may be unpredictable and cause problems with the very sensitive circuitry of McIntosh amplifiers. I’m not sure Mac supports using these for fear they would damage the unit but they really don’t explain why that is.

I am kind of concerned that the quality of stock tubes used by McIntosh which are JJ I guess.  they may not be of good quality, I've never heard anybody say anything good about them,  and maybe I could be doing better.  Having all these red light conditions occur I don’t think is healthy for the circuit boards. I bought McIntosh amplifiers so I could avoid these problems.

Maybe you just need to contact McIntosh and ask what may be causing these repeated red light conditions given you state that they only recommend the tubes (brand) that come with the amp, yet you are concerned that the quality of the brand, meaning reliability,  isn’t good (I think they are mediocre sonically) .  Net net, find out from them if it’s a tube issue or if it is an amp issue since you state it's a recurring issue

@facten 

They have no clue why it happens basically it's all the above amongst all the choices that could be wrong, and I'm wondering if other people have red light issues.