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Just how much do you spend on tubes per year on average ?

I don't mean if you have $50k tube supply in the closet, I mean the cost of tubes that you wear out and throw away.

With my VAC Avatar SE integrated, and I use only better vintage tubes, it runs about $300 so far. I buy both new and used tubes. I do have $2500 tube supply in the closet. The amp is on for at least three hours a day, often longer.

inna
larryi
4,570 posts
 

I haven’t had to replace any tube for wearing out in 15 years or so.  The only tubes I had to replace were two rectifiers in the power supply of my phono stage that were wrecked by a shelf falling on them.  The power supply runs two 300B’s as rectifiers.  

inna OP
8,240 posts
 

larryi, that's great, and they say that tube equipment is expensive to maintain.

sls883
1,054 posts
 

My Linear Tube Audio MicroZOTL preamp is easy on tubes. I've spent a fair bit on tube rolling, but not because they wore out.  

I recently bought a conrad-johnson Premier 11A amplifier for a second system. I have no idea how quickly those will need replaced.  This system probably won't get used a lot. 

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