ARC like some other equipment makers purchases lots of tubes for their equipment. They will tell you that the tubes they use and sell are only the finest and have been tested for everything under the sun, then they will charge you 3 times as much as if you purchase from an independent tube dealer. Let me recommend Kevin Deal of Upscale Audio to you. He is very knowledgable about tubes and has a fine reputation. He also prides himself on selling only high quality tubes. He also sells audio equipment. Go to his web site: http://www.upscaleaudio.com/view_category.asp?cat=38
Yes. The manufacturer will be aware of whether or not the tubes need to be matched and they test for certain tolerances. They generally source hand picked and tested supply whereas an independent is just that-- the quality, credibility and intent to insure top quality can vary wildly depending on who you deal with.
ARC has their reputation and products to protect and service. If you are into tube rolling and esoteric hard to find tube types then roll the dice and see what comes up. If you want to insure consistent tube quality and reliable performance then I would stick with the manufacturer selected and tested lot. They may be a little more expensive because they are tested and matched more thoroughly than most NOS. I used to re-tube my CAT pre-amps through different independents and learned a lesson or two.
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