Audio Research preamps EXCESSIVE OPERATING COSTS

Arc Ref 6se operating costs are very high if you use it with a ht system that happens to be on 12 hours a day.  Even when stereo used 2 hrs and rest is ht time.

tube life is 4000 hours per arc and 2000 for power related tube.

unfortunate why tube preamps used in a ht system have to have tubes on when being used in ht mode.  Startup delay to use tv is also a problem.  

If there’s a secondary receiver with one being a stereo preamp, how do you share speakers between them?  

Two issues here:  I am considering a purchase.  Don’t own arc.  Next, I will explore a cheaper tube,  but I saw them from a tube seller for more than 100.   Very expensive when replacing 8 tubes.

Luxman
do you share an amp between processor and stereo preamp?

Can u do this? Sounds creative.

Thanks for more info.  

I think you mean 6h30 by sovtek which sell for $34. I was looking at a rare brand which was so much higher and arc wasn’t helpful to guide me.
So now I ponder an arc 6se vs a McIntosh 1100, which has a phonostage. A very tough choice.

The McIntosh c1100 is nice but it bothers me that I am getting a phonostage and headphone amp that I will not be using. And it takes up a lot of space. Mc needs to do a higher tube preamp without this extra stuff. It would do really well.

Idea is to use arc stereo preamp in a home theatre system where main speakers can be used in a stereo environment absent interference from an avr.

Problem here is that tube preamps which keep the tubes off while watching tv are not very good.  Bartlett looked promising, about $9k, but it didn’t seem to be of same level as the arc 6se preamp.

I have since found that replacing tubes of 6se are about $300 (1 to 2 yrs) and exp for electricity is about $60-80 annually assuming a watt level of 130 while on.  It is truly a pain that a very sophisticated industry has not done a very good job integrating ht with stereo preamps.  McIntosh efforts are very troubling, their system when wired as they want it will cause your avr to turn off so you can’t watch a muted active tv screen like a sporting event or have it displaying stuff during social events.

I want exceptional sound when I listen to stereo, and the hifi industry does not make it easy to get there!!  Just horrifying.

Invalid
What is the watt level for operating your preamp?
The manual for the arc Ref 6se says it draws. 130 watts. Not sure how accurate this is and whether a lot lower when in bypass mode.

a mc mc255 amp draws about 65 watts at moderate levels.