I have used tube amps since 1974---that's 38 years---and I have never experienced the type of reliability problems that are routinely reported with ARC amps. My amps have ranged from old vintage units to modern designs, mostly push-pull but some single-ended DHT. None of these amps have had the fireworks, sparks, smoke, etc. that ARC amps seem to produce sooner or later.
What this means to me is that I decided many years ago never to buy an ARC amp. No matter how good it may sound, I have no interest in even an occasional fireworks display. Instead, I have stayed with amps that are designed more conservatively. When tubes eventually fail, the amps stop working and there may even be a blown fuse, but never fireworks.
What really bothers me is that someone could read these forums and conclude that all tube amps have these problems and use that as an excuse to use only solid state. That would be a real tragedy. Choose your tube amp carefully and you should have many years of trouble-free good sound.
What this means to me is that I decided many years ago never to buy an ARC amp. No matter how good it may sound, I have no interest in even an occasional fireworks display. Instead, I have stayed with amps that are designed more conservatively. When tubes eventually fail, the amps stop working and there may even be a blown fuse, but never fireworks.
What really bothers me is that someone could read these forums and conclude that all tube amps have these problems and use that as an excuse to use only solid state. That would be a real tragedy. Choose your tube amp carefully and you should have many years of trouble-free good sound.