20 years ago I could buy NOS (real new old stock) Siemens & Halske Cca 6922's grey plates for $40 each. Bought a dozen for back stock and wound up selling 4 of them for $800 a year later and then 2 more for $500. Now, any of them that moves the needle close to the good indicator is sold for NOS at $400 and more, much more some times, each. Real NOS is unobtainium.
Is it common for tubes to outweigh the cost of the amp or preamp?
I just got my first tube (headphone) amp and was wondering if it is common to spend more on the tubes than the actual cost of the amp. The amp was $599 with stock tubes. I just ordered NOS driver tubes that ran $640 for the pair and the power tube upgrade I'm planning will be another $300. That has the tubes sitting at 1.5 times the cost of the amp itself.
I don't find the total of $1539 for the amp and upgraded tubes unreasonable but considering the next model (amp) up is $1199, it has me wondering what would be better... a lower cost amp with superior tubes or a higher cost amp with stock tubes?
I don't find the total of $1539 for the amp and upgraded tubes unreasonable but considering the next model (amp) up is $1199, it has me wondering what would be better... a lower cost amp with superior tubes or a higher cost amp with stock tubes?