2. amps-preamps
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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?
samiamnot

Showing 1 response by mijostyn

mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 
I would NEVER spend more on tubes than the amp cost. There are plenty of modern tubes that sound perfectly fine. The real issue is with driver and preamp/phono amp tubes and that is noise. RAM Labs has super low noise versions of many of these. I have his super low noise 6922s in my Audio Research PH 3 SE and boy are they super low noise.
Very impressive. He goes through 100s of tubes and hand selects the ones with the lowest noise. His tubes have easily half the noise that my NOS Telefunkens did which I have already sold so don't get horny.
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