New tubes or new preamp?


I have an ARC LS15, and am considering either a set of NOS Amperex tubes, or selling it and getting a new preamp, such as an ARC LS27, or a Modwright LS 38.5.
As I'm unable to compare , what would you advise?.Will NOS tubes give me a preamp that compares with todays current ones, or is it a waste of money?
Thanks
brrgrr

Showing 1 response by phaelon

Brrgrr, So far, I haven’t heard an amplifier that couldn’t be improved by upgrading the stock tubes. So, that might be enough for you; it frequently was for me - at least until I found and could afford a clearly superior amplifier. As a rule, I consider it highly advisable to seek out the right tube set for any amplifier.

Tube rolling can be chancy, expensive and frustrating; all of which become worthwhile once you find the right set. I tend to think of the manufacturer supplied tubes as a sort of blind date chosen for consensus appeal. I appreciate the effort, but only I am listening to my music with my system in my room.