Quandary

Yes, if you buy used and take your audiophile time it is not very little. Just bought VAC Avatar SE tube integrated in September and set of NOS tubes for it, so for the next three years I am definitely done. Unless something breaks and can’t be repaired. I will need one more quad of output tubes for this time period, though. $500.

Considering that the apartment is quite big, no not too bad, and since I only spend about $1500 a year on audiophile stuff, I can manage for now. It's actually $375 average monthly electric bill.

I wish I were, grislybutter, just living somewhere in New England. Heating is electric as well. Everything is quite expensive here, anyway. So, audiophile equipment is relatively cheap. This is a weak consolation, I know.

Yeah, we waist much more. That electrical bill should be at least half of that, but there is no competition or effective government regulation. Many people just collect money not earn it. This dealer may not be the best there is but he does offer something potentially valuable and rewarding.

Audiogon is a destroyer of legal commerce. I knew it.

$300 problem, come on, my monthly electrical bill is higher than that, and it's not even a house.

I would want to audition exactly the amp I was considering buying. No exceptions. And 30 watts and 60 watts might sound very different, that's double the power.

As for paying $300, it might be worth it, this would not be an issue for me.