Tube question


I've never owned a tube amp or pre-amp before and I have some questions about them for those of you who have them.

Do tubes typically run hotter than solid state?

How often do you need to replace the tubes? And how much do good tubes cost?

Thanks,
Bill
simonsbill

Showing 1 response by sidssp

In general, tube amps do run much hotter than class AB solid state. However, some Class A solid state amps run as hot as tubes.

There are many variables that will affect how long a tube last. That includes the design of the amp, the tube type, who made the tube, your listening pattern – do you keep the amp on all the time or only turn it on when listen, how stable is the voltage of your power outlet, etc… In other words, it is impossible to make a general statement about tube live.