Where do you guys buy replacement tubes?

avgeorge, I have no idea what you are talking about...unless you are the guy that a few months ago wanted to bring in his amps, have me install a "few different types" of power tubes, bias them, hook them up to speakers in my sound room so you could compare. I can't do that.

And for you to assume anything about my business is a bit much.....I spend more time with customers than most anyone.

I have a few employees. Some of you have met them or spoken to them on the phone, and they work very hard to keep people happy in a business where customers get a smidge "obsessive". I "get it" of course as I am one of them. An audio nut since I was in the sixth grade.

We are hiring more people even as we speak....and that takes more time. But I would still have a hard time letting go of the one on one with the people that I have so much fun with.

Ask the guy that was here Monday for FOUR HOURS with his brother listening to Avantgardes with a full BAT system, then compared it to a full Cary, and bought nada. Plus it took an hour to set up what he wanted to hear. No pressure...no stress.

Customers is always right? Puhleeze.

Think about that if you are the NEXT customer in line who wants to get his gear runnning again and we have twenty minutes to get it out Fed Ex overnite. We go through that a few times a week.

I would rather take that extra time to turn the lights off in a dark room to look for glowing screens of 6550's in our burn in rig so I don't blow up some guys amp. It takes time to do it right, and I won't compromise. If I lose some biz....so be it.

I don't want all the business. I would rather work with people I enjoy and give the best quality. If it isn't meant to be George...the good news is you found somewhere that did it for you.

So why don't you give that dealer a plug here now? He deserves it and I applaud him.

Hey Dekay - you are right...I did miss your question about 300B prices. I saw you ask about the 6922 prices, and asked you to go to my website. E-mail is very difficult for this kind of purchase anymore for products like yours. The going back and forth is very confusing, and in fact I have e-mail several days old that is not answered. This is because I won't let an employee answer for me and say something incorrect and potentially damaging to a customers gear. I know that another tube dealer won't do any e-mail inquiries at all...only phone.

It's a tough one, guys. I started at 6AM, did not take a lunch break, and it's now 11PM (and my other half isn't pleased)

A good example is a gentleman (no doubt a nice guy) that wants me to describe the sound of several 12AX7's that he may buy one of for his made in China headphone amp. I type like a sloth. And have never heard his unit. So if I don't have solid info I'm not going to B.S. someone and make it up to sell a tube. Just like your amp. I have re-tubed the Audion, but have no feedback from customers, and have never heard one. So what am I gonna tell you?

Then there is the guy that wants info on re-tubing something he MAY purchase someday. The other guy that sends me 18 e-mails for one tube purchase. Then the pictures people e-mail me (without asking) of their bad E-bay deals and want me to help them "make their case" or tell them if they got screwed. It is difficult to know who is calling or e-mailing bored from work and who really needs help.

We have a retail location for equipment here, and sometimes I have someone standing in front of me that has driven hours, or even flown in to audition equipment. If I am direct on the phone at times, it's because I am under pressure at that moment to keep my promises to people, and frankly I get too chatty. That is different than being "snooty" as another called me. I dig the hobby, and my customers.

Then remember...there are two sides to every tube sale. It takes many hours to track down some of this stuff. We won't hit 100%...nobody does. So it goes.

P.S. - we take all credit cards...I don't know what you meant by we don't...maybe I missed something.

P.P.S. - the reason it's so busy is because tube gear is in the most exciting period I have ever seen in my 24 years selling hifi for a living. We are truly in a period of creative thinking and fun stuff. I used to get into the "it ain't like the good old days" mode but not now. It's more fun than ever.

I hope I don't give the wrong impression. If you call a typical tube store, the owner, let alone anyone else, will not talk to you about what will sound best. Ther are a couple botique dealers that will, but they don't have the stock we do as it is a side job typically.

I have not wanted to give up helping every customer myself....but I think it's silly to think someone else here can't do it. But the challenge is...none of the fine folks that work here know the sonic changes that occured in, say, an Audio Researh SP-9 MKI, vs a MKII and MKIII. I happened to live through that stuff.

We will become a smidge more "automated" via on-line ordering for the experienced tube-head. That should help. I just don't want people to think we are too busy for personal attention. That's what it's all about. But it's customers first. They deserve that. If a guy buys an amp on Audiogon and can't figure out how to use it, he should call the seller or manufacturer. I would never ask another dealer to take care of my customers questions.

P.S. George.....that was not meant to say that you are not a nice guy or anything like that. I was speaking in general terms when I said "people I enjoy". I've read some of your comments and you appear to be a dedicated audiophile. Sorry if I put you off on the phone somehow. Nobody's perfect.

No need to worry about it being to busy if there is something you need...that's not where it's at.

The delays are not happening much anymore except for odd stuff. The things we do every day go out the door pretty quick.

I just made an agreement to have the best talent in the industry custom make a new tube burn in rack and matching fully regulated test rig.

What we have now is good, but we actually use power amps to do burn in before matching, and sometimes the amps blow up (better mine than a customers)and I have to perform surgery to fix them. Then we use a pre-heat rack before testing the tubes one at a time. The new rigs will burn in 20 at the same time, then the test rig will have 20 at a time getting up to operating temp while one is being tested. Super cool.

here the last pickup I can grind them for is 4PM. We are at the top of the street right below the entrance to Mt. Baldy. I know they pick up at the larger drop off points near Ontario Airport by 5PM.....

Don't forget we lose a couple hours on you Ned. My driver was late yesterday, here at 6PM...and here it is 6:53AM in California, and the package will be delivered on some island in Florida within a half hour. I don't know how they do it.

I don't know if I really believe Richardson is making 6336A or B....not that they would ever ever mis-represent ANYTHING...what with the great job they did re-releasing the Amperex Bugle Boy using the original burn in racks from Holland and all.

Yea...they may say it...but I don't believe them if they say they do. Just my opinion, mind you. If they did not do enough volume to keep the GE 6550A line going after they bought it....who is buying all these 6336A? Why would anybody make that tube?

It's like that Mu 6900 deal. I don't buy that deal either.