2. amps-preamps
  3. 143597-10803

Highest BUILD quality tube amps?

Not so much with sound...lots of ways to fine tune thru tube rolling, etc. I'm just curious which tube amps are built to last for many years with the least amount of repairs. I know Mcintosh comes to mind for longevity. I was snooping around on the web and Air Tight seems to be built like a tank and I've never read any poor repair histories. Luxman same thing. Any others come to mind?
aberyclark
jmolsberg's avatar
jmolsberg
467 posts
 
like preston suggested, check out Decware!


wolf_garcia
6,631 posts
 
Hand made amps from Dennis Had...little gems of tube magic.
tubegroover
2,320 posts
 
Agree with bdp24, bad idea to install tube sockets on a circuit board and with Ralph, hardwired, less circuit boards are best EXCEPT in the case of David Berning designs in both cases. I owned a ZH270 for 13 years and never had to change a tube let alone anything else, amazing reliability in spite of  circuit board mounted sockets.

Agree with Quicksilver and my pair of 64 year old McIntosh MC-60's which are built like a tank including the heavy gauge steel casing.    
don_c55
1,025 posts
 
ARC power amps blow resistors and bias circuits frequently when a tube fails, causing a return to the factory.

I had a D125 power amp burst into flames with the bias circuit board ruined one time.

Very costly repair.......sold the ARC and never went back to their tube power amps.

ARC preamps have very good reliability though.
audiothesis
168 posts
 
Per Jolida amplifiers, I used to have an SJ302a prior to being a dealer and it failed on me.  It turned out to be the leads on the circuit board lifting up, which apparently was a common issue.  I haven't heard of any similar issues with their newer gear but I would avoid their earlier models at all costs.  
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