2 channels Tube amp in a HT setup

I guess I don't feel bad if all of the tubes are current production tubes.

When I have 4 NOS tubes in the preamp (Calypso) I feel really guilty.

oh well may be it's just me.

I used to disconnect the speaker cables and hook up SS receiver just when I'm watching movies.

but it just gets annoying....

My dad leaves his tubes off during news, sports and BS casual watching just useing the center and surrounds fed from SS amps, runs tubes for movies and music only. Not only for tube life and cost but also for heat reasons.

I use a Tripath based amp in the summer and tubes in the winter. I like the Tripath better than most solid state amps and they use very little electricity and generate almost no heat. I use both single ended and push pull tube amps in the winter because the heat generated helps heat the house anyway so it is of no consequence.

Brad

Brad, i do exactly what you do as well and for the exact same reasons. That's funny! I run Wright SET 3.5 mono's in the Fall,Winter and Spring and a Red Wine Audio Sig 30 in the Summer. However,I like the sound of the RWA so much that i am tempted to pop that back in more often just for a different flavor as it most definitely does have one. Ok sorry, that was off topic but i just had to comment.

I have cary slam 100's,manley reference 440/200 and a pse hl-1 pre amp with bypass and have no regrets running any of my equipment used for the home theater.
My equipment is only run for movies and audio,not casual tv watching I would add.