Do you buy your tubes from ARC

[Felice]

ARC Ref 150
After how many hours you can use the KT120?
Where is accurately described?

[microstrip]

Originally Posted by klccharter

Do not buy tubes from ARC. I had them re-tube a LS15 preamp and they charged me $280 for 4 Sovtek 6922s. They are nothing but noise makers. Absolutely horrendous sound! ARC use to make their own tubes, manufactured in Germany mid-eighties, now apparently they'll put anything into them.

Does ARC sell tubes directly to consumers? When I buy ARC tubes I get them from my ARC dealer - if a tube is noisy he arranges prompt replacement.

[Barry1]

Yes Micro, ARC sells direct. That's where I get mine and yes they come with a 90(?) day warranty.

[MPS]

Originally Posted by closdesducs

I've bought Svetlana 6550 tubes from ARC when my VT100mkiii needed retubing. But I've also bought 7119 and NOS 6DJ8's from Upscale Audio and Jim McShane as back up for my older M100 monos. I've been debating whether to go to ARC for a tube set for my SP-10 or possibly Jim McShane again for those reissue Genelex Gold Lion 6922's. The SP-10 is notoriously hard on tubes so tube rolling in NOS probably wouldn't be a good idea...

Why not? NOS tubes are generally of at least the same or higher quality than new production, expensive yes but you can get the best tubes available and by carefully selecting a tube, fine tune the sound of your equipment as you wish.

[Felice]

Originally Posted by Felice

ARC Ref 150
After how many hours you can use the KT120?
Where is accurately described?

pity
Can anyone comment on that.

[Maxflo]

Felice - manual saying about 2k hours - i have 1289h in mine Ref150 and still sound is perfect.

[Myles B. Astor]

I think you are all assuming that all ARC does is the same thing as your tube dealers etc, eg. just put them into a tube tester and measure transconductance and a few other parameters (depending upon the sophistication of the tube tester and esp. the testing voltages). If ARC is anything like cj-and I suspect they are--the company actually tests them in the unit's circuit eg. they make sure the product meets its stated measurements with these tubes in place. Takes a little more time but is well worth it.

[rlw3]

i have been extremely happy with the tubeman ken chait in sunny florida. he was even willing to chryo some non chryoed tubes i had so now i have 16 chryoed tubes for my cj lp 275. upscale has best price for kt 120s i have seen. happy hunting.

[Masterlu]

Dan turned me on to BNB Tubes on ebay, great products, pricing and service.

[Felice]

Originally Posted by Maxflo

Felice - manual saying about 2k hours - i have 1289h in mine Ref150 and still sound is perfect.

Just was not clear to me. Who do I understand it correctly ARC recommends not to change after 2000 hours the tubes.

Ref 150 instructions:
Note: Audio Research does not
recommend leaving your Reference 150 'on' 24 hours a day as is the custom of some audiophiles to achieve achievement maximum sonic performance on demand. While this is Often recommended for solid-state equipment, Audio Research does not recommend this procedure for vacuum tube power amplifiers. (2,000 hours of tube life will elapse in 84 days!)
installation

In the Ref 5 instructions is described clearly.
The Vacuum tubes inside your referenc5 are quality tubes and with normal use Should not need to be changed for Approximately 4000 hours of use. Replecement tubes Should Be of equivalent quality and are available from Audio Research. Tube numbers did note (V1.V2 ect) match numbers printed next to tube sockes on circuit board.