tube failure

[lesouthern]

Ok- I'd like to avoid buying another dud, as you know these aren't cheap.

With tubes- do you get what you pay for? Are there more reliable 2A3 I can get? Not looking for anything fancy.

Do you have a recommended vendor or site?

 

[Paul Birkeland]

Doc B. and Eileen can speak to the number of tube failures we experience early in life from New Sensor production, but in general I would expect it to be well under 1%.  Yes, you can buy a pair of EML 2A3s for $700+ and they will offer you a nice warranty, or you can buy a quad of Psvane 2A3s off eBay for $250 and have some spares that you're unlikely to need.  The EH 2A3s have shot up so much in price that the one you have could probably sell for $100+ on its own as a good used tube to offset the cost of whatever you decide to do.

 

[Doc B]

Yes, the Sovtek 2A3s from New Sensor are generally quite reliable. That is always a major consideration when we choose a tube.

 

[Deluk]

Is it possible that you have somewhere locally that can test both of your valves? Guitar shop?