Power Tube reliability

[phsyconoodler]

I've had great luck with TAD 6L6's in the last few amps I've sold.Not one failure to date.I use both the tall bottle and short bottle versions.Can't say the same for JJ's,and the TAD's were better sounding.
I have never found any 'matched' sovteks that are actually matched yet,but the failure rate is rather low.The sovtek preamp tubes are extremely microphonic,as I do repairs for a backline company and I am constantly swapping out the sovteks in their Fender amps.
The 6V6 sovteks are crap too.All their Deluxe Reverbs have JJ's now and they sound worlds' better than the sovteks.I have used the Groove Tubes 6v6S and they sound great too.No failures there either,but they are pricey.

[Luthierwnc]

I'll give the TAD short bottles a try.

Thanks guys, sh

[heisthl]

I've had 3 TAD short bottle premature failures, and will not buy anymore - they do sound good though.

[Luthierwnc]

If one of them croaks the next configuration will be a combination Tung Sol and TAD. Survivors!

It must be tough for you production guys ... sweating all your wiring and then having to worry that Sergei or JinShen didn't. Nobody is going to hear ZZZZZZzzzzz tuning up for their third set and think, "Darn, those post-planned economy running dogs are not yet fully realizing the opportunity of free-market incentives!" They'll probably say something like I did when the tube red-plated.