Jim Lesurf wrote:


I also wonder if *all* buyers of valve power amps knowingly do so on the
basis that the output values are 'consumables' and might need replacing in
as little as just over 90 days.


** That is not what the 90 day limit really means !!

Warranties on consumer items do not cover fair wear and tear, the effects of unusual and harsh usage or commercial use.

A 90 day old valve amplifier might have had 24/7 operation and clocked up 2160 hours. In some designs, that would equate to the average expected lifetime of a perfectly good output valve - especially as they ALL come from China and Russia these days.

(IME - the Chinese have no clue or inclination to make reliable valves and Russians workers are too ****ed or ****ed off to bother trying. )

The nature of the failure is also crucial - the maker is offering 90 days free replacement for any valve that fails *inexplicably*.

That same maker offers NO free replacement for any valve that fails *explicably* - like having broken glass or bent pins.

If most or all the valves are damaged or fail within 90 days - the maker is well justified in assuming serious abuse has occurred and denying warranty.

Some hi-fi valve amplifiers push the output valves to their absolute limits and beyond - particularly Class A designs - while some owners like to push it even further by not allowing good free air circulation during use and mismatching the load impedance.

There is nothing straight forward about the situation and TW is just being a mischievous PITA troll with his idiotic proclamation of it all being a con.

The con artist is TW himself, a notorious one I might add.



.... Phil