The subject 101d pair that I bought new for my Big 7 died after about 7-months. Anyone else have longevity issues with these tubes? I purchased them from:
http://psvanetube.com/wordpress/store/products/psvane-western-electric-101d-101d-l-replica-vacuum-tubes-pair/After listening sessions, I put the Big 7 in standby, but didn't power it down with the rear toggle. Could that perhaps have been the reason for the shortened tube life? On a Lampizator forum thread, I read something about a projected 20-year tube life. While I'm not relying on 20-years, seven months is far too short for these or more costly tubes!
In my rig and room, I really liked the Replica 101d's! But because of my experience, I haven't ordered replacements or thought about more expensive tubes!! Based on your experiences, was my experience simply an aberration? If I were to order another pair, is there another source that is recommended?
BTW, on the Big 7 with the remote controlled volume control and blue LED screen, is there any way to program the unit to fully power it down with the remote? Unfortunately, with my arthritic issues and the DAC's placement, the rear toggle is quite painful to access.
If the unit can't be programmed to totally power off with the remote, does anyone know of a power conditioner of sufficient quality with an on/off switch to warrant its use with the Big 7?
Or am I being overly cautious by wanting to not only put the unit in standby between listening sessions, but to power it completely down? How does everyone handle
standby vs
full power down with their DAC's?