New or vintage tube amps

[pabs911]

I have the same experience with an Onix SP-3. It had two minor issues and one major failure of a resistor. It's repaired but is never used. It wasn't high end, but cost more than any of my vintage amps.

In defense of the Onix SP-3... that amp helped me learn most of what I know about vintage preamp tubes. It used a pair of 12AU7's, 12AX7's, and 6922's, all commonly used tube types, and what's more, as I rolled tubes, the SP-3 circuit clearly illustrated the merits of each tube upgrade. Not all circuits do... for instance, the venerable Fisher X-101C integrated I once owned was much more forgiving of 12AX7 tube types, thereby teaching me almost nothing. lol

BTW, I once owned a Heathkit/Daystrom AA-151 that severely thrashed that SP-3 as well, but it wasn't quite in the class of the Pioneer SM-Q300B. However, I actually paid just $15 for it, so...