Anybody else having tube problems?

[beerrhino]

The amp tech I use has been telling me how new production tubes are shit, no QC etc... basic cranky old guy ramblings, but over the last 8 months my amp has been in the shop no less than 8 times.  Each time because one of the new tubes in it failed and burned something out.  Since the tube they sold me failed I never have to pay for the repair but the shop has my amp more than I do now. 
I'm not paying $200+ each for NOS tubes, so what brands are any of you having good luck with?  The amp in question uses el34 but I have another amp that runs 6l6gc tubes and will probably need new tubes before too long.
Any help is appreciated.

[Mr. Foxen]

What is he putting in? If an amp keeps killing valves, problem might not be the valves. I chew though valves since I handle a lot of amps, I bulk buy Chinese Shuguangs right from China, coupla dozen at a time, out of a box of 24, I get about 4 duffers, microphonic or weak, I have  a tester. Longer term, not so sure on them, most of my personal stuff get my supply of old valves, plus I have a bunch of Chinese military valves I favour, but I've only had one amp come back with a fuck pre valve.

What I have noticed is that if there is Sovtek or EHX valves in a preamp for an amp that comes in, they are the problem with it, pretty much never had them test good out of a used amp.

If there is nothing in the amp killing valves, next place I'd look is your cab, put your amp aside, and run it, put a hand on the top while someone plays through your rig, if you can feel the top panel vibrating, there is your problem, panel resonance vibrating your amp will fuck up delicate components like valves, as well as meaning the cab is less efficient, since that frequency is being scooped from the sound.

[beerrhino]

He's put in Rubys, Gts and one other that I can't remember.  It's never the same tube that goes.  The cab is an old sunn cab and is solid, additionally there's a thick layer of foam between it and the amp.

[Mr. Foxen]

He's put in Rubys, Gts and one other that I can't remember. 

Pretty good chance that's the same valves with different labels, I've seen Shuguangs branded as both, GT rebrand whatever's cheapest at the time, sometimes JJs, only had JJs be OK supplied by Peavey (local shop has dealership).

[Mr. Foxen]

For whatever reason, I was talking entirely pre valves, since I spend today fucking with pre valves. For power ones, Shuguang EL34b are my go to, cost me about $10 each from China and not really had any problems with them aside from the bias drifts after some use so need to rebias, pretty sure that applies to all valves.

[dogfood]

I'm going to have to re valve 2 fifty watters with el34 toobs.  I'll get'm from Valve Queen since I went on a date with her once.  It was a miserable failure as she lifted weights, had larger muscles and lower body fat than I, and she shreds way shreddier than I can.  All in all it was a very emasculating experience.  I'll just go cry now.

[Ombrenuit]

I've never changed tubes in my amp and I've been playing it for four years on a near daily basis.