Kevin Deal Takes On Paul

Goes to show that audio experts do not, and cannot, know everything. There’s often a more knowledgeable fish prowling about…

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Or thinks he is a more knowledgeable fish. :slight_smile: Kevin is a nice guy, but is as full of himself and convinced of his own opinions as anyone in Audio. He is a hoot to talk to.

As it turns out in this video, Kevin only offers clarification of his positions and offers his opinions - no drama here at all.

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I’d say the thread title here is accurate. Kevin is definitely taking on Paul in the video, correcting misstatements he contends Paul made about him specifically in Paul’s video (which came first), and indicating Paul’s tube suggestions regarding tube life are [not accurate]

Paul - if you think he’s wrong, go back at him! (but I wouldn’t recommend it - see Raven Audio).

But just in case, get the :popcorn: munch meme ready

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Well OK. Maybe Uncle Kevvy is trying to set the record straight as he sees it. My problem with him continues to be … call me a prude … his menial reliance on profanity. I’m tired of it. In fact, I was subjected to it personally a few years ago during the holidays when I dared to order a pair of tubes with overnight shipping (yes, that was an option he offered). Later that day I got a call from him whining about my order. It was a profanity laced diatribe. I must be shallow I guess. I can’t take anyone seriously who uses lowest common denominator ugly language as if it somehow confers credibility. It is a symptom of arrogance and contempt (IMO). Paul comes across as the adult here.

As a final comment, I’ll share a nugget of wisdom that was posted on the door of my undergrad English prof’s office: ‘Profanity is the crutch of an inarticulate SOB’.

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Not a fan of Kevin’s delivery and the way he construes things to adapt to his narrative but I tend to agree based on my own experience that there is no hard and fast rule for changing tubes. I have preamp tubes that have (educated guess with some average daily “on” time" math) over 7,000 hrs and they still sound amazing

Not taking sides and I don’t own a BHK product so I can not weigh in on tube life with the BHK product line

Best,
-JP

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What am I going to do with the dozen tubes I bought within the last two years? I figured I need to change tubes every year, but now more like every four years. They may outlive my gears and me now.

Well. Now you will never run into any tube shortages, which is a good thing. :wink:

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It definitely is not worth Paul addressing this tempest in a teapot.

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Kevin isn’t really going after Paul. There are different aspects that all of us listen to and focus on. I fully understand why Paul mentioned that he changes tubes sooner, and fully understand why Kevin prefers to change tubes later on. There’s no controversy.

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Well said!

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My experience with tubes aligns with Kevin. But so what?
Paul likes to refresh his tubes more often. But so what?
And I’m pretty sure that Paul has suggested the same practice of listening to new tubes and if they don’t sound better, put the old ones back. But so what?
What a weird direction for Kevin’s video to wobble.

Wow…let’s see??? The catalyst to this reaction was a message about our hobby that was seemingly at once informative, laughable and distasteful. Gosh!!!..never seen that before??? :smile:

Kevin is the perfect example of a salesman hawking his wares. Loudly. But it is his style and he is very successful so I just consider it entertainment and a little educational at times. Every “new thing” is the “best thing” like any salesman is taught or learns the hard way.

Every time I watch one of Kevin’s videos I am reminded of this SNL.

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100% correct.
He was only trying to help the tube consumer that does not have deep pockets and unlimited funds for this hobby of ours.

Just a clarification, but Upscale Audio refuses to even make a recommendation with regard to tubes. They just won’t do it (how often do you see that from an audio firm with something to sell?). Secondly, Paul is a bit of a tube newcomer, and had both Bascom King and Arnie Newdell as tube mentors (I believe Arnie said he replaced his tubes every eight months).

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Perfect.

A great video, and I am reminded of it as I view Paul’s videos as well. Both, Kevin and Paul, pitchmen of different sorts, but still pitchmen leaning on various but different hyperbole. Regarding tube life and frequency to change them, it depends. No hard and fast rule IME. YMMV

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Back in the day of the Ah4000 cdp

Ole Uncle Kevy would tout the virtues of one tube vs another
in a particular tube type…and of course his famous Cookie Jar
private stash of super select hand picked and groomed :grinning:

Kevy is quite the salesman will even make a tin horn look to sound
as it were totl…

Best wishes ya’ll

Heard him first time. He for sure seems to be battlesome and one has to get used to the voice (or is it slang?) … but from my experience he’s correct in most any point he makes. You’ll find a few posts of me in this forum disagreeing with Paull’s opinion on tube life (except if PSA amps are tube eating ones), especially when talking about NOS input tubes. I recently had 10 year old input and preamp output tubes tested and they still were like new.

I also liked Kevin’s advice how to find out if tubes really have to be replaced. I think he is factually correct with what he says in this video.

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