Combo or Head/Cab?

[Brad1]

Here's a line from another forum that seems to leave no room for variables, when he responded to my question of why he told someone that it's ALWAYS better to have a head/cab than a combo for the life of the tubes. He has dug his heels in despite questioning from others:

Yes, the constant vibration of a near-by speaker DOES affect the tubes negligbly. The internal components of a vacuum tube are much more delicate when they are heated up. The rattling they get from the speaker they are within inches of can be brutal to their life.

Is it really that simple? I'd have to wonder if my BF Bandmaster head with it's crammed components stuffed into a small head-cab with the back only partially opened, and attached by the tilt-back screws to the cab MIGHT suffer at least as much detrimental forces as if I stuck that chassis in BF Super Reverb cab, with possibly better heat dissipation, and possibly even running a tad cooler BECAUSE the speakers are moving some air.

One is maybe less heat but possibly a bit more vibration? The other, possibly more heat, maybe less vibration.

How much of either is more detrimental to the tubes? Is it even enough difference to take a steadfast stance on? What do you guys think?

Brad1

[Don Moose]

Because the tubes are already so hot, the extra 50 degrees or so don't seem like a big deal to me - the vibration, on the other hand ...

It's the extra heat+vibration on the other components and solder joints I'd be worried about.

Also, not being what anyone would call 'buff', having two lighter boxes to lift and carry is easier for me to deal with.

(whaddaya mean not in shape? round is a shape)