Hello,

the snapping you're talking about, is it by any chance like what's seen here? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GbI9x3jg8Q (around 0:12)

Arcing is either the tube itself or the flyback. Either way I've seen cases where it would just happen once or twice and go away (probably from dust or debris burning off) but if it repeatedly happens and doesn't stop it's a death sentence

Yes, it's similar to the "snap" in the YouTube video - although less visible disruption so far and the image didn't enlarge momentarily like it did in the video, but I would say that it jumped a little.

Max, there's virtually no dust inside this monitor. It was "new old stock" inside the original packaging and it still had a large advertising sticker pasted over the front of the tube itself - so I really don't think it was used beyond possible testing.
I've watched similar "snapping" slowly kill another monitor so I know it can be a death sentence, but is there anything I can do? I'm capable of replacing components, including the flyback if I can source a replacement - but I'm questioning how the flyback or the tube itself could be at fault with so few hours on the monitor. Are they the only possibilities for this behavior?

I really want to do anything possible to save this monitor - I spent A LOT on it and the picture is so bright and beautiful, I'll be heartbroken if it dies so soon!

It is worth to exercise every connector, sometimes it is a matter of a poor connection. My Nokia made some jumps in image with a tick sound when one cable from neckboard to main board wasn't connecting all that well.

Another time it turned out a cell phone near the monitor was causing some jumps in image with ticking sounds happening at the same time. Moving it further away fixed that problem.