[Pacio]

Hello Everybody,
I'm from Italy and I'm a very happy owner of a Stratos Extreme stereo.
I added a TVC passive pre + active buffer with tubes on the signal and power line (a rectifier tube) and I'm very very happy with this combo.
I was instructed from Klaus to leave the unit always on and so I did till yesterday, but when I shut the tubed active buffer off, I heard a loud bump and some hum coming from the speakers . I asked for instructions and I was told that it should be better - when turning gear off - to shut amp->pre amp->source. The opposite is true when turning on the units.
The question is: since I would like to have my Stratos always on, may I turn it off for a moment, just to let the preamp go down and just turn on again my stratos? Will I lose some charge on the capacitors, even if for few seconds only? May I do the same when turning on the source and preamp?
Any advice is much appreciated.
Cheers,
Marco

[tfroncek]

I don't know if this fits in your case or if there are any auxiliary devices which would do the same thing but my Anthem tube pre-amp also has surround sound processor inputs.  Since I have nothing plugged into the SSP inputs, to turn off my pre-amp I just select SSP which disconnects the tube buffer outputs from the output and then I just turn off the pre.  No speaker thump ever when I do this.  If I forget to SSP first and just turn off the pre I get the thump.  I have no other relay protection so if there is a power failure, I get the thump.

[Haoleb]

If your going to switch off the amp to turn off the buffer, then switch it back on, you might as well just keep it turned off, At least in my opinion. Klaus would be better able to help you decide how it will affect performance however.

Im using a tube preamp with my Khartago mono's which are essentially stratos in smaller cases, I added mute switches to my preamp when i got the khartagos so i can switch my preamp off without having any pops or risk of damage done to the amplifiers and speakers. Perhaps you can get some kind of passive input selector unit so that you can switch to a different input that doesnt have anything but shorting plugs perhaps for when your buffer is off. This will add yet another device in the signal chain though. The mute switches i added to my preamp short the signal to ground through a small resistor 10ohm IIRC. So when they are turned off the switch is completely out of the circuit, perhaps you can get something like this too if the selector idea doesnt work.

[klaus@odyssey]

Always, always,  ALWAYS  OLOF.  On last ,  off first  on the amps.  Always.
With tubes,  and any thump,  that is mostly directed towards the preamp.  With the Candela,  Alex went through great length to eliminate this.  Obviously,  if the thump is too severe,  turn off the amp first.

[Pacio]

Hey Klaus,
I'm so glad to hear from you! You know what? Even here in Italy your Stratos sounds great!
I truly love it.
Very, very satisfied, and thank you (to all) for your advice.

Cheers,
Marco