Run your tubes all day or what?

roymail · « **on:** 13 Dec 2011, 02:11 am »

When do you usually turn your tube amp or preamp on, and do you leave it on all day. With my SS stuff I don't think about it, but I'm betting tubes required more attention. Since tubes get pretty hot, my guess is that it's best just to let them run and turn them off at bedtime.

Share your on/off routine. Thanks!

JerryM · « **Reply #1 on:** 13 Dec 2011, 02:29 am »

Tube life is rated in hours, so I try not to be frivolous with idle 'on' time. If I don't plan on listening again in the next several hours, I typically shut 'em down.

Have fun,

Jerry

cheap-Jack · « **Reply #2 on:** 13 Dec 2011, 02:44 am »

Hi.

Quote from: JerryM on 13 Dec 2011, 02:29 am

(1) Tube life is rated in hours, so I try not to be frivolous with idle 'on' time.
(2) If I don't plan on listening again in the next several hours, I typically shut 'em down.

(1) Theoretically, tubes get lifespans.

However, maybe my 50-year-old Dynaco phono-preamp & power amp both are lucky ducks as they are still kicking around bigtime like kids. The 50-year-old tubes inside sing like nightingales.

(2) This is always a good practice to give the tubes some good rest by switching them off pending for next startup. I always switch them on a couple of hours before my music session to get the tube heaters working at their optimum temperatures.

Save the good Earth as well as our wallet.

c-J

bregez · « **Reply #3 on:** 13 Dec 2011, 03:57 am »

Personally, I would not run a tube amplifier all day unattended. There is always a small risk of fire. As far as letting tubes warm up, they tend to reach their operating temperature at about 10 minutes (being conservative). That is what I measured with a FLIR SC-6000 in the lab. Transformers on the other hand take some more time depending on the size.
If you have a preamp with small 12xxx tubes and they are contained you can run that all day long if you want. I would save my money and just turn the preamp on when I want to listen to music.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #4 on:** 13 Dec 2011, 05:42 am »

For safety reasons never leave a tube amp in power on alone, valves heated 24 hours will die soon.

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #5 on:** 13 Dec 2011, 05:51 am »

I turn on my tube pre bout half an hour before I engage the source. My speakers, which active with bi-amped SS amps, I leave on all the time.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #6 on:** 13 Dec 2011, 06:02 am »

I afraid to let any equip on for much hours, especially at night, as may lack electricity during the night and at the returning the energy may back too high.

planet10 · « **Reply #7 on:** 13 Dec 2011, 07:04 am »

Mine run 7/24 unless i am going away for a couple days.

dave

jostber · « **Reply #8 on:** 13 Dec 2011, 12:29 pm »

I would avoid turning the tube components on and off very often, but I also turn it off once a day. For heavy tube stuff some tube dampers are also a good thing to prolong life.

Ericus Rex · « **Reply #9 on:** 13 Dec 2011, 01:11 pm »

Quote from: cheap-Jack on 13 Dec 2011, 02:44 am

Hi.
(1) Theoretically, tubes get lifespans.

However, maybe my 50-year-old Dynaco phono-preamp & power amp both are lucky ducks as they are still kicking around bigtime like kids. The 50-year-old tubes inside sing like nightingales.

That is true, since glass is not able to perfectly seal out all O2. However, when leaving tubes on 24/7 the cathodes and filament will burn out far sooner than the tube would lose its vacuum. I would guess your Dynaco was used sparingly before you owned it and that's why the tubes in it are still good.

You can leave your preamp on 24/7. There is far less heat in there. But you will still be burning out your tubes fast and tubes ain't cheap these days!

I absolutely do not recommend leaving your tube amp on all the time. Hybrids may be an exception but my preamp advice pertains to hybrids as well.

decal · « **Reply #10 on:** 13 Dec 2011, 03:11 pm »

If you don't mind buying tubes more often, by all means, run them 24/7/365. Make sure your fire insurance is up to date, just in case. Personally, my equipment is only on when I'm using it. Bottom line, it's your stuff, use it as you see fit.

roymail · « **Reply #11 on:** 13 Dec 2011, 03:40 pm »

Thanks for all the replies. This has been enlightening and helpful. I've always wanted a tube preamp, not sure about a tube amp,though. I've been considering changing my setup to a tube preamp and SS amplifier for several years.

Appreciate all the good advice, and Merry Christmas to all!

- Roy in TX

JakeJ · « **Reply #12 on:** 13 Dec 2011, 09:14 pm »

Good responses all, gentlemen.

I turn on the tube gear 30 minutes before listening and off when I'm done. If I leave the house or am going to be out in the yard for an extended period of time I shut the power amps off but I'll leave the preamp on if I will be listening again later in the day. If not shut down all the tube stuff. SS stays on all the time.

Tube life can be a bit subjective as different circuits will tax the tubes differently altering the tube's life span (I'm speaking primarily about output tubes in power amps here). I am fortunate enough to have a working tube tester and check my tubes periodically. Example: I have been running the reissue Gold Lion KT88's in my VAC PA-160 mono amps for a little over a year now and they still test new. Typically small signal tubes will last their rated life span or more since they are not taxed heavily and see generally more steady currents and voltages. However there are a few that don't follow the norm. I give you the Audible Illusions Modulus 3A, known for eating certain 6922 tubes like candy canes coming off the Xmas tree after the Holiday.

SteveFord · « **Reply #13 on:** 17 Dec 2011, 02:05 am »

I'm a bit late but tubes do have lifespans, running them all of the time is NOT a good idea for both tube life and safety, and turning the equipment on and off frequently will shorten the life of the tubes as well.
Standby switches are pretty useful things to have.
Solid state is real good for short listening sessions but if you have the luxury of being able to relax and listen for a spell, go tubes, both preamp and amp.
You'll be glad that you did.

enginesix · « **Reply #14 on:** 22 Feb 2012, 10:20 pm »

I am the same, let the PV12 warm up for about 30 minutes before using.

doug s. · « **Reply #15 on:** 23 Feb 2012, 04:32 am »

my tube pre is on 24/7. when i run tube amps, they're on whenever i am in the house. as they can fail catastrophically, i don't like to leave them on when no one is home...

doug s.

Gopher · « **Reply #16 on:** 23 Feb 2012, 04:58 am »

it depends on the type and expense of the valves in question and how hard the piece of equipment drives it. My last DAC was on 24/7 but that had a single 12au7. My current dac has 5 tubes, all nice, but it too is on 24/7.

My integrated (only a few weeks old) will probably spend most of its life turned on as the signal tubes are good but low demand (6SJ7 & 6a5k) and I've got extra power tubes.

As soon as I walk in the door from work, I turn it on and let it warm up, planning to eventually sit down to it. Generally speaking, if I'm home my tubes are glowing.

This was NOT the case when I had 2a3 monoblocks with expensive RCA 2a3s or 845 monos with extremely HOT power tubes.

doug s. · « **Reply #17 on:** 23 Feb 2012, 05:24 am »

Quote from: Gopher on 23 Feb 2012, 04:58 am

This was NOT the case when I had 2a3 monoblocks with expensive RCA 2a3s or 845 monos with extremely HOT power tubes.

lol! i have a pair of audio-mirror monoblocks, w/two 6c33c's per amp. i haven't used them much lately, but they never got much use in the summer, and they always got turned off, even when i was home, if not in use. the power tubes are actually not at all expensive, but those suckers are space heaters! and, draw ~600w each, when idling... nice to have 50w of set power, tho...

doug s.

audiotom · « **Reply #18 on:** 27 Feb 2012, 10:27 pm »

I need to break in a TRL Samson solid state mono blocks

I have a Doshi pre (8 tubes) and was considering running it 24/7 for about a week
with my cd player set in repeat mode

http://doshiaudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/doshi_alaap_final.pdf

Tubes 2 mc, 2 mm and 4 main stage 12AX7 (ecc83), 12AT7 (ecc81) , 12BH7

should I turn it off at all during this time instead?

Old timer · « **Reply #19 on:** 27 Feb 2012, 10:40 pm »

Quote from: audiotom on 27 Feb 2012, 10:27 pm

I need to break in a TRL Samson solid state power amp.

Nice amps. Their sound will greatly improve after the first couple of day. My Samsons continued to improve up until around 500 hours. Not that they sound bad out of the box. They pleasantly blew away my previous amps cold out of the crate.

Congrats and enjoy the ride!