[Sonny]

Hi there, I am considering a HTS 3600 for my DPL TV, Source Components and Tube preamp.  Currently, when I turn the TV on, there's a surge that I can hear out of the speakers.  I don't know if that is damaging to the tube preamp or not, I am sure it is...  Another thing is that with the preamp on, when I turn the amps on, I can see the preamp lose a bit of energy as the blue led dims a split second...
is all this bad for the preamp?
will the HTS 3600 help this? 
thanks inadvance of your feedback.
T

[John Casler]

Hi Sonny,

In general it is always advisable to turn your components on in the order of signal flow, and off just the opposite.

That is "ON":

1) Source
2) Preamp or PrePro
3) Amps

"OFF":

1) AMPS
2) Preamp or PrePro
3) Source

I doubt the Monster will help as much as following this procedure

[Sonny]

John, thanks...that's how I do turn my components on / off, in that order...
But like I said, once the preamp is on, I will turn the amps on, and when the amps kick on, I can see the blue led on the preamp dim a split second...

Also, when the system is on, and I decide to watch a movie, even at mute, when the TV kicks on, there's a surge that I can hear through the speakers...etc...

Will this harm my stuff!  Being all tubes, I am afraid that it will shorten the life of the tubes...

[fajimr]

here is a related thread (although not about the monster)... fyi

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=40655.0

jim

[ctviggen]

I have a lot of my stuff (everything but two amps and one sub) going through my Monster Power Center.  I do not hear anything in my speakers when I turn my RPTV on.  However, the only tube amp I have runs my center channel (which would be on when the preamp is on; so, if I'm listening to two channel music, then turn on the TV, the tube amp is on prior to the TV's coming on). 

[John Casler]

John, thanks...that's how I do turn my components on / off, in that order...
But like I said, once the preamp is on, I will turn the amps on, and when the amps kick on, I can see the blue led on the preamp dim a split second...

Also, when the system is on, and I decide to watch a movie, even at mute, when the TV kicks on, there's a surge that I can hear through the speakers...etc...

Will this harm my stuff!  Being all tubes, I am afraid that it will shorten the life of the tubes...

Hi Sonny,

If you are turning the source (TV) on afterwards then it can cause a signal surge, through the analog lines.

This can usually be defeated by switching "inputs" before turning it on, and then switching back after the TV has fully powered up.

If your "audio signal" is actually coming from a Sat or Cable box, then the noise you hear is likely the TV drawing its initial current and that is not a surge to your amps, but a "sag" and a standard conditioner cannot cure or help a sag.


The dimming LED's is not generally a problem since it is the result of your amps drawing start up current to charge all the caps and power supplies, and again, this is a "drain or draw" and a "Surge Protector" type Power Conditioner cannot do anything to keep this from happening.

They only protect against "surges" coming in from the powerline.

[John Casler]

Upon further thought I might tend to think that adding a Surge type Power Conditioner might even exacerbate your problem because most of it seems to stem (from your description) from "large draws" of the amps and TV powering up.

The only conditioner than might help, would be one of an APS type, that stabilizes sags/drains/draws to a degree.

It might also be best to plug TV into a different outlet if possible.

[Sonny]

Perhaps you are right John, but I am using a powervar abc 1200 which the TV is plugged into...
So, really, I was trying to protect the TV, but seems like I am not protectiing it that much as I seem to be harming the preamp more!
don't know...

[Bob Reynolds]

But like I said, once the preamp is on, I will turn the amps on, and when the amps kick on, I can see the blue led on the preamp dim a split second...

Also, when the system is on, and I decide to watch a movie, even at mute, when the TV kicks on, there's a surge that I can hear through the speakers...etc...

Will this harm my stuff!  Being all tubes, I am afraid that it will shorten the life of the tubes...

The effect from the current in rush when the amp is powering up is normal and should not be a problem for anything. The lights in my living room dim for a fraction of a second when each Bryston 7B SST is powered up.

My TV is a CRT model and it makes a surging sound when powering up, but it's not connected to the audio system at all so nothing is heard through the speakers. Again, that should be a normal current in rush that should not hurt anything.

[Sonny]

But like I said, once the preamp is on, I will turn the amps on, and when the amps kick on, I can see the blue led on the preamp dim a split second...

Also, when the system is on, and I decide to watch a movie, even at mute, when the TV kicks on, there's a surge that I can hear through the speakers...etc...

Will this harm my stuff!  Being all tubes, I am afraid that it will shorten the life of the tubes...

The effect from the current in rush when the amp is powering up is normal and should not be a problem for anything. The lights in my living room dim for a fraction of a second when each Bryston 7B SST is powered up.

My TV is a CRT model and it makes a surging sound when powering up, but it's not connected to the audio system at all so nothing is heard through the speakers. Again, that should be a normal current in rush that should not hurt anything.

Hm, so then, there's no harm in this at all huh?
If so, that's good to know...i just hear the surge and flintch a bit...every time!   

[Bob Reynolds]

But like I said, once the preamp is on, I will turn the amps on, and when the amps kick on, I can see the blue led on the preamp dim a split second...

Also, when the system is on, and I decide to watch a movie, even at mute, when the TV kicks on, there's a surge that I can hear through the speakers...etc...

Will this harm my stuff!  Being all tubes, I am afraid that it will shorten the life of the tubes...

The effect from the current in rush when the amp is powering up is normal and should not be a problem for anything. The lights in my living room dim for a fraction of a second when each Bryston 7B SST is powered up.

My TV is a CRT model and it makes a surging sound when powering up, but it's not connected to the audio system at all so nothing is heard through the speakers. Again, that should be a normal current in rush that should not hurt anything.

Hm, so then, there's no harm in this at all huh?
If so, that's good to know...i just hear the surge and flintch a bit...every time!   

Try what John suggested -- changing to an unused input on the preamp before turning on the TV. Powering up the amp is definitely not a problem.

[Ethan Winer]

The effect from the current in rush when the amp is powering up is normal and should not be a problem for anything.

This is the correct answer. Unless the pop sound is so loud you fear your tweeters might blow, typical minor clicks and pops don't hurt anything.

--Ethan

[Sonny]

The effect from the current in rush when the amp is powering up is normal and should not be a problem for anything.

This is the correct answer. Unless the pop sound is so loud you fear your tweeters might blow, typical minor clicks and pops don't hurt anything.

--Ethan

Ethan and Bob, thanks...
I didn't think so, I am more afraid for the preamp (tubes) than the tweeters as it's not a particularly high or loud surge sound...So I take it that the HTS 3600 would not solve this problem...

[Bob Reynolds]

The effect from the current in rush when the amp is powering up is normal and should not be a problem for anything.

This is the correct answer. Unless the pop sound is so loud you fear your tweeters might blow, typical minor clicks and pops don't hurt anything.

--Ethan

Ethan and Bob, thanks...
I didn't think so, I am more afraid for the preamp (tubes) than the tweeters as it's not a particularly high or loud surge sound...So I take it that the HTS 3600 would not solve this problem...

I don't think you have a problem to solve. There's no danger to the preamp and as Ethan said the tweeters are the only thing that could possibly be damaged. So, no a HTS 3600 will not do anything for this situation. Typically, you wouldn't want to plug the amp into the HTS 3600 anyway.

Both ZeroSurge and SurgeX (licensed technology from ZeroSurge) make surge protection devices that really have a chance of working. I use a pair of the SurgeX SA1810 units in my system.

http://www.surgex.com/products/sa1810.html