[jethro]

It seems to me that my 4B-ST and 8B-ST sound better after they warm up for about 15 minutes while listening.  The effect seems to be more noticeable when listening to two channel music as opposed to movies. Lately I've been turning on my system beforehand if I think I will be listening to music sometime soon. I usually turn the volume down to mute on my SP-1.7 and there is no signal present from the selected input (i.e. I leave my CD off until I'm ready to listen). I might be imagining it, but even with the above  pre-warmup, if I have no signal present on the input, it still takes about 15 minutes before the amps sound their best. I use the digital out of my CD so it's not a CD warmup problem. I've also noticed the same effect from my DVD player.

Is an  amp warmup different without an input signal present ?

[redbook]

I have found this to be true with my 4b st. After one record  the second playing of same cd seems better focused and smoother. 

[James Tanner]

It seems to me that my 4B-ST and 8B-ST sound better after they warm up for about 15 minutes while listening.  The effect seems to be more noticeable when listening to two channel music as opposed to movies. Lately I've been turning on my system beforehand if I think I will be listening to music sometime soon. I usually turn the volume down to mute on my SP-1.7 and there is no signal present from the selected input (i.e. I leave my CD off until I'm ready to listen). I might be imagining it, but even with the above  pre-warmup, if I have no signal present on the input, it still takes about 15 minutes before the amps sound their best. I use the digital out of my CD so it's not a CD warmup problem. I've also noticed the same effect from my DVD player.

Is an  amp warmup different without an input signal present ?

Hi jethro,

It's a really good question and probably one that can not be measured.

I notice it on new gear as well where when I do shows by the 3rd day it is sounding better than the first day.  My guess is it takes some period of time still in a well used product for all the components to reach the thermal temperature they are operating the most linear at and that translates to better performance.

james

[rollo]

  Have to agree with James. The components come up to operating temp to sound their best.
 Do not leave your gear on 24/7 it will become magnetized over time. If you own a demag. CD or Gryphon Exorcist leave it on if you desire if not turn it off.



charles

[rmurray]

 I compare this to an engine. Full warm up gets everything up to the design specs. Seems true with amps as well. 

[Sasha]

For me there was a noticeable difference after warm up for several days when they were left off for a while, when amps were new, I did not notice such a difference when they got older.

[headshrinker2]

I have definitely noticed this with my recently acquired S/H B100SST.  It was also true with my previous Naim amps.

[Elizabeth]

Several stages of this.
I find first turn on not to sound so good. After about an hour the sound is better.
Some items definitely sound better after a few hours. (My Audio Research Sp-15 i use just for the tubed phono stage is like this. I do not leave it on 24/7 as i use it only once in awhile)
though after a few days the sound has a magical quality that is never present unless the items have  been on for a long time This is including the Bryston 4B-SST2.
It is a subtle, and beautiful sheen around and in the presentation. Not easy to have anyway. But once you hear it and know it, you want it there..
This is the reason for folks (like me) leaving the stuff on 24/7. Even though it wastes electricity.
(in the Summer though like now, i do turn off the VAC i use as a tube buffer, and the Bryston 4B-SST2 amp at night, (leaving all the rest on) turned off to lower the heat output only, as I cannot justify air conditioning waste heat.. from stuff left unused, but turned on. (the small stuff like Bryston BP-26 preamp, DAC and CD players is not much heat, so I leave them on...)
So I can't justify leaving the Amp and VAC buffer on all the time in Summer. As soon as it is September though, they will be back to on 24/7

[redbook]

As Rollo said  aren't you concerned about them becoming "magnitized"

[Elizabeth]

'Magnetized' is a notion i do not subscribe to. (aside from the usual magnetism stuff) Thus my stuff never gets 'magnetized' since no such thing exists in MY world view.
(Like it also does not need to be cleansed of evil demons. In some cultures this 'cleansing' is a requirement. )
If it does exist and I am unaware of it. then i also do not have to  worry about it, as i never noticed any such thing anyway. and even if it indeed did sound better without being 'magnetized' since i never heard it that way, nor can I tell the difference, How can I miss it?
It is not the same sort of problem like "Gravity" where one can ignore it, but only at ones' peril!
So, no i do not concern myself with magnetization, nor would I, even if the outcome is truely dire. Like it sounds like it is an all Bose system.
Or even turning off digital stuff when listening to analog. i do not. I do not hear a difference, and so it does not matter for me.
Notice i do not say it is a lie. Or the person is nuts. As it may matter to to others with different equipment than mine. And someday i may notice a difference. at THAT point i will take action.
So I do not do anything about "magnetism" in my setup, nor do i give a rats' ass about it AT THIS TIME.
Though I agree for some folks it may pose a problem.
And along with turning my stuff off, suddenly i am stuck with a problem of bad sound. i think I have to just leave it on all the time, and my shrill bits of sound will vanish.
Just a guess, but it is a co-incidence hey? I am particulary fussy about the top third of the frequency band.

[BrysTony]

Elizabeth,
I agree with you.  In almost 50 years of messing around with stereo equipment this string is the first I have heard about magnetism being a problem.  I guess I can continue to not worry about it.
Tony

[vegasdave]

I agree. I've heard about it, but the effect is negligible.

[JBLMVBC]

Although my gear is on permanently, I agree that the sound opens up after about 15/20 minutes. I also noticed that with my older 4B. When on a critical listening session, I always play something else for 15 minutes before getting to the main course. It is perhaps less noticeable with the BDP-1 though.

[vegasdave]

Yeah, I leave my stuff on all of the time too. Works for me...

[werd]

Yeah, I leave my stuff on all of the time too. Works for me...

Hell ya, you live right next to Hoover dam... why wouldn't ya...

[vegasdave]

Hell ya, you live right next to Hoover dam... why wouldn't ya...

Ah yes, this is true...