Keep tubes powered?

randog · « **on:** 12 Jan 2004, 07:33 pm »

I keep my SS stuff powered up for the most part.

What's the rule of thumb for tubed gear? Does it decrease the life of the tubes to keep them powered?

Randog

byteme · « **Reply #1 on:** 12 Jan 2004, 07:53 pm »

I've had people tell me that keeping tubes powered up all the time decreases their life and also can contribute to poorer sound because by leaving them on all the time they get some kind of "build up" on them which can affect sound. I don't recall the exact deal or reasons, however, it was from a reliable source (guy in the business of selling tubes) and was MUCH more scientific than my explanation!!

zybar · « **Reply #2 on:** 12 Jan 2004, 08:53 pm »

Leaving them on all the time will shorten the amount of time they can play music (since their is a finite amount of "life" in each tube).

Not sure about byteme's comment...I have never heard that before.

Some amps allow you to go in standby mode. My understanding is that this will not run the tubes at full throttle, thus allowing them to "last longer".

I just turn on my amps 30 minutes or so before I want to listen and shit them off when I am done for the night. I wouldn't shut them down if I was going to do something else for a spell.

GW

PhilNYC · « **Reply #3 on:** 12 Jan 2004, 08:55 pm »

I've heard a perspective that says it depends on how often you play music. If you play music every day, you should leave them on since turning them on/off every day will also shorten the life of the tube (the power-up is what affects them). If you only play music every few days, you can turn them off when not in use...

markC · « **Reply #4 on:** 13 Jan 2004, 12:33 am »

I agree with Phil; Generaly, I turn my NOS tubes on,(either Sylvania 3 mica or GE 3 mica blackplates), and leave them on if I plan on listeniing the next day or later on the same day. For example, if I do some listening on a thurs. or fri. night, I'll leave them on because I know that I'll be spinning tunes on the weekend. Then on Sunday night, I'll usually shut them down as I don't normally listen on a Mon. or Tues.-you know gettin' back to work reality and all. For my cheap current stock tubes,(6N1P's), I leave them on 24/7.

Crimson · « **Reply #5 on:** 13 Jan 2004, 01:01 am »

WRT tubed 'gear', if the piece of equipment in question doesn't employ power tubes (preamps, CDP's with tubed output stages etc), I prefer to leave them on 24/7. Leaving power amps on all the time is, as mentioned above, dictated by listening ahbits.

jacknife · « **Reply #6 on:** 13 Jan 2004, 04:13 am »

Hmm...so what is the answer? I just got my first tube amp today (Cayin TA-30). I generally play music 5 hours a day...5pm to 10pm. I was thinking it would be best to power down but should I leave it on? I have no idea, I'm very new to this tube stuff!

Bill O'Connell · « **Reply #7 on:** 13 Jan 2004, 03:09 pm »

Jackknife,

The answer is no , do not keep your tube power amp on all the time. You never know when a tube might decide to go haywire and then you will be up the creek without a paddle. Could cause fire, also could damage associated equipment. Just turn on your amp run some tunes through it and in a half hour all should sound wonderful.

Better safe then sorry.

Bill

meilankev · « **Reply #8 on:** 13 Jan 2004, 04:47 pm »

randog,

I never turn off my (tube) preamp, nor my (tube) monoblocks, unless a lightning storm is upon me. My monoblocks are now almost two years old, and the stock tubes are still going strong - no hint of degradation.

If I were to go a week or so without enjoying my system (yeah, right!), only then would I consider powering my monoblocks off.

Kevin

byteme · « **Reply #9 on:** 13 Jan 2004, 08:39 pm »

I queried the owner of tubeworld.com about this. Specifically about preamp/DAC/CD units with tubes and if they should just be left on all the time.

His response:

"it will shorten the life if you don't have a standby switch, if you don't I would not leave the unit on 24/7"

So, for me, I'll continue to power on and off.

zybar · « **Reply #10 on:** 13 Jan 2004, 09:01 pm »

I agree with Bill and Byteme.

Leaving tube gear (especially with big output tubes) on all the time is potentially dangerous and will absolutely shorten the time the useable to listen to music.

You haven't seen anything until you have seen an output tube start to arc and then blow!

GW

manek · « **Reply #11 on:** 14 Jan 2004, 02:39 pm »

All of the people who leave their tubes on all the time or not at home are playing with a fire hazard....Please turn the hardware off....its best that way.