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Leaving Solid State Equipment on all the Time

Someone told me that: 
  • Leaving your gear on all the time allows all the components to "come up to temperature."  
  • Transistors, resistors and other devices all have specific operating temps that they work best at. Below these temps, they're not performing at peak capability. 
  • Transformers will generally take 2-3 days to settle down and come up to their operating temps. 
  • Capacitors will take anywhere between 3-4 days to settle down. 
  • If you're continuously turning off the gear, you're basically hearing the system as it's first waking up in the morning. After it's been on for a few days, you'll hear that the tonal balance smooths out, that the top end becomes sweeter and purer and that bass has more control, articulation, and becomes more natural. 
Any truth to any of that? 
128x128oldschool1948
wspohn's avatar
wspohn
608 posts
 
My preamps are always on standby, so no warm up time needed. Can't do that on my amps as they are class A and would put out 500 watts apiece in heat into the room - not a good idea in summer.

I just turn them on a half hour before listening and have never noted any change in sound during a long listening session.

I think that it depends on the particular amp, whether it 'settles in' or not, and how quickly.
roberjerman
4,319 posts
 
Since my system is in daily use I leave my SS gear on 24/7. Transistor gear tends to fail on turn-on! Having fewer on/off cycles is better for longevity!
lnitm
143 posts
 
I have talked to Mark Levinson tech on my amp and Benchmark about their DAC and both told me i could leave on all the time 24/7 without any issue. Levinson said it could help sound better lessening the warm up period of an hour or so. My Ayre preamp is always on by default, no turning off or standby mode available. Mark Levinson does recommend  leaving in standby mode the 532h amp at a minimum to keep transistors powered up. 
xti16
1,525 posts
 
I leave my Aavik U300 on all the time.. I don't even bother with standby. I was told this by the designer and never questioned it. BTW it is class D
terry9
2,348 posts
 
In summer I leave my Class A amps on standby (30% power), but they still take many hours to warm up to full performance. In the winter I leave them on a lot - costs nothing, just replaces the heater.

My phono/pre reaches full performance after a few hours.
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