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Stylus Warm-up Time

Do you prefer to warm up your stylus before listening i.e. by playing one side (or 2) of an "expendable" LP?

How long is considered acceptable warm up time?

Do you listen immediately or do you wait until the optimisation period is up?

Also what temperature range do you listen at? (My preference is 21-23 degrees C ambient although it doesn't mean I'll stop listening if it goes to 23.5 ;^)

moonglum
srtweaker
8 posts
 
I've found that the cartridge definitely starts to bloom, letting the soundstage expand in all directions, after 1 to 2 sides. It is definitely noticeable.
whart's avatar
whart
3,044 posts
 
It takes longer for my amps to come on song than the cartridge, but I warm everything up by playing a couple of sides without any critical listening- i'm sure that's more than enough for the cartridge.  I know that the amps (Lamm ML 2) really start to open up at around the 45 minute mark, and continue to improve after that. I don't regard the cartridge warm up as risking any damage to the records if that's the question. 
dgarretson
2,599 posts
 
An audiophile who I respect warms his cartridges with a hair dryer before listening at ambient temps below 70F.  In winter conditions of 65F in the listening room I sense  that cartridges need 10-15 minutes in the grooves to wake up.   
czarivey
5,946 posts
 
hair dryer?
phd
1,319 posts
 
srtweaker, how do you know which is actually warming up, the amps, preamps  or the cartridge. I'm guessing that every component is turned on at the same time?
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