2. amps-preamps
  3. 127429-89202

Warm-up time for amps and preamps

How long does it take for your system to sound good from a cold start?
I try to keep my system on most of the time.  But occasionally I turn it off and it sounds like crap for a good half-hour to an hour.
i know there has been discussion here on the virtue of leaving tube preamps on all the time.
But my solid state amp (modified NuForce mono blocks) technician advises turning even them off occasionally.
128x128rvpiano
grannyring's avatar
grannyring
6,502 posts
 
I keep on SS gear all the time for best sound. This is especially true for digital front ends and class D amps. 
rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,666 posts
 
I have a class D amp.  The NuForce technician told me something very interesting: He said it's not good for a switching amp to be on without being connected to a running pre-amp with a source playing.  Therefore, when warming it up I have the tuner playing at very low volume.
i have a tube pre-amp (Conrad-Johnson) which also benefits from the warm-up.


jim_swantko
301 posts
 
It takes about an hour for my all SS system when "cold", meaning unplugged.  My gear has a standby setting which dramatically reduces the warm-up time, but there still is one.
rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,666 posts
 
I find that the phono section of my pre-amp is warmed up only by playing records
at fairly loud volume.  Just keeping the pre-amp on for a period of time doesn't do the trick.
rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,666 posts
 
 I know I contradicted myself in the last post.  When I got to think of it, the phono section of the pre-amp required separate warm-up.
Sorry!


More to discover