My solid state monoblocks draw 420 watts each in standby. Just part of the cost of having large class a Amps. Even so it takes a hour for them to sound decent. The preamplifier is one all the time as well. I never bother turning off to standby. The front end is all tube so it gets turned on and off when I go down to listen. Many times I turn it on then make and eat supper then go back down and everything is super then. On my second system it is a tube system except the Krell cd player it gets left on. Takes it at least a week if shut off before it sounds it's best. Bedroom system is tube based except the cd player which is left on. The integrated amplifier is a tube one and I have it on a timer. I turn the timer on for a half hour and it shuts down after I am asleep.
Turn off or leave on?
I am curious to know what others are doing with respect to powering on/off their hifi systems. My system like most is a mix of tube and SS components: tube gear (mono amps, preamp, and phono). SS gear consists of (SACD/CD player, DAC, server, and external clock) and I have a conventional DC powered motor for my LP player. On days when I know I will listen to music, I turn it all on and leave it on until I go to bed at which time I turn it all off. I have read that it is better to leave SS components on (limit the number of temperature swings associated with powering up) and only power down tube gear (extend tube life). Many of the components have power saving features so they shutdown after an inactive period but that is more of a sleep mode as I understand it and not the same as a true power down. Not to complicate the question further, all the amps are hybrid so they have in effect both tubes and transistors My SS gear is a dCS Vivaldi One plus external Vivaldi clock, server is Taiko Extreme, and my amps are all from Tenor Audio. LP player is AMG 12 that uses a typical external DC motor always left on and powered up.
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- 35 posts total
- 35 posts total