2. amps-preamps
  3. 188522-89202

Amp — Leave on or turn off

I always turned my Benchmark AHB2 amp off after use every night. After all, why is there an on off switch on the front panel if not to do that? Last night I accidentally left it on. This morning, when I played my first record, I couldn’t believe my ears. The same record I played last night sounded infinitely better. I tried a second record and that, too, was much better.
I know there’s a debate on the question of leaving an amp on all the time.
I now know where I stand!

rvpiano
audphile1's avatar
audphile1
5,707 posts
 

I don’t have solar panels. Does this mean I can resume playing Peel Me a Grape that I had on repeat for close to 30 years in my high power consuming system? Cause I just paused it for few minutes to check if I kept that coal plant alive all this time….no bueno there…the last of the mohicans in NJ it was demolished few years ago. 

audphile1's avatar
audphile1
5,707 posts
 

There are close to 220 operational coal power plants in the US. China has over 3,000.
Our contribution to pollution by leaving our amplifiers on can’t even be measured. I’m not saying we don’t need to be conscious about it, but the environmentalists on this thread…you guys are barking up a wrong tree.
Alright enough politics…hate this in the audio forum. There are other places where this can be debated.

jl35
4,238 posts
 

For my Portal Panache Integrated (designed by Nelson Pass), they recommended that for best sonics it be left on 24/7 (there was no standby switch)...for my high power Pass Class A mono blocks, Pass says there is no short or long term harm in leaving them on 24/7, simply my decision based on listening habits, sonics, electric usage...sure seems manufacturers of seemingly similar products have various recommendations...

pennfootball71's avatar
pennfootball71
284 posts
 

A class D amp takes 24 to 48 hours to properly charge the caps and settle in since it is 95% efficient. You don’t want to EVER TURN ONE OFF SO HELP YOU GOD unless you are plugging in things into it

vair68robert
648 posts
 

Electronics degrade by cycling on/off , true but to what extent ?  leaving on 24/7/365 equals 8,760 hours per year , since most power/filter capacitors are rated for 10,000 hours which would you think causes the most degrading ?  How often do you plan on replacing the electrolytic caps ? how long do you plan keeping your amp ? 

Newer amps have standby modes , older ones are on and off only .  The new Krell 800 watt mono block uses 1 watt in standby and 260 watts on with no music so leaving it in standby is like turning it off , you wouldn't leave it on using 260 watts would you .  My 250 watt amp uses 84 watts at idle/on , there isn't a standby mode so leaving it on is not very practical .

If leaving your amp sounds better to you then do so but think about the true cost depending on the amp you own .

 

More to discover