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Why No Power Button on Some Phono Stages?

I am upgrading my phono stage, and several of the ones I have shortlisted do not have a power switch/on-off button.

Why is this? Is the user supposed to keep it powered up all the time, or manually unplug the power each time?

I know certain electronics are supposed to have better sound once they have reached thermal equilibrium, but that doesn't mean I want to keep it powered up 24/7.

Switching the phono stage power off from the power strip is a PIA, as it would switch all of my other components off, and I'd lose by tuner settings.

I want to choose the phono stage by sound quality, but an on/off switch is a major convenience factor for me. Why do some manufacturers leave it off?
kixo
jjrenman
279 posts
 
IMO, most electronics sound better after warm up and they will last longer without the turn on surge (if heat build up is not an issue like in a preamp).

In the case of SS phono preamps the current draw is tiny so there is little reason to turn it off.
mosin
410 posts
 
Look at it this way...
The doorbell on your front door always stays lit up, and its transformer always has current going to it. Should you be concerned?
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
SS is best when it is left on 24/7, the designer knows this, hence the lack of a power switch.
dhcod
710 posts
 
I keep everything that doesn't have a tube on all the time, including the power supply for my turntable. I notice that when I turn things off for vacation, it takes a day or two for thing to go back to sounding their best.
pbnaudio's avatar
pbnaudio
1,614 posts
 
A Solid State phono preamp sounds far better when left on all the time. On our Liberty B2B-1 I decided to put a power switch on the back of the unit should one decide to turn it off between listening sessions, it draws only about 25W when powered up. I recommend leaving it on 24/7 for best sound quality.

On our BIG Olympia Preamplifiers and Phono Stages there is no power switch they are designed to be left on 24/7.

In my own system I leave the front end's on 24/7 while turning of the power amps when not in use.

My favorite story on this subject was a gentleman from the San Francisco area whom bought a set of our Whitney amplifiers sometime in the late 90's. In 2008/9 he was visiting someone down here in San Diego and asked if he could bring them by for a check up. He brought them by on a Saturday and I gave them a check over and they measured / performed like the day they left our shop. The guy had never turned off these amps in 12 + years other than the occasional power outage.

Good Listening

Peter
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