2. amps-preamps
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"Off" vs. "Standby" and tube life

Hi everyone. I currently have a tubed cd player and a solid state integrated. I want to turn my cd player off when I am not using it to prolong tube life but my integrated sounds much better when left on 24/7. Here's my question - my integrated has a standby switch. When I am powering off my system, can I put the amp into standby and then turn my CD player off. I know I am supposed to power down the amp before powering down the source but does putting it into standby qualify?

I realize that there are differing opinions on whether leaving a tubed piece on all the time is better than turning it off and on but that aside I'm interested in learning more about "standby" vs. "off"

Thanks in advance.
tooter
tooter OP
85 posts
 
Thanks everyone.
scifi's avatar
scifi
67 posts
 
I am not debating the merits of turning off tubed gear, but in conversation with Jud Barber of Joule Electra, he stated that many of his customers leave their Joule preamps on all of the time. In fact, he informed me that this was a perfectly acceptable practice with his gear and that the tubes should last 6-8 years following this routine.

There certainly have been some compelling reasons as to why this might be a dangerous or counterproductive practice but thought that I would relate another viewpoint that has been expressed from a well respected designer of tubed gear.

FYI, he did not say to follow the same routine with his amps however.

Scifi
snook2's avatar
snook2
626 posts
 
How's that for concrete anaysis. I had many of the best tube amps over the last 12 years and had an over abundance of tube failure. Probably 6-8 times per year!Some very dramatic with capacitors going as well. Most manufacturers always complain that its a bad lot of tubes and not their designs. The supposed best tubes are at a high cost especially matched. I went back to SS for these reasons.
clio09
3,354 posts
 
I have a Joule Electra LA-100 MkIII and have left it on 24 x 7 the last couple of weeks while breaking in a new amp. In light of what Jud Barber says it will now most likely stay on, with the exception of extended time away from home.

On the other hand I would have never left my Cary V12i on all the time. I just never felt safe with the idea and could understand why Jud Barber does not recommend this practice with Joule amps.
marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
Snook2 It's not a brainer to create a tube amp trouble-free i.e. if a tube goes bad nothing else goes bad(maybe B+ fuse) but along with that I would still be cautious leaving a tube equipment 24/7 even if the manufacturer is 100% sure.
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