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Leave an amp "on" permanetly

I understand that tube amps need to warm up sufficently before they can reach their potential. Is this also true with SS amps? I own a McCormack DNA-1 deluxe, and I hear a discernable difference when listening to my system "cold" versus "warmed-up". Do you also find this to be true?

If so, would people recommend leaving a SS amp on permanently? Could I damage my amp by doing this?
drewyou
mcpody
73 posts
 
Mrtennis,

You seriously don't hear a difference in the sound when your tube amp is on for an hour, two hours, or more? Are you in the room listening to the system or out on the court?
jeffjarvis
257 posts
 
10 minutes.
That is all it takes for the components to warm up.
mitch4t's avatar
mitch4t
1,613 posts
 
You have to figure in the cost of electricity and the amount of heat the amp generates. When I first got my Pass Labs X-600 monoblocs, I was so exited about leaving them on 24/7 to make sure that I extract every ounce of sonic purity that they had to offer. After several months of markedly escalated electrical bills, I found out that after an hour or so that they certainly sounded good to me.

I live in Southern Calif and I work from home. The cost of keeping my place cool all day is enough in itself.... with the added cost of the big Pass amps on 24/7 adding additional heat and making the air conditioner work harder...it is unthinkable for me to leave them on 24/7.
jerrym303
54 posts
 
This was a consideration when I chose my amp. I really like the sound of class A, but the class A monoblocks I wanted to try drew 300 watts EACH 24/7. I went with an Edge amp (225x2) that only draws less then 100 watts. I think that it is clear that SS amps and all of our components sound better when warmed up for extended periods. I plan to use a passive preamp and a modded SB3 for my main source, so i won't be drawing much power when not in use. I can save a 150 watts per hour elsewhere. I do shut things down when leaving town, but use my system in some form most days.
fatparrot
1,314 posts
 
Some facts here:

1) If we really wanted to reduce carbon emissions, we would have been building and licensing Nukes for the past 25 years, just like the EU & Japan were doing.

2) Thomasedison, read the bio of that N.Y. Times reporter! A way leftist, to be sure...but hey, if the N.Y. Times says so, it must be true! Oh, if you use the "hibernate" function on Windows XP, be prepared for mondo future problems!

3) My tube equipment takes about 1 hour to warm up. Be careful about leaving your amp's plate voltage on if you're not around...bad things can happen when high voltage/high amperage go awry.

4) The Kyoto accord is the biggest farce ever written. It sounds great on face value, but the "devil's in the details", as some of the enlightened writers here know.
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