Tube gear usually takes about an hour or so to warm up and sound it's best. Soild State can take 4-12 hours to warm up to sounding it's best, which is why many who own SS gear leave it powered up 24/7.
In your own experience at what point (# of hours playing) do you get maximum sound quality from your tube gear? Does the sound also deteriorate after several hours?
I have come to agree with Elizabeth, I leave my ss amp and tube pre/phono on 24/7 for best sound. Most of my tubes have lasted for years with no problems and the pay-off is a consistently good sound.
It's common in all higher end gear, and some can take quite a bit longer. Had a McIntosh C2300 tube preamp that took over 3 hours to really sound right. Some folks will leave their stuff on 24/7. Transistors are usually a bit faster to warm up, but not always. I've heard stories about early Krell amps that needed 4 or 5 hours of warm-up.
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