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.
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Showing 3 responses by marakanetz

marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
You'd better "Off"...

Don't ever live tubes on 24/7 or overnight. It realy doesn't matter if the tube will live longer or shorter it I guess matters to you more.

You can rely on circuit protection when the tube goes bad and you don't turn any tube component rightaway. If not you may set up your house on fire.
marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
Larryi,

A refrigerator is less affected to fires than tube equipment.
Its life span is approximately 20 years and seing and also repairing older ones that, I've seen no fire damage.
Tube equipment has high voltages that could fry circuit board as a piece of paper. If you want me to show proof I can post photos of a PC board hole of an amplifier turned on 24/7 where just one EL34 tube went bad...
A similar "holes" I've seen when I repaired TVs but never I saw SS amp to have this kind of damage unless it's been used as a commercial DJ amp.
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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