I run Hegel amps and wondered the same thing after reading so many different opinions. Questioned Hegel directly and was told to turn the amps off when not in use. They said leaving them on only shortens the life of electrical equipment. I listen to music every evening and turn the system on about two hours in advance.
Leaving my amplifier on ok?
Would it be ok to leave my amplifier on all the time if I want to extend the reliability of the amp? Many amplifiers ar Class A, high current bias and tubes might be a problem if energy consumption is a factor. Not to mention Excessive heat from bias operation. Is it possible to extend the life of the amp with leaving it on all the time?
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@pmm +1! If Class AB they can run 24/7. Power supply caps will stay warm and nicely formed. Class A amps that run hot should be turned off when unused. |
In the old days caps were not nearly as reliable as they are now, so frequent on/off surge cycles were bad. They are much better now and it's no longer worth keeping an amp on all day, due to the other aging factors. Some Class D amps (IcePower especially) from being left on for 2 days or longer before listening, but thanks to the efficiency it's not nearly as taxing on your budget or the planet. And no, no Class A amp should be left on continuously. |
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