On or Off - On or Off - Audio Electronics


Leave out the topic of Tube Gear - Do you believe that your equipment should be left on all of the time or turned off and on when you use it.  Several pieces of my system do not give you front panel access to power to turn them off.  Interested in your thoughts on SS Amps and Pre-Amps, etc...

maam522a

I used to leave everything on unless I was going away for a week or more.  My electric bill has me turning it off if possible along with a lot of other equipment.  Crazy expensive now.  

Not sure if this is generally applicable, but as it turns out I emailed JRDG a week or two ago with this very question in respect to my 625 S2 amp, and Jeff Rowland himself wrote back saying:

There is a short warm-up time so just put the amp in standby with the front panel light off whenever you are not using the amp. Continue to disconnect when leaving for extended time which offers the best protection during thunderstorms, etc.”

Before having received that instruction, I had been leaving it fully on unless I was not going to be using it for more than 4 hours.  Now, even it’s gonna be just 20 minutes, standby it is.

I have actually posted this myself a while back. Everyone who was kind enough to reply was split 50/50 on leaving on/off. I have even checked with manufacturers of some of my gear and got 50/50-LOL!

My system does double duty as an HT. I am only in my room Friday through Sunday. I do not use the rig Mon-Thurs. So what I just started doing is powering everything off (except my Furman Elite 20PPFI and my LHY SW6) Sunday night when I go to bed. This includes my subs. If the piece has a hard switch I turn it off. Then Thursday night I flip everything back on but I don't play anything. First thing when I get up on Friday AM before work I let my streamer play, volume low, until I get home on Friday so system is nice and ready for the hardcore listening.

Not sure if this is good or bad for longevity, but it made no sense to leave everything on for 4 days with no use. Fortunately for me I have a second system that I use mostly for tv watching during the week. If I was using the system every day I'd probably leave everything on...All manufacturers I checked with about my gear, have said it doesn't hurt either way to leave on or off...

 

Hope this helps...

Having owned a Audio store , digital is left on for it is not high current per se ,but there are a few that have Mosfets that do consume , a bit of power.

To sound at their best ,digital needs a solid 24 hours to sound its best ,on average.

amp, preamp , only take 30 minutes or so to get up to temperature ,

I just shut off ,mine has a mild stand by when shut off a few watts keeping the circuit warm , which is a very good design ,like a standby . Any vacuum tube gear , shut off , or standby if available .