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Earth Day, turn those amps OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Earth Day, turn those amps OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've said it before, I'll say it again, it is Environmentally IRRESPONSIBLE to leave your equipment on for long periods of time, before or after, or truly despicable, ON all the time!

On, 20 mins, listen, done, off!

Doctors, Lawyers, Trust Fund Kiddos, come on now.

Where were you in 1970?, I was there in Manhattan (went to college at Pratt in Brooklyn 1966-1970)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_Day

 

 

elliottbnewcombjr
frogman
7,596 posts
 

I haven’t read but the first couple and last page of responses, and I certainly don’t have full knowledge of the OP’s overall habits as concerns environmental concerns.  But, and jus’ sayin’, my experience has been that, almost without exception, I have found that I can always find ways to express my concerns about the environment that elude even the most “environment conscious”.  Like I always tell my kids, it’s all about balance.

nubiann
97 posts
 

I have vintage second system which at its heart has a Roksan Platinum PR15B & ST1308 Pre and Power. If it were not for the Auto Signal Sensing system where it powers into low state until a signal is detected, it would cost me around £180GBP per year to leave idling, in reality it costs me about £30GBP.

However, I never leave my main system EAR Yoshino 912 all tube/transformer driven Pre Amp on, it has some natural designed in functions that make it inherently a soft start system and neither do I leave my Tube Power amp powered on either fully or standby. Tube life and component heat stress is a far more important factor for me and more than out weighs any unconvincing benefits sonically of keeping everything in a fully powered on state. It has a relay bypassed soft start system too.

Typically my pre amp reaches optimum 15-20 minutes after switch on, the same goes for my power amp. I use the REL’s standby system which works well and I have heard it helps modestly to preserve their amplifiers in the same way as the auto low power state for the Roksan Pre & Power in set up 2.

So when I want to listen to my main system. I switch the system on 20 mins before I start listening usually with low level signal playing from the streamer.

I leave the power supply to the Lumin X1 powered on which is again in the region of £30GBP per year.

So I feel I have struck a reasonable balance of system preservation and reaching sonic sonic stability and optimum performance states, without taxing my system from cold and having to wait too long.

nubiann
97 posts
 

Treat your system as an electrical installation to be managed, not just equipment to be used and it will keep you safe. Remember that audio equipment is subject to rigorous safety testing but it is NOT assumed to be in continuous use Fridges/Freezers et al are designed to operate continuously but even these are NOT without risk Just that they undergo comprehensive endurance testing to risk manage failure probability.
 
My system in the UK has a type 2 surge protection system on the main distribution cabinet. I fuse my individual equipment via UK type 3 pin plugs at 5A Tube Pre /5A Tube Power/ 5A Lumin X1 PSU/ 3A Mober TT PSU/Speed Controller/ 3A ifi Optical Converter PSU. I juice the power amp directly to the wall socket as well as the iFi PSU the rest is powered via a Tacima 6 way surge /RF protector. My REL'S are powered directly from mains sockets the plugs are fitted with 5A fuses.
 
My regime is Tube Pre and Tube powered off unless being listened to warm up time 20 mins same as REL's. I use streamed music in my warm up.  The Lumin X1 PSU continually powered, although I am considering the off switch for the Lumin X1 PSU also. Optical Fibre converter Always on. Everything else is off unless used. Once warmed up the system sounds fantastic an well worth the wait.
 
In my opinion no Tube electronics should remain on unattended. there are only marginal gains if at all from leaving a system powered on as opposed to allowing it to warm up when powered up. There are definite disadvantages in reduced component life spans an tube life for Vacuum tube systems and questionable advantages to for solid state amps streamers/DAC's etc. over warm period from cold.
 
Each to his/her own I guess but weighing up the pros and cons including safety for continual powering devices that were not really designed to be continually powered I am in the switch it off camp.
devinplombier
1,667 posts
 

What are the differences in the electronics (PCBs and components) of devices that are designed to be continually powered vs. those that aren't?

 

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