Guest
Rank: Quartet
Posts: 347
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Post by Guest on Apr 10, 2015 13:39:15 GMT
I have always been advised to leave my amp on at all times [costs 3pence per month in electricity]
I have also been told that the easiest way to break anything electrical is by turning it on and off too often.
Then in another forum, I was told this is poppycock and that leaving the amp on all the time wears out the capacitors.
So; who is right, come on Standarzi, [ the plural for several members of the Standard] settle the matter for me?
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Post by danielquinn on Apr 10, 2015 13:50:57 GMT
They are both right in different circumstances ,depending on the product . it will be depend upon the quality of the product and how close the electronics are run to their tolerances . It will also be dependent upon the function of the capacitor . I suspect the issue with on all the time will arise with poor quality power supply caps . thus any answer will be product dependent . My own monoblocks are left on and should not cause any problems and it should never need recapping according the man that made it, which is good enough for me  |
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Post by MartinT on Apr 10, 2015 14:22:54 GMT
It's going to be a matter of opinion, but I leave both my solid state preamp and power amp on all the time as it takes a good 30 mins for them to reach their best performance from cold. It costs pennies as their combined consumption is about 100W at idle.
P.S. I would never advocate leaving valve amps powered up no matter what the sound quality benefits.
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Post by pre65 on Apr 10, 2015 14:50:38 GMT
If I leave the house EVERYTHING possible is turned off.
My hi-fi is turned on to use, and turned off when finished. I have valve amps and everything else solid state. 
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Post by MartinT on Apr 10, 2015 14:57:47 GMT
Fridge? |
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Post by danielquinn on Apr 10, 2015 15:00:25 GMT
pre doesnt have a fridge , in keeping with his manliness as epitomized by being perilous close to unguarded 20,000 volts and near death all day and every day , he goes out a shoots his tea and cooks it over a fire in his garden |
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Post by pre65 on Apr 10, 2015 15:13:51 GMT
pre doesnt have a fridge , in keeping with his manliness as epitomized by being perilous close to unguarded 20,000 volts and near death all day and every day , he goes out a shoots his tea and cooks it over a fire in his garden Me Tarzan.  That made me laugh Daniel. And yes, there are certain things that are left on when I'm out. Like heating and fridge. I did say everything possible, not everything. |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Apr 10, 2015 16:34:46 GMT
I agree there are two considerations here. I'm told that transistors don't like being switched on and off, but then smoothing caps only have a certain shelf life in terms of hours use. some amps are more affected than others when it comes to capacitor lifespan. As I have just re-capped my Exposures, I Leave them on 24/7. It's not often I do this bit they sound better for it.
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Post by Chris on Apr 10, 2015 18:38:36 GMT
I asked Titus about this and he said woo woo then gave a low bark.
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Post by ChrisB on Apr 10, 2015 19:07:19 GMT
I asked Merlot about it and he said it doesn't matter, as long as he gets a raw egg on his dinner tonight. However, he does have very strong views on mains fuses.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Apr 10, 2015 19:28:08 GMT
I leave all of my Hifi on to be honest, certainly the Exposure's take a while to get up-to-speed when first turned on as does the CD Player.
The only piece of kit In my system I turn off when it's in regular use is my LP12 but that is more due to it being a lot more mechanical and I have always felt it can't be any good for it.
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Post by yomanze on Apr 16, 2015 8:39:19 GMT
My Krell KRC-3 preamp doesn't even have an on-off switch, it has a relay that clicks when unplugged.
My Audial Model S DAC I turn off on recommendation from the designer as everything in it runs in pure class A, but then, my Krell KRC-3 is a warm-running high bias Class A preamp...
Amp stays on as it is low quiescent current in idle, I definitely wouldn't leave a pure class A amp or tube amp on though!
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Bonky
Rank: Trio
Posts: 156 
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Post by Bonky on Apr 16, 2015 8:54:44 GMT
Slightly off-topic I know...
Last year I took my 'old' Sugden A21a to Sugden's for a service. I asked the headman (Patrick) about recapping. He laughed out loud and said, yes, he could do them, but it would be a complete waste of time and money. Capacitors were meant to swell and buckle a little under use; this recapping malarkey was exactly that.
I turn the Sugden off when not in use (unless I wish to heat that corner of the room) as it's Class A.
Richard
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Post by AlanS on Apr 16, 2015 9:06:49 GMT
So; who is right, come on Standarzi, [ the plural for several members of the Standard] settle the matter for me? What has happened to the Guest? 2 weeks away Is he replacing his ? |
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Post by MartinT on Apr 16, 2015 10:41:39 GMT
What has happened to the Guest? He seems to have gone the way of moth |
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Post by MartinT on Apr 16, 2015 10:45:16 GMT
My Krell KRC-3 preamp doesn't even have an on-off switch, it has a relay that clicks when unplugged. Nor does my Pass preamp. Capacitors were meant to swell and buckle a little under use; this recapping malarkey was exactly that. I'm not convinced about that at all. If I have any caps that start to blow their tops (you will notice cuts in the tops of many capacitor cans to guide the swelling along paths of weakness), then I will replace them. Swelling/buckling indicates that they have been run outside of their temperature/voltage/ripple design envelope. |
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Post by danielquinn on Apr 16, 2015 11:18:44 GMT
Slightly off-topic I know... Last year I took my 'old' Sugden A21a to Sugden's for a service. I asked the headman (Patrick) about recapping. He laughed out loud and said, yes, he could do them, but it would be a complete waste of time and money. Capacitors were meant to swell and buckle a little under use; this recapping malarkey was exactly that. I turn the Sugden off when not in use (unless I wish to heat that corner of the room) as it's Class A. Richard ignoring the swell and buckle bit , which may have been a bit of Yorkshire humor , what you have here is a manufacturer who is negating a revenue stream by telling the truth . It is not unique , but it unusual . recapping is a con to extract money from people by playing upon their neurosis. it is no coincidence that many of those middle age men seeking to make a living in the hifi industry after becoming fed up with whatever they were doing previously offer this as a service . |
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Post by zippy on Apr 16, 2015 11:32:48 GMT
I'd say unless your equipment manufacturer specifies, then do whichever suits you best.
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Post by MartinT on Apr 16, 2015 11:56:57 GMT
They won't specify because they want buyers to believe their equipment will last forever.
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Post by danielquinn on Apr 16, 2015 12:11:03 GMT
nobody would believe that , at least 25/30 years for a well specified amp with quality components not run with a small fraction of their tolerances is a different matter.
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