Good time to insert headphone jack into amp?

[BirdRobin]

Hi guys,
Normally when you have headphones plugged into the amp, you on the amp there will be a pop sound. Mine is a hybrid tube, will it have any bad effects on the headphones? Or is it safer to on the amp 1st then plugging in the headphonez?

 

[tomb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BirdRobin /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi guys, Normally when you have headphones plugged into the amp, you on the amp there will be a pop sound. Mine is a hybrid tube, will it have any bad effects on the headphones? Or is it safer to on the amp 1st then plugging in the headphonez?

Depends on whether a delay is installed. Some Hybrids depend on coupling caps at the output. Some use an opamp, which can zero the DC if it's within reason. Unfortunately, both require time to settle before they can cancel out the DC. In the case of the coupling caps - perhaps as much as 10 seconds, which is typical for the Millett Hybrid.

To be safe under these scenarios, you should only plug-in your headphones after the amp has been turned on for 10-15 seconds. At the same time, you should always unplug before turning the amp off. A proper delay circuit removes the need for this practice, however.

 

[F107plus5]

Hmmmm.....maybe I need to add a master on/off swith to my switchbox I was thinking about on the other thread.

....or maybe just a "dead" switch position.

Needs more preliminary engineering.....back to the ol' drawing board.

 

[BirdRobin]

I do not know if my amp has a delay circuit or coupling caps at the outputs. So I think I will do what you suggested. Plug in after amp has been switched on for 10-15secs, remove before switching off amp.

More advice from others? Your own practices?

 

[BirdRobin]

it was actually your thread that made me post about this problem =) I dont have the practice of unplugging my headphones from the amp AT ALL. Seems like a good time to take more care of my phones. the K501s are not exactly in production right now............

 

[Hermitt]

My dared mp-5 has a delay built in, but I read somewhere on these forums that some tube amps should always have some sort of a load on them either via headphones or speakers when they are switched on. I just make sure the volume is turned all the way down when i switch it off.

 

[Hermitt]

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[rb67]

I always plug in my headphones after I turn it on and unplug them before I turn them off. (With the volume all the way down) Better safe than sorry.

 

[MaloS]

Common practices with tube guitar amplifiers (far easier to blow btw) that do not have a stand-by switch is to turn the volume all the way down before unplugging the guitar, as under this condition no current but noise flows. Same applies to any tube/hybrid amplifier.

Also, never unplugging your headphones is fine so long that you have a surge protector =] Turning your amp off once in a while is a good idea though, although with my hybrid I might as well keep it on for the day cause it does not work very well unless giving good 30 minutes of warm-up time. (Some problem is going on which internal protection picks up and prevents by cutting off the sound until the transient dissipates).

 

[Zorander]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BirdRobin /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi guys, Normally when you have headphones plugged into the amp, you on the amp there will be a pop sound. Mine is a hybrid tube, will it have any bad effects on the headphones? Or is it safer to on the amp 1st then plugging in the headphonez?

You might be interested to note that the Graham Slee Solo amp does not exhibit this 'popping phenomena'. Whatever phones I plug in, regardless of impedance or sensitivity, plug in cleanly with no audible 'pops'. I can confidently leave phones plugged in all the time or I can plug/unplug as often as I like with no worries either.

Cheers!

 

[cherepashka]

Several month of such plugin\unplugin' and headphone jack on the amp will be crap

 

[XENOPHOS]

you just can't win.....

 

[ClieOS]

After reading all the above, I am surprised no one mention this: As far as I care, the only good time to insert headphone jack into amp is before you put on your headphone. You can't be too careful since you can't replace your ear.

 

[iPatcH]

I never unplug my headphones... that solves everything.