[peanuthead]

Sorry for my noobness, but how do you guys warm up your tube amps for a serious listening session? Is it enough to just turn it on for 20-30 minutes, or do you have to have a heaphone plugged in and music playing? Thanks.

 

[Punnisher]

I turn on my millett for about 20 minutes. No music or anything, just letting it warm up.

 

[berzzzz]

Do you really need this kind of time, I would think a couple minutes would get the tubes warmed up?

 

[fatcat28037]

Turn it on and listen. You won't hear any difference if it warns up for 20 minutes. If you don't believe this run a test.

 

[Nick 214]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fatcat28037 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Turn it on and listen. You won't hear any differenceif it warns up for 20 minutes. If you don't believe this run a test.

I'm going to go ahead and disagree... If your room is cold enough, you'll hear a distinct "ting" as the tubes heat up...

 

[goorackerelite]

I would let the tubes warm up for about a minute, then listen seriously.
20 min is just too much in my books.

 

[olblueyez]

20 min to an hour.

 

[peanuthead]

Quote:

Originally Posted by olblueyez /img/forum/go_quote.gif 20 min to an hour.

Just the amp on or with music playing?

 

[Uncle Erik]

I'll turn it on for two or three minutes without any music playing. That's enough time for them to get up to temperature.

 

[rockbottom]

The light on the Melos normally changes color a while after switching on. I'd take that as a good indicator.

 

[BigTony]

There is no 'magical' formula, turn on and listen. My amp pings, creaks and moans for a minute or two, pretty much like i do when i wake up.

 

[krmathis]

Turn in on, then do something else for 20 minutes before I come back for a listen.

 

[xenithon]

I turn on all the gear about 15 minutes prior to listening - I find both sources (CDP's, DACs etc.) and amps benefit from this. Whether it is real or placebo... who knows?

Please note though it is not just the tubes we are talking about in an amp(also why I believe non-tube devices like SS amps and sources can benefit from warm up too). Transistors and other parts take time to come up to operating temperature and reach their design values; caps take time to recharge after being off for an extended period.

Here is a brief explanation from one Nelson Pass:

Most of these parts, MOSFET and Bipolar, increase their transconductance as they warm up a bit, and their junction drop Vgs or Vbe alters with temperature, so we always do our adjustments and evaluation after they have warmed up for an hour. Over that period of time you can measure very significant performance changes, not to mention any subjective perceptions

 

[RickEC]

My amp maker recommended 30 mins.

 

[Spareribs]

For my amp, I usually do not warm up. I just turn on and play. If I am using an RCA 6sn7 tube, I will let it warm up for at least 20 minutes since it seems to take time to get the right sound with my amp.