[dan_can]

Hi,

The title says it all. Thanks in advance.

Daniel

 

[nanahachi]

This won't be that helpful, sadly, but it might depend on the amp/design/manufacturer? honestly i don't know.

However, my SS poweramp (by SimAudio) is supposed to be left on 24/7.

 

[fewtch]

Unless it's battery powered... yes, I think it would be better to leave it on 24/7. Probably won't make a huge difference in either product life or SQ tho, but probably noticeable.

 

[chrisfromalbany]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nanahachi This won't be that helpful, sadly, but it might depend on the amp/design/manufacturer? honestly i don't know. However, my SS poweramp (by SimAudio) is supposed to be left on 24/7.

I think I could count on my hand the number of times I have seen a "i don't know". I don't know either. lol..

 

[Jahn]

My Solo was left on all year, no problems. But the STAX runs in class A and gets SUPER hot so I keep it turned off when not in use - and when it's in use i put a fan on it!

 

[jpelg]

I leave most of my SS stuff on 24/7. But some Class A (and A/B) gear runs really, really hot. I would turn that type off when not in continuous use, especially if it is near other stuff.

 

[allenf]

If it is SS and it gets warm I would leave it on 24/7, thermal cycling and all that.

 

[Teerawit]

I don't see a problem leaving it on 24/7.

My class A amp does get quite warm, but I could just turn on a fan near it. Or in this weather, leave the heater off

 

[jefemeister]

I don't turn anything off unless I'm going on vacation for more than a weekend. Even if I had a higher-power class A amp, I would probably leave it on--that's just part of the cost of ownership IMO.

 

[raisin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teerawit I don't see a problem leaving it on 24/7. My class A amp does get quite warm, but I could just turn on a fan near it. Or in this weather, leave the heater off

My raptor does a good job of heating my media room!

As that is definate feline bait, it is only on at night, under supervision.

 

[Publius]

If it runs hot, I'd turn it off. The rule of thumb for semiconductor lifetime vs heat is that if the chip runs 10 degrees hotter, it will last HALF as long. I don't know the boundaries for this rule, but given how hot the air-cooled case on my dynalo gets, I'd definitely guess the transistors are aging several times faster than if they were turned off.

Electrolytic capacitor lifespan is also very heavily related to the RMS current running through them, so if they're at all involved in a class A amp, eg power supply, then after some point of constant use they will be worn more than the wear that comes from powerup/powerdown. I don't remember the exact relationship, but I do believe the MTBF for them is somewhere in the mid decades if they're never used.

Off the cuff (and I know little about the exact mechanisms involved): if the amp runs hot, or even warm, leave it off.

 

[allenf]

When I did my electronics apprenticeship (with the UK military over 20 years ago) I was taught that, providing a (SS) component is operating within it's rated power/current/voltage/temperature range, that component failure is less likely if thermal cycling/voltage spiking is minimised: ie, leave it switched on.
Classically, component reliability shows a bathtub curve (x=time,y=probability of failure) over the lifetime of a component. Components typically fail at switch-on or switch-off.
As an aside, when we were preparing components or units for fitting we would run a soak-test;ie run the component or unit at it's maximum rated output for a period of x...if it survived that, and after a cool-off and restart tested the same (within expected measurement tolerances) as pre-soak then it was a good 'un.

 

[JefferyK]

Quote:

Originally Posted by allenf When I did my electronics apprenticeship (with the UK military over 20 years ago) I was taught that, providing a (SS) component is operating within it's rated power/current/voltage/temperature range, that component failure is less likely if thermal cycling/voltage spiking is minimised: ie, leave it switched on. Classically, component reliability shows a bathtub curve (x=time,y=probability of failure) over the lifetime of a component. Components typically fail at switch-on or switch-off. As an aside, when we were preparing components or units for fitting we would run a soak-test;ie run the component or unit at it's maximum rated output for a period of x...if it survived that, and after a cool-off and restart tested the same (within expected measurement tolerances) as pre-soak then it was a good 'un.

Interesting.

What about stand-by mode? Does switching from stand-by mode to full power cause a spike? Is that a dumb question? Probably.

I have my CDP, preamp, and amp set up to go into stand-by mode with one click of the remote. I've heard using stand-by mode is better than turning off the components.

Jeffery

 

[allenf]

It'll keep the LEDs powered up I guess

I always thought that TVs have a standby mode so you don't have to bend down to switch 'em back on..!
That's an interesting question...if it was the case just so you could turn them back on with the remote, then the grunty "warm" circuits would probably be switched off in standby...YMMV.

 

[rickcr42]

Yes........no..........maybe.........

Solid state gear actually has a "warm up" period just like vacuum tube gear so will usually sound better 1/2 in than it does when you first fire it up.There are also some passive parts (BG caps for one) that hate having a "juice/no juice" condition and having your gear off for a week is like breaking it in all over again when you turn in on.Then there is the turn on heat up/turn off cool down stress that some think has an effect on part failures (I have no idea on this,just tossing it out).So the above would say "leave it on full time".

Exceptions ? Pure Class-A gear !
Because this topology runs full out all the time and is generating heat up to the limits of the device the parts have a real "finite" life span.Even turning these devices on and off means around 10-15 years (a lifetime for some,blink of an eye for others

) so full time duty can not do anything but lessen the lifespan (and raise electrical bills).

My usual way is to leave all low level solid state devices on full time and anything that generates appreciable heat,that is hot enough to be uncomfortable sitting next to in the summer or have your hand on for any length of time,off between listening sessions.This gear also takes the longest to warm up so I give it from 15 minutes to 1/2 hour before listening after the "on" switch is hit.
BTW-anything that has a memory chip inside is always on all the time but in a kinda "sleep" mode.that is why you have to actually yank the power cord from the wall to reset the electronics.CD players,DVD player/recorders,computers,video monitors,VCRs,etc.