[drewski]

OOPS... just noticed I basically said the same thing as evilcthul. Not sure why I missed that post considering it's the first response! Sorry about that!

 

[ablaze]

thanks drewski! okok..i'm frantically searching for cheap sources for the EMP now

 

[evilcthul]

Well the explanation for the turning on of tubes shortening their working life is related to the inrush current that the heaters and filament are exposed to. This split second current normally stresses the tube a lot more than its designed for but only a split second. I also read somewhere that when the filament or heaters are cold, they are more resistive to the current and thus more likely to break but don't quote me on that.

So yes, repeatedly turning on/off your tube will significantly shorten its life akin to a lightbulb. Leaving may or may not shorten its life depending on how much damage the turning off/on of the unit does (I have no idea.) However, tube gear does consume quite a bit of power especially the power amps but your headphone amp isn't too bad. So based on this, leaving it on 24/7 is up to you but I suggest if you're not listening to it for 24 hours or a couple of days you should turn it off. Also, it would be a safety hazard to leave it on for days on end unattended.

 

[Freddy]

If I recall correctly, the person from whom I purchased my earmax pro suggested leaving it on all the time. However, because of my schedule (school during the week) I don't leave it on all the time. Instead, its only on during the evenings or weekends, when I intend to listen to it for a while. Hope this helps!

 

[ablaze]

thanks to you too Freddy

btw, guys, where's the cheapest place to get the EMP?

 

[Andrew Pielet]

I suggest to NOT touch your tubes. The oil off your fingers will shorten the life, and you have a chance of something worse happening (like a halogen bulb). I don't have the EMP, but I do have tube monos. First, they have a standby and on/off mode. When I get home from work, I turn the amps on, the standby stays on till they are warmed up, 10 minutes. Then I take it off standby. If I leave the house, I turn the standby on. I turn it all off when I go to sleep. On the weekend, I have it on morning to night, and give it a break over night. the thing is, my standby draws 0 current. The only thing I am afraid of is leaving the whole thing on poised to play, and having a blackout. (Quite common in Chicagoland.) Then I will cry.

 

[Kevin P]

Quote:

I suggest to NOT touch your tubes. The oil off your fingers will shorten the life, and you have a chance of something worse happening (like a halogen bulb).

Tubes don't get hot enough for the oil to affect them. It's still a good idea to use a cloth when handling tubes, so the writing doesn't rub off, and a clean tube at least looks better, even if it doesn't sound better. Quote:

The only thing I am afraid of is leaving the whole thing on poised to play, and having a blackout. (Quite common in Chicagoland.) Then I will cry.

That shouldn't be a problem, as long as there isn't a surge accompanying the blackout. Even then, tubes are more resiliant to surges than solid-state equipment.

KJP