Does system warm up REALLY make a difference?

From my experience YES!
Pre-amp goes into standby 1 hour before I turn it and the amps on. I tend to play something (complicated) to warm up the system at low volumes. After about 45 mins or so things start to open up.


sean

 

Absolutely! Allow system to warm up for at least 45 min to an hour before you play any music. You'll be glad you did. Makes a big difference.

 

I leave my system on 24/7. (Solid state, obviously.)

I unplug it when going on holiday, or if a lightning storm threatens. That's it.

 

Absolutely. I've also noticed improvements in the sound after playing a side of an LP. Seems that the cartridge also needs a warm-up (probably "exercising" the suspension).

 

If my ears couldn't hear the difference, I wouldn't be posting...

I warm up the electronics and hear a big shift in sound quality at about 30 minutes or so. Usually have to play a side or so before the TT cantilever loosens up as well.

 

I've never heard any difference. But circuits do change their behavior with temperature, and my background in video engineering can certainly attest to this impact at much much higher frequencies. So yes, there could certainly be measurable changes, though audible? I remain skeptical. However out of principle, I tend to let me components warm up if I think of it. But I don't fret over it, it's not like I'm going to refuse to listen for 30 minutes until I'm satisfied everything is warmed up. That seems silly.

 

I must say most definitely. My SS power amp stays on 24/7, while my pre-amp stays in standby. First thing that I do when I arrive home from work is
power on my CD player & DAC, and give them at least 30 min. to warm up before casual listening, longer for a serious sit-down. I power down the later
two before retiring for the night.

 

Tube integrated amp here. Warm up time seems like about 30 mins, at least to my ears.

 

Warm up? I walk into my friends house through the back kitchen door, and while I'm taking off my shoes I can tell if his kit was just turned on or if he had been running it for several hours. It's not that my ears are "golden" or so good, or anything, it's just completely audible (from the kitchen). He runs Atma-Sphere OTL M-60's through a pair of Classic Audio Reproduction T-3's horns in the living/listening room and when that system is warmed up thoroughly, it sounds warn and beautiful, and alive, like live music. And when it's cold it sounds thin and edgy, no doubt about it! I could bet on it (never been wrong in almost 7 years) and never loose money, try me! When I mention it to my buddy, as I walk in, he just laughs and acknowledges that yes, I'm right again!

 

Mine sounds better warmed up too. Can't leave it on all the time. My girlfriend likes to think she is environmentally friendly. I get home and turn it on instantly and start playing music. Doesn't matter. I'm normally doing other things for the first 30 minutes when I get home (putting away groceries, cleaning up, looking on here, etc.)

 

Isn't "Morrison Hotel" a single-disk album?

 

I notice a difference in my system after about an hour. But I run tube amps and I wonder if the warm up of the vacuum tubes and components is as important as the demagging of the output transformers.

 

Yeah I believe some gear need warm up. Had not plugged in my system for some days now and just came back from work and had to listen to The Doors Strange Days which is their best by the way, just so you know. Sibilance-Town. I really hope it is warm up related and not cartridge VTA VTF alignment related.

 

I'm not the OP, but I believe there is a 45 RPM audiophile reissue that is spread onto two LPs.

 

In my case, absolutely. I leave my CDP and my room correction on 24/7. I turn on my amplifiers (tube pre, SS power) as soon as I know I am going to be doing serious listening. Ideally for a few hours. There is a very large difference in SQ when the preamp tubes are running really hot.

 

SS amps - pretty convinced they sound better after being left on hours +. Ones I've used anyway.

Tube - seems to level off after around 30 mins.

 

My Flat Temp is very cold this time of the year(UK) 11-12ºC Morning and Night(until heating has been on for at least 1hr) avg Temp is between 15-17ºC during these horrible dark gloomy UK months.. I switch my Amplifier and CD Player on 1st thing everyday and it stays on till 2-3am everyday..only getting about 4hrs down time.. and I swear I noticed a difference with TT when its had a bit of use compared to from cold.. which just sounded harsh/cold?

atb

 

I suspect the cold room is affecting the suspension on your cartridge more than anything else. Although I do believe components need a bit of warm up to sound their best, I know mine do.

 

My valve amp takes about 45 minutes to loose its thin, constricted and edgy character. After that its huge soundstage starts to bloom, the bottom end fills out, and the trebles start sounding like liquid gold.

I don't notice the effect anywhere near as much with my SS amps.

 

I think we finally have a topic that most everyone agrees on.

 

Interesting. I'm mostly a tube guy, so I didn't know that SS benefits from a warm-up too.

 

IME, SS gear takes about an hour to stabilize, 30 minutes from 'Standby' while tube gear takes about 30-45 min, only slightly less from 'Standby'. There is no hard and fast rule for speakers because there is so much variety but simple xovers and compression drivers/horns take less time than complex xovers and 15" drivers and room temperature and humidity will definitely have a noticeable effect - especially on the larger drivers.

I power everything up and play a CD or something through the NAS ('random' is always fun) while I clean records or do some chores around the listening room. I'll work through an album or 45 minutes of music before I sit down for some serious listening but often, I can actually hear the bottom end tighten up and the image 'pop' into focus. Once stabilized, the sound doesn't seem to improve any further.

 

Which album?

 

My system takes several hours to be at most of it's potential. If I really want it to be great, I let it run all day. If you have a separate preamp, try running that at extra high volume (with amp off!) for 2 days and then see what that does. Just don't forget and turn the amp on with volume up on amp!

 

I like to give the tube amp 30 minutes. The ss stuff is pretty much left on 24/7. If I forget I'm not going to sweat it.