Leaving equipment on all the time

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Metalheaded, Oct 3, 2018.

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  1. Metalheaded

    Metalheaded Well-Known Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Corpus Christi
    So I've read stuff that says you're not supposed to leave your turntable, speakers, etc. powered up when not using them...how true is this?
    I know the components generate some heat just sitting there being on, but it doesn't get anything past just 'warm'. Mine doesn't, at least.

    I like the idea of leaving my stuff on. Not only would it be convenient, but the cool little lights on everything are neat and comforting. But if it indeed will eventually damage or shorten its life, then I'm not gonna do it.

    What say you?
     
  2. Warren Jarrett

    Warren Jarrett Audio Note (UK) dealer in SoCal/LA-OC In Memoriam

    Location:
    Fullerton, CA
    Leave all your solid state equipment on at all times, but not the turntable, not the CD player, and not tube equipment. Nothing that will keep a motor running or a tube on should be left on.

    The system will sound better, and many experts say the equipment will last longer, becaues turn-on rush is harder on electronic components that on-time.

    But, if I know I am not going to play any music for more than a month, well, then I turn it all off.
     
  3. David A.

    David A. Forum Resident

    Location:
    san jose, CA
    I leave things on standby that have that feature. My Dragon and turntable are turned OFF, which is the ONLY sensible thing to do with them. :)
     
  4. timind

    timind phorum rezident

    Unless your solid state amp is operating class A. I have a 30 watt SS integrated amp that gets extremely hot when left on overnight.
    Another factor is how often you listen. There are times when I don't have an opportunity to listen for a few days. I turn it all off on those occasions.
     
    Jim N., Archguy, SandAndGlass and 2 others like this.
  5. dkmonroe

    dkmonroe A completely self-taught idiot

    Location:
    Atlanta
    I've heard different takes on this over the years. In the 70's, the general line was that you should leave your system on all the time because it would sound better and you wouldn't wear it out by turning it off and on all the time. The counter to that was that the only thing you were wearing out on components would be the on/off switch, and that was a replaceable item. For myself, I turn stuff off when I'm not using it because my equipment does get warm and no matter how remote the possibility of a fire might be, I'm not taking chances. When we leave the house for an extended period of time. I actually run all over the house unplugging stuff because I'm terrified of the prospect of a fire. Plus I think leaving stuff on all the time wastes electricity. When I see unused electrical appliances on in the house, I see a pile of nickels and dimes just forming outside the window. :laugh:
     
  6. Colin M

    Colin M Forum Resident

    I bet you leave the fridge on.
     
    audiomixer, klockwerk and Metalheaded like this.
  7. dkmonroe

    dkmonroe A completely self-taught idiot

    Location:
    Atlanta
    Well, duh. I never said that my behavior was entirely logical.
     
    timztunz and Colin M like this.
  8. NettleBed

    NettleBed Forum Transient

    Location:
    new york city
    You mean leaving that stuff on all the time will give me an excuse to upgrade sooner?

    Sweet.
     
  9. bruce2

    bruce2 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Connecticut, USA
    Why not the CD player? I'm sure I have read on here that a CD player is one of the components that benefits the most from being left on.
     
  10. snowman872

    snowman872 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Wilcox, AZ
    +1 We all should be doing our part to conserve resources and help save the Earth. :agree:
     
    MattyF, lobo, Alexlotl and 6 others like this.
  11. NettleBed

    NettleBed Forum Transient

    Location:
    new york city
    The electric is free in my building!
     
    Limelakephoto likes this.
  12. Metalheaded

    Metalheaded Well-Known Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Corpus Christi
    Ok, so I can leave my speakers and 6-channel mixer on, but not the TT...although, my TT has nothing moving in it (motor, etc) when not in use...do some TTs constantly have something turning in them when powered up?

    Then there is the fact that it will use more electricity, that is true...my bill is high enough as it is, haha...
     
  13. Ironclaw

    Ironclaw Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    I tried leaving my SS amp on all day once and it radiated heat like a space heater. Plus, there’s a small chance of a fire.
     
    Archguy and snowman872 like this.
  14. enfield

    enfield Forum Resident

    Location:
    Essex UK
    My 1980's Sony amp starts buzzing if it on for more than about 6 hours continuously.:sigh:
     
    VinylSoul likes this.
  15. klockwerk

    klockwerk Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ohio USA
    I've been told that what kills solid state electronics is the heating and cooling from turning them on and off. Still I wouldn't leave tubes on.
     
  16. Doug Walton

    Doug Walton Forum Resident

    Location:
    United States
    When I asked them, Benchmark told me that I should not leave their SS gear on all the time - that it was not at all necessary. And I've heard nothing to suggest that they are wrong.
     
  17. Larry I

    Larry I Senior Member

    Location:
    Washington, D.C.
    With tube gear, the answer is simple, turn the stuff off when not in use. Tubes have a very limited working life, so any time they are on, whether playing music or not, they are being slowly used up. Yes, tube gear, like all gear, sounds better when warmed up, but, the good news with tube gear is that it warms up pretty quickly and sounds great after ten minutes or so.

    With solid state stuff, the answer is not quite as clear. Solid state gear, particularly amps, take much more time to fully warm up than tube gear so there is some reason to keep it on all the time. Also, the wear from keeping most solid state gear on all the time is not as severe as is the case with tube gear, unless heat is an issue. If the gear gets hot, it is not a great idea to keep it on all of the time. If you look at the specifications for any of the components in your gear, such as capacitors and resistors, their working life is specified by temperature--the higher the temperature, the shorter the expected life.

    Even with solid state gear that does not get excessively hot, keeping it on all the time runs some risk of bad things happening when you are not home or when it is just sitting idle. I certainly would not want the gear on when there are storms in the area and the risk of power surges, lightning strikes and power brownouts are high.

    Manufacturers of solid state gear have different things to say on this matter. The maker of my music server, Naim, recommends keeping it powered up all the time because of the extraordinarily long time it takes for the capacitors in the power supply to become fully charged and stable (about a whole day). I also keep the server on all the time because the times where I've encountered problems tend to be when I am trying to boot it up after shutdown.
     
    Alan2 and Metalheaded like this.
  18. John Schofield

    John Schofield There is no replacement for displacement

    Location:
    OH
    Yea, I love it when my significant other opens both French doors on the frig and basically walks away...

    I turn my stuff off. Have been doing it this way for > 40 years.
     
    basie-fan, timind and dkmonroe like this.
  19. old45s

    old45s MP3 FREE ZONE

    Location:
    SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
    I can't see the sense in it! Except maybe if you're constantly listening to FM radio on your Tuner/Amp.
     
  20. sound chaser

    sound chaser Senior Member

    Location:
    North East UK.
    I’m sure I’ve heard that being referred to as switching trauma.

    I’ve had my Meridian CD player, Bel Canto, Wyred4Sound amps, Cyrus Pre XVS on for the best part of the last 10 years, barring the odd power outage.
     
    F1nut likes this.
  21. arcamsono

    arcamsono Senior Member

    Location:
    MN
    Pre amp on,power amp off.
     
  22. Ironclaw

    Ironclaw Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    The cumulative power bill savings of turning them off could have bought at least one if not more components.
     
    basie-fan likes this.
  23. cdash99

    cdash99 Senior Member

    Location:
    Mass
    You mean it's not indirectly built into your rent?

    #economics101
     
  24. George P

    George P Notable Member

    Location:
    NYC
    So you need to take breaks if you listen to music all day?
     
  25. ayrehead

    ayrehead Forum Resident

    Location:
    Mid South
    I used to leave my gear on all the time but not any more. I try to turn it all on about 4 hours before listening.
     
    timind likes this.
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