Tube warm up time?

polkatese
polkatese Posts: 6,767
edited February 2004 in Electronics
Folks,
My modded Philips CDP change its sound quality after it gets warm (and I do mean waarm, bordering on very warm to the touch) for the better (rather quite significantly, especially the bottom and the top end) I am not concern about the heat itself (not now anyway, initially I did) My question is, do any of you, tubeys owners, let their gears on at all times as opposed to preheat them? Is there any downside of letting it on for extended time (overnight)? curious what the best treatment for these bulbs..

cheers...
I am sorry, I have no opinion on the matter. I am sure you do. So, don't mind me, I just want to talk audio and pie.
Post edited by polkatese on
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,986
    edited February 2004
    I don't leave any turned on ALL the time, but if I'm headed to the cave, I usually go in and flip my preamp and cdp on - and get my listen on after a few minutes.

    It's hard to say, but on the Golden Audio pre and Scott Nixon cdp - they seem to sound better after they have been on 20 min or so.

    Cheers,
    Russ
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited February 2004
    Ditto... warm up time with the duty, i.e., amps longer than pre's, or in your case a CDP. Most of the time it's a matter of coming up to temperature.

    Unlike SS gear, tubes are better shutdown when not in use as they have a more limited life, and the clock is running even as they idle.
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • polkatese
    polkatese Posts: 6,767
    edited February 2004
    thanks guys! this winter, it seems that my living room temperature has been hovering in the low 60's, especially in the morning. So that might explained it too....
    I am sorry, I have no opinion on the matter. I am sure you do. So, don't mind me, I just want to talk audio and pie.
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  • HBombToo
    HBombToo Posts: 5,256
    edited February 2004
    I'm not sure I buy the turn tubes off notion for extending life.

    My Modulus pre that runs 6dj8's and after finding the 2 that matched the best they have been on since ~November. They are still hummen along with no sweat but I also notice they sound much better after about 10 minutes of play time as Tour suggested even though I never shut it down.

    HBomb
    ***WAREMTAE***
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited February 2004
    lol...
    Polka,
    I can remember visiting my daughter in San Diego. Her apartment had "central " heat... as in one intake and outlet register right in the middle of the place.

    Henry,
    I've always heard what I posted on tubes, but never have read anything authoritative on the subject.

    Curious to see what other tube-heads 'round here may say...
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • HBombToo
    HBombToo Posts: 5,256
    edited February 2004
    It was my experience at Litton EDD that large temp swings(Expansion/Contraction) could cause the glass envelope to lose the vacuum.

    Part of the Mil standards call out testing for -50C to 100C or something close to that to ensure a sound envelope. I can't recall all the details(long time ago) but I hated going through goveernment qualifications.

    HBomb
    ***WAREMTAE***
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  • polkatese
    polkatese Posts: 6,767
    edited February 2004
    Tour, are you heading this way anytime soon? It has been raining a lot lately...plenty of snow in the mountain
    I am sorry, I have no opinion on the matter. I am sure you do. So, don't mind me, I just want to talk audio and pie.
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited February 2004
    No near term plans west of Vegas. The kid is now out of the Navy and in the DC area.

    But I'll get to SD later on someday... like it too much not to visit again. Another few rides on the Giant Dipper... more Pizza Port beer and pizza (duh)...
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,755
    edited February 2004
    Takes my tubes 30 minutes to warm up and man, what a difference. I agree, shut them off when not in use.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,092
    edited February 2004
    On the PV7 preamp, it takes about 10 mins or so for it to warm up and it is a noticeable difference, I always shut my gear down when done with it.

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,986
    edited February 2004
    Guys, don't be 'scared' to run your tube gear. Chances are on preamps, cdps, dacs, phono stages, etc the only time you will change your tubes, is when you want to, not because you need to.

    Take a common series 1,2,3 in increasing gain / voltage - 12AU7, 12AT7, 12AX7

    Avg life, somewhere in the neighborhood of 8-10,000 hrs. Lets say you listen to your rig for 2hrs EVERY SINGLE day, for 10 years. You'd be knocking on the door of 7300 hours.

    Same goes for power amps, now some big driver tubes will have shorter spans, and can vary depending on how hard they are working throughout their life - but you are still looking at THOUSANDS of hours of use.

    Henry, I'm REALLY starting to become a fan of the 6DJ8's. Come to find out today that my Golden Tube Audio SEP-1 isn't technically a preamp, its *really* a small Single-Ended dual-triode amplifier. So, in reality, I have an amp, driving an amp.

    Cheers,
    Russ
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • organ
    organ Posts: 4,969
    edited February 2004
    Don't leave your tube gear running all the time. If something goes bad, you'll hear it. If you're not there, it could damage components and other parts on the circuit board.

    I agree with everyone else regarding the warm up time. Mine takes about 30 mins but the pre needs less time to make the electrons run happily across the grid.

    Maurice
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  • gidrah
    gidrah Posts: 3,049
    edited February 2004
    My amp needs about 20-30 minutes. My preamp needs a couple of hours if it hasn't been used in awhile. I usually put a CD on repeat with the volume turned fairly low. I don't listen to this rig as much as I'd like to so I usually leave it powered down. If it's on and I know I'll be listening to it again within 10-12 hrs, I'll leave it on.
    Make it Funky! :)
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  • dbnh
    dbnh Posts: 194
    edited February 2004
    I run a Jolida JD-100 cdp, I usually put on a cd to let the tubes warmup for about 15-20 minutes before I do any serious listening. I also add that my tube rolling has shown that the Sylvania Gold Label 5751 triple mica blackplates are all they are supposed to be (check out Joe's Tube lore re: 12AX7s and 5751s).
    My system

    A-Gon Feedback; Head-Fi Feedback; ebay Feedback
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