Mr 9finger
Digitally Challenged
What kind of harm can you do to your amp by killing the power before letting it sit on stand by for a few minutes?
Just out of curiosity.....
- Thread starter Mr 9finger
- Start date
ratherdashing
Kablamminator
Re: Just out of curiosity.....
None at all. Pretty sure the standby cool-down thing is a myth.
You should always give a tube amp time to warm up when you first turn it on, but I don't know of any reason why you'd need to switch it off standby before powering it down.
None at all. Pretty sure the standby cool-down thing is a myth.
You should always give a tube amp time to warm up when you first turn it on, but I don't know of any reason why you'd need to switch it off standby before powering it down.
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: Just out of curiosity.....
RD is probably right. I usually flick the Standby, just to hear what I think is the current draining out of the filter capacitors, rather than an abrupt 'pop.'
RD is probably right. I usually flick the Standby, just to hear what I think is the current draining out of the filter capacitors, rather than an abrupt 'pop.'
hydro
Prayin' to Cheeses
Re: Just out of curiosity.....
I have heard that toggling the standby when the amp is powered off will help to drain the caps, don't know if that's true or not.
I have heard the advice (Mesa boogie manual states this) that you should power on and wait 30 seconds to go off standby, to avoid tube wear but I have not heard the other way round.
I have heard that toggling the standby when the amp is powered off will help to drain the caps, don't know if that's true or not.
I have heard the advice (Mesa boogie manual states this) that you should power on and wait 30 seconds to go off standby, to avoid tube wear but I have not heard the other way round.
MrTondo
New member
Re: Just out of curiosity.....
I have to think really hard for something when you shut it down it does damage to the system... maybe a nuclear power plant
.
This.
I have to think really hard for something when you shut it down it does damage to the system... maybe a nuclear power plant
.
crusty philtrum
Vintageologist
Re: Just out of curiosity.....
I leave my standby switches 'On' when switching an amp off, and then leave the standby 'On' while the amp is not being used. Thus, my switch on routine involves first turning the standby switch Off before turning the power on. That ensures all possible paths are open for discharging filter caps when the amp is not in use.
The average warm-up time for most tubes' filaments is about 11 seconds. However, it takes longer for the chasis and components to warm up, so some minor variations in sound can occur for the first few minutes as the entire amp warms up.
I leave my standby switches 'On' when switching an amp off, and then leave the standby 'On' while the amp is not being used. Thus, my switch on routine involves first turning the standby switch Off before turning the power on. That ensures all possible paths are open for discharging filter caps when the amp is not in use.
The average warm-up time for most tubes' filaments is about 11 seconds. However, it takes longer for the chasis and components to warm up, so some minor variations in sound can occur for the first few minutes as the entire amp warms up.
Mr 9finger
Digitally Challenged
Re: Just out of curiosity.....
OK...done a ton of reading on this last night. As you'd expect, opinions are all over the place on this topic. The only thing I read is that in some amps, killing the power directly without flipping it on standby for a brief amount of time can possibly cause cathode stripping in some amps. As you guessed it, can be pretty hard on your tubes depending on how much power is left in the tranny when you flip the switch off. Basic recommendation I read was to either flip it in standby for a few seconds or flip it in standby and strum your guitar until you hear the sound completely die out. If it saves me a little tube life, a few seconds isn't going to bother me any.
Now something I didn't know but learned last night is leaving your amp on standby overnight is BAD. That can cause cathode poisoning and apparently Mesa's are really bad about it. I don't fully understand how tube amps work just yet, but leaving enough current on the tubes w/out running high voltage through them can somehow change the inside of the tube to a degree that when you put high current through the tubes, it changes the way they respond. I've done this a couple times and you can definitely tell a difference in the amp's tone. It goes back to normal after a little bit, but not something I'd want to go through a lot.
OK...done a ton of reading on this last night. As you'd expect, opinions are all over the place on this topic. The only thing I read is that in some amps, killing the power directly without flipping it on standby for a brief amount of time can possibly cause cathode stripping in some amps. As you guessed it, can be pretty hard on your tubes depending on how much power is left in the tranny when you flip the switch off. Basic recommendation I read was to either flip it in standby for a few seconds or flip it in standby and strum your guitar until you hear the sound completely die out. If it saves me a little tube life, a few seconds isn't going to bother me any.
Now something I didn't know but learned last night is leaving your amp on standby overnight is BAD. That can cause cathode poisoning and apparently Mesa's are really bad about it. I don't fully understand how tube amps work just yet, but leaving enough current on the tubes w/out running high voltage through them can somehow change the inside of the tube to a degree that when you put high current through the tubes, it changes the way they respond. I've done this a couple times and you can definitely tell a difference in the amp's tone. It goes back to normal after a little bit, but not something I'd want to go through a lot.
guitfiddle
firstlessonologist
Re: Just out of curiosity.....
The only reason I've heard for going to standby before powering off that made sense is so when you power up next time, you can't forget to put standby on, as it already is.
The only reason I've heard for going to standby before powering off that made sense is so when you power up next time, you can't forget to put standby on, as it already is.
vinta9e
New member
ratherdashing
Kablamminator
ratherdashing
Kablamminator
Re: Just out of curiosity.....
No guitar amp has ever suffered "cathode stripping".
Unless somebody (unlikely on a factory amp) locates the bias supply after the sb switch, there are no worries.
On an amp with an SB Switch, I just leave it in the Off Position at all times.
best
No guitar amp has ever suffered "cathode stripping".
Unless somebody (unlikely on a factory amp) locates the bias supply after the sb switch, there are no worries.
On an amp with an SB Switch, I just leave it in the Off Position at all times.
best
