Tube life and good tones
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thespricket
New member
Re: Tube life and good tones
I only leave my amp on for about a minute, sometimes even less. I don't think it needs even 5 minutes to warm up. Not that what your doing is detrimental, I just don't think it's necessary. Well, as far as tone goes, tube amps tend to sound better once those tubes are cookin'. So I guess if you leave it on for a while it might sound a little sweeter than when they first get warmed up.
I only leave my amp on for about a minute, sometimes even less. I don't think it needs even 5 minutes to warm up. Not that what your doing is detrimental, I just don't think it's necessary. Well, as far as tone goes, tube amps tend to sound better once those tubes are cookin'. So I guess if you leave it on for a while it might sound a little sweeter than when they first get warmed up.
Red_Label
New member
Re: Tube life and good tones
With many tube amps, you're supposed to let 'em warm up for 5-10 minutes before playing. Supposedly, it's so that cold tubes don't get that sudden spike when you flip the Standby switch off. I always try to let my amps warm-up for that long, but sometimes have to make do with 5 minutes or so.
As far as your amp's tone getting better, that happens after the tubes really get warmed-up. And that happens after they've been played for a while. In fact, as a veteran of probably thousands of gigs over the past 24 years -- I can attest to the fact that my tube amps have REALLY started purring (or screaming) about the third set or so. They've been heated-up and stabilized by that point and they really sound great. But then again... most of the time my last band (of 13 years) really started playing the louder, more rock stuff as the night wore on, so it's possible that my perception is partially based on that fact. In other words, the amp being warmed-up made more of a difference as we played tunes that took advantage of that fact.
With many tube amps, you're supposed to let 'em warm up for 5-10 minutes before playing. Supposedly, it's so that cold tubes don't get that sudden spike when you flip the Standby switch off. I always try to let my amps warm-up for that long, but sometimes have to make do with 5 minutes or so.
As far as your amp's tone getting better, that happens after the tubes really get warmed-up. And that happens after they've been played for a while. In fact, as a veteran of probably thousands of gigs over the past 24 years -- I can attest to the fact that my tube amps have REALLY started purring (or screaming) about the third set or so. They've been heated-up and stabilized by that point and they really sound great. But then again... most of the time my last band (of 13 years) really started playing the louder, more rock stuff as the night wore on, so it's possible that my perception is partially based on that fact. In other words, the amp being warmed-up made more of a difference as we played tunes that took advantage of that fact.
The JEM Ghost
New member
Re: Tube life and good tones
It's wise to let your amp warm up in stand-by mode for at least a couple of minutes before you start playing it.
Your tubes will warm up this way, and you will get better, more lively tone compared to directly starting to play with cold tubes.
On top of it, it will prolongue your tube's life in most cases, since warming them up in stand-by will take them to the ideal operating temperature, although new-production tubes are said to have lesser problems with "cold-starts", I still think it's always a good thing to let the tubes warm up in stand-by a couple of minutes, you'll benefit from it.
It's wise to let your amp warm up in stand-by mode for at least a couple of minutes before you start playing it.
Your tubes will warm up this way, and you will get better, more lively tone compared to directly starting to play with cold tubes.
On top of it, it will prolongue your tube's life in most cases, since warming them up in stand-by will take them to the ideal operating temperature, although new-production tubes are said to have lesser problems with "cold-starts", I still think it's always a good thing to let the tubes warm up in stand-by a couple of minutes, you'll benefit from it.
marvar
New member
Re: Tube life and good tones
Well, the high voltage isn't hitting your tubes until you take it off standby- so I don't see all that much to be gained by warming the amp on standby for extended lengths. They are only gonna warm up to a certain temp on standby, but, will get much warmer after you take it off standby.
Most class A amps don't have a standby switch- and they generally run hotter by nature.
My tube amps do sound better after I've played them for at least 1/2 hour, then they kinda hit the sweet spot. (or, is it that our ears becoming used to it?)
Well, the high voltage isn't hitting your tubes until you take it off standby- so I don't see all that much to be gained by warming the amp on standby for extended lengths. They are only gonna warm up to a certain temp on standby, but, will get much warmer after you take it off standby.
Most class A amps don't have a standby switch- and they generally run hotter by nature.
My tube amps do sound better after I've played them for at least 1/2 hour, then they kinda hit the sweet spot. (or, is it that our ears becoming used to it?)
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PVFan
Fudgeitallologist
Re: Tube life and good tones
yeah I've wondered that too
...on those weekend days where my amp is on most of the day, and I take it off standby to play in between makin sandwiches or watching some wholesome entertainment on the internet or tv. Is it sounding better? Is it because it's been warmed up already? Or have my ears simply adjusted to the audacious rocking?
yeah I've wondered that too
...on those weekend days where my amp is on most of the day, and I take it off standby to play in between makin sandwiches or watching some wholesome entertainment on the internet or tv. Is it sounding better? Is it because it's been warmed up already? Or have my ears simply adjusted to the audacious rocking?
STRATDELUXER97
Stratoblaster Tone Meister
Re: Tube life and good tones
When your amp is on standby,your amp's tubes stay heated and it's only a little over 6 volts or so...It's just "heater" voltage...Wise to let an amp heatup for no less than a minute or so to save tube life...
When your amp is on standby,your amp's tubes stay heated and it's only a little over 6 volts or so...It's just "heater" voltage...Wise to let an amp heatup for no less than a minute or so to save tube life...
richard parker
New member
Re: Tube life and good tones
When I gig the first thing I do is get my amp switched on so it can start to warm up. I don't leave it on standby I just turn the volume to zero. Definitely helps the tone, no doubt about it.
When I gig the first thing I do is get my amp switched on so it can start to warm up. I don't leave it on standby I just turn the volume to zero. Definitely helps the tone, no doubt about it.
CTN
The Drama Dude
Re: Tube life and good tones
I just go with rule of thumb - follow the signal chain.
in the case of a tube head, power first, to get voltage into the amp. Pick up guitar, warm up exercises for a little bit, then standby on, then crank guitar volume.
When turning off, zero guitar volume, then standby off. Put guitar down, put picks down, swig of beer, and then turn power off.
tends to make the whole process a little less of an argumentation issue on what is "right" for a tube amp.
I just go with rule of thumb - follow the signal chain.
in the case of a tube head, power first, to get voltage into the amp. Pick up guitar, warm up exercises for a little bit, then standby on, then crank guitar volume.
When turning off, zero guitar volume, then standby off. Put guitar down, put picks down, swig of beer, and then turn power off.
tends to make the whole process a little less of an argumentation issue on what is "right" for a tube amp.
Brown Note
New member
Re: Tube life and good tones
People have been a bit mislead about the stand by and why it's needed. The tube takes about a 10 seconds to warm up, after that the cathode is already at opeartional temperature at which it works perfectly. The current spike cannot happen unless the cathode is warmed up and emitting the space charge. The reason for warm up period is not the prevention of high current spike, but the cathode poisoning that happens when unheated cathode material conducts current. The amp is class A or AB, which means that it conducts current even when no guitar signal is fed through it. It would make a difference, but guitar amps are built no where near the limits of the tubes capabilities hence the cathode is never conducting enough current to really need the warm up period. Even 100W amps don't really suffer from cathode losing it's emission capabilities even when no stand by is used! The ultra high power tube amps are those that require the warm up. The actual current spike happens in the heaters(the heated wire that indirectly heates the cathode) and not a single amp that I know, has current limiting that would prevent the heater wire from suffering the inrush current at startup!
So don't worry about the warm up period. 30 seconds is what you need to use in order to make sure that the cathode is completely heated and even this is beyond overkill as far as tube longevity goes. You almost certainly won't need the warmup at all but it's better to err on the safe side.
People have been a bit mislead about the stand by and why it's needed. The tube takes about a 10 seconds to warm up, after that the cathode is already at opeartional temperature at which it works perfectly. The current spike cannot happen unless the cathode is warmed up and emitting the space charge. The reason for warm up period is not the prevention of high current spike, but the cathode poisoning that happens when unheated cathode material conducts current. The amp is class A or AB, which means that it conducts current even when no guitar signal is fed through it. It would make a difference, but guitar amps are built no where near the limits of the tubes capabilities hence the cathode is never conducting enough current to really need the warm up period. Even 100W amps don't really suffer from cathode losing it's emission capabilities even when no stand by is used! The ultra high power tube amps are those that require the warm up. The actual current spike happens in the heaters(the heated wire that indirectly heates the cathode) and not a single amp that I know, has current limiting that would prevent the heater wire from suffering the inrush current at startup!
So don't worry about the warm up period. 30 seconds is what you need to use in order to make sure that the cathode is completely heated and even this is beyond overkill as far as tube longevity goes. You almost certainly won't need the warmup at all but it's better to err on the safe side.
SlyFoxx
Glossless
Re: Tube life and good tones
Uh oh...now you've opened another can of worms! But seriously...It doesn't really matter if you throw the main or the sand-by first when powering down. That said, I always throw the stand-by first...1)because you avoid that annoying POP sound you get from most amps...2)because now the stand-by switch is in the correct position for powering back up again.
Uh oh...now you've opened another can of worms! But seriously...It doesn't really matter if you throw the main or the sand-by first when powering down. That said, I always throw the stand-by first...1)because you avoid that annoying POP sound you get from most amps...2)because now the stand-by switch is in the correct position for powering back up again.
Brown Note
New member
Re: Tube life and good tones
The shutting down sequence makes no difference what so ever. Some amps make a popping sound if the power is just switched off, but It's just the filter caps being discharged and does not harm the amp in any way. The use of the stand by before the power is reasonable so that next time you start up the amp, you don't have the stand by at 'play' position. As I already pointed out, even this doesn't really make a difference; it's more of a good habit than a necceccity.
The shutting down sequence makes no difference what so ever. Some amps make a popping sound if the power is just switched off, but It's just the filter caps being discharged and does not harm the amp in any way. The use of the stand by before the power is reasonable so that next time you start up the amp, you don't have the stand by at 'play' position. As I already pointed out, even this doesn't really make a difference; it's more of a good habit than a necceccity.
glassman
Electron Herder
Re: Tube life and good tones
Brown Note is correct in both posts.
The reason an amp sounds really good after the tubes have been cooking for a while is not because a property within the tubes has changed; it's because the heat radiated by the tubes (and transformers) has heated up the guts of the beast. What you are hearing is the effect of increased resistances and decreased capacitances and their effect on how the amp behaves.
Brown Note is correct in both posts.
The reason an amp sounds really good after the tubes have been cooking for a while is not because a property within the tubes has changed; it's because the heat radiated by the tubes (and transformers) has heated up the guts of the beast. What you are hearing is the effect of increased resistances and decreased capacitances and their effect on how the amp behaves.
Chickenwings
Alnico 6/8
Re: Tube life and good tones
Red Label made a good point about tube amps and gigging. They do seem to warm up and get dirtier as the night progresses. I kinda like it, but i have a friend who turns his amp (actually he has borrowed one of mine mine for a bunch of gigs) off between sets because he hates it getting dirtier (us jazz players are generally like that!).
Red Label made a good point about tube amps and gigging. They do seem to warm up and get dirtier as the night progresses. I kinda like it, but i have a friend who turns his amp (actually he has borrowed one of mine mine for a bunch of gigs) off between sets because he hates it getting dirtier (us jazz players are generally like that!).
glassman
Electron Herder
Re: Tube life and good tones
All normal.
The orange glow is the filament (or heater). It runs the length of the tube (though you can only see the ends of it) and heats the cathode so it can emit.
The sapphire blue corona inside the tube is gas...every tube has it to some degree. You will grow to love the color...it's the color of tone.
All normal.
The orange glow is the filament (or heater). It runs the length of the tube (though you can only see the ends of it) and heats the cathode so it can emit.
The sapphire blue corona inside the tube is gas...every tube has it to some degree. You will grow to love the color...it's the color of tone.