Do you leave your SS amp on all the time ?

[hifi_dave]

Light bulbs do tend to fail on switch on more often than just blow when already on but that's because they are light bulbs not amplifiers. The old type you can't buy no more I mean. I don't know how these mercury-filled 'eco friendly' jobs blow because it has never happened to me yet. I've got a few that are coming up to ten years of use.

One of those Eco friendly, curly glass bulbs proved to me why certain electrical goods should be switched off. Last year we had one of those spark, drop hot bits onto the table and start to burn. I dread to think what would have happened if we had been out or even out of the room..

[mikmas]

In reply to the original question; worth bearing in mind that some components fair worse at operational temperature:

"Operating conditions directly affect the life of an aluminum electrolytic capacitor. The ambient temperature has the largest effect on life. The relationship between life and temperature follows a chemical reaction formula called Arrhenius' Law of Chemical Activity. Simply put, the law says that life of a capacitor doubles for every 10 degree Celsius decrease in temperature (within limits)."

http://www.illinoiscapacitor.com/tec...lculators.aspx

With this in mind (and the H&S aspects already mentioned) - my SS amp is switched off when not in use.

[MikeMusic]

Another reason I turn my Belles Pre off...
It is SS but has 2 little valves

Another reason I turn my Belles Monos off...
That amount of heat requires too much electricity for a cheapskate

[DAVEDWACK]

When I had virtually all Naim, on 24/7. Now with valves, off, obviously. Naim tuner only thing on 24/7. TV on stand-by when not in use as there's no on/off switch and the only TV repair I've ever had was occasioned by a dry joint caused by turning on/off (admittedly that was a CRT)

I was lead to believe that charging and discharging capacitors frequently reduced their life. Furthermore, electronics like to be kept fairly warm.

On the other hand, cheaper kit which is many decades old still works flawlessly, so more upmarket kit should be more robust (theory !!!). My jury's out on this one, though my 01 tuner is 27 years old, unserviced, works perfectly and sounds superb.

Think it depends upon the kit and your domestic supply infrastructure, but I would suggest, if leaving on, that a serviceable RCD is in the circuit. My individual radials each have their own, so only one piece of kit could be affected should anything happen.

Hi Mike,
I’ve always left my Esl57/63/2905s powered up 24/7. (Apart from when I’m away on holiday for 7+ days) I was always lead to believe it was best to leave electrostatics powered up, even though I can’t really remember the reasons why. I’ve noticed that you have 2905s so do you switch them off after each session then? Does anybody else have an opinion on this?

Cheers.....Dave

[Mike Reed]

Yes, Dave. I only have two sessions a week, and fire them up with everything else. I've only heard of 24/7 operation regarding 57s and I've no idea why or where, so am a bit sceptical there. My 2905s sound fine well within the half-hour of firing up. (note to self; really must sort out that avatar as my cat can no longer act as a super-tweeter on my ESLs !)

[DAVEDWACK]

Hi Mike,
Thanks for that, mine are used daily, because apart from music the tv sound gets played through them. Still perhaps it might be a good idea to switch them off overnight. Let’s see if anybody else has an opinion, specifically regarding electrostatics, I’m genuinely interested to know.

Cheers....Dave

[Mike Reed]

Interesting, Dave. I also have my TV routed (line level interconnect) through the hifi, but I use headphones a lot, esp. for dramas. However, my I/C is straight into my can-amp., which I can divert to pre. when needed. I'm all valve (apart from can-amp. and tuner), so firing up everything for an hour's listening is not really viable.

The days of pressing the mute button on my Naim 552 when I had ProAcs and 135s are long gone. Maybe the introduction of ESLs started a gradual metamorphosis, though I did have valved power and CDP before the 2905s.

Presumably you have a reasonably uncompromised rectangular room, Dave.

[DAVEDWACK]

Hi Mike,
Yes, my room is a 20’ x 16’ kind of rectangle and I have my 2905s playing down the long way 4’ from the rear wall and about 8’ apart. I used to use a Quad Classic which drives the 2905s just fine but recently I’ve been trying a Devialet 120 and which I’m rather impressed with, especially since it has so much flexibility including a very good configurable phono stage. (All imho of course).

Cheers....Dave

[Barry]

Hi Mike,
I’ve always left my Esl57/63/2905s powered up 24/7. (Apart from when I’m away on holiday for 7+ days) I was always lead to believe it was best to leave electrostatics powered up, even though I can’t really remember the reasons why. I’ve noticed that you have 2905s so do you switch them off after each session then? Does anybody else have an opinion on this?

Cheers.....Dave

Apart from two house moves and the odd power cut, my Quad 57s have been left powered up constantly for the last forty odd years. Peter Walker of Quad only switched off his electrostatic speakers when he went away on his holidays.

Regarding the 57s, I believe the current inrush on switch-on can, over time, damage the diodes in the Cockcroft-Walton EHT voltage multiplier.

[hifinutt]

Hi Mike,
I’ve always left my Esl57/63/2905s powered up 24/7. (Apart from when I’m away on holiday for 7+ days) I was always lead to believe it was best to leave electrostatics powered up, even though I can’t really remember the reasons why. I’ve noticed that you have 2905s so do you switch them off after each session then? Does anybody else have an opinion on this?

Cheers.....Dave

yes , i always left my logan s powered up and when i did turn them off for hols i noticed it took a couple of days for them to come fully on stream and sound brilliant again