Servicing --How Often ?

[Border Riever]

Just wondering how often you should service your bits n bobs ?
Is it a yearly thing or a case of if it aint broke why fix it ?
Also I've been getting into the habit of leaving my rig switched on 24/7 only turning it off if I know I won't be using it for a few days,will doing this have any negative effect on parts or only my electric bill ?

[prestonchipfryer]

You can certainly clean ALL connections in your system maybe twice a year, using isopropyl alchol or one of the specialist cleaners like deoxit or kontak. Use a cotton bud or pipe cleaner. As for leaving it switched on all the time depends on the equipment in use. Solid state is ok but if it's valves then you would be better off turning on just when you actually use it.

John

:)

[Border Riever]

Thanks Preston
So it's just a matter of giving it a spring clean as such ?
Also most of my if not all is still under warranty I wonder if i did do myself and something went tits up in a later the warranty would be void.. :scratch:

[prestonchipfryer]

Mains plugs/fuses, interconnect plugs, speaker cable connectors. Remember to turn off at the mains whilst doing your mains connectors. Inputs on pre-amp/power amp, cd player, phono stage all benefit from being kept clean.

John :)

[YNWaN]

If your equipment is still under warranty then it doesn't need any kind of service. Don't do any replacing of internal components, or modification as this will definitely void your warranty.

Eventually, the electrolytic capacitors in the power supply to your amp will start to dry out (10+ years) and these can be replaced.

It's a good idea to turn your equipment off occasionally and pull push all the connectors in and out a few times to help clean the surfaces.

I use transistor amps (Naim) and literally never turn them off (I wouldn't recommend this with valve amplification though.

[The Black Adder]

After a rare and dramatic incident with my previous transistor hifi I would turn it off when your not using it... full stop.

It's really not worth the risk as all components have a finite life and the sound improvement IMO is marginal and not worth the wear on the components, your electricity bill and your safety.

[Welder]

I think around two or three times a week is about average :scratch:
Course, some need more servicing than others; had one once that needed seeing too every bloody day or it went on the wobble :doh:
I wouldn’t be leaving yer rig switched on 24/7 mate. Fer a start the kids might get hold of it and even if you’re pretty confident there’s no chance of slipping a quickie in over the next few days I think it may well have a negative effect on yer parts over time; a bit like tight nut chokers.

[Reid Malenfant]

It depends on what type of equipment you are talking about imo ;)

A class A pre amp such as a Classe DR5 is designed to be switched on all the time to keep it at optimum bias & running temperature. This will prolong it's life as there will be no heating & cooling of semiconductors which are the first to fail.

A class AB power amp i'd turn off after use. If you are rich then leave a class A power amp on all the time (read the same as above for the pre amp), but if you listen pretty loud i'd switch it off after use.. Class A power amps actually cool down the more output power is fed to the speaker :lol:

It's a minefield out there :doh:

As for servicing, i'd probably take the lid off & get rid of dust after 5 years of usage, if something runs hot then a full electrolytic capacitor replacement at 10 years may well be a good idea as well..

:lolsign: @ John :eyebrows:

[Thing Fish]

It depends on what type of equipment you are talking about imo ;)

A class A pre amp such as a Classe DR5 is designed to be switched on all the time to keep it at optimum bias & running temperature. This will prolong it's life as there will be no heating & cooling of semiconductors which are the first to fail.

A class AB power amp i'd turn off after use. If you are rich then leave a class A power amp on all the time (read the same as above for the pre amp), but if you listen pretty loud i'd switch it off after use.. Class A power amps actually cool down the more output power is fed to the speaker :lol:

:lolsign: @ John :eyebrows:

Iv'e no idea what class my amps are? Lower/middle i'd say...:confused:

[Reid Malenfant]

Iv'e no idea what class my amps are? Lower/middle i'd say...:confused:
:lolsign:

[Lodgesound]

I would seriously advise that you turn off audio equipment when you are not using it. Warm up time for valve amps is around 12 - 15 minutes - transistor amps you can halve that time.

Remember it's your ear/brain interface that adjusts to these things - when I worked in professional circles many years ago the warm up time for a studio VTR (which was believe me at the time a mammouth piece of equipment) was only 4 to 6 minutes. Audio tape machines were the same.

Save yourself the energy costs - amplifiers use more power than you think and that's excluding the safety issues which have already been mentioned.

[YNWaN]

You don't leave class A amps on all the time. The heat would age the caps way too fast and the electricity bill would be significant (not to mention the heat).

[Border Riever]

Thanks for all your reply's Gents..
I'll now make sure to turn everything off after using my system.
It was originally a Fella from a HiFi shop who said to leave the rig on as it doesn't have as much wear and tear as if I turned it on and off :(
Now a bit wiser
Jerry

[The Black Adder]

I would seriously advise that you turn off audio equipment when you are not using it. Warm up time for valve amps is around 12 - 15 minutes - transistor amps you can halve that time.

Remember it's your ear/brain interface that adjusts to these things - when I worked in professional circles many years ago the warm up time for a studio VTR (which was believe me at the time a mammouth piece of equipment) was only 4 to 6 minutes. Audio tape machines were the same.

Save yourself the energy costs - amplifiers use more power than you think and that's excluding the safety issues which have already been mentioned.

+1

But I can understand the technical implications of leaving things on... also how (especially Naim) are marketed to the end user to attempt to reach that grail of sonic excellence, instantly of which is fine but I can't justify the smallest differences in sonics to the risk... Thats my opinion anyway, sorry guys if I sound like a stick in the mud but I'm just staying safe. I'll stop rabbiting on now... ;)

[Wakefield Turntables]

+1

But I can understand the technical implications of leaving things on... also how (especially Naim) are marketed to the end user to attempt to reach that grail of sonic excellence, instantly of which is fine but I can't justify the smallest differences in sonics to the risk... Thats my opinion anyway, sorry guys if I sound like a stick in the mud but I'm just staying safe. I'll stop rabbiting on now... ;)

+1 her Joe I agree. I always turn off my system. I think that it sounds better at certain times of day but I think thats more to do with room temperature (which is a variable I can control) and how much power is being drawn from the grid (which is a variable I cant control). I'm happy in the knowledge I've done everything to make the system sound as good as it can. So I think I'll join you the mud ............... :lol:

[The Black Adder]

Thanks for all your reply's Gents..
I'll now make sure to turn everything off after using my system.
It was originally a Fella from a HiFi shop who said to leave the rig on as it doesn't have as much wear and tear as if I turned it on and off :(
Now a bit wiser
Jerry

Hi Jerry... Yep, a very good move matey. :)

[The Grand Wazoo]

I've never had a single piece of kit serviced (not in the meaning of the word as I understand it, anyway). Replacing tired components is a repair job in my book.

Is this not just a needless quasi-industry that's been created in order to keep the lines of communication between dealer/manufacturer and your wallet open and flowing? I reckon this myth has grown up since a certain turntable that used to go off-song if anyone breathed near it was introduced - it needed setting up every 5 minutes because it was so volatile. Tell your customers it's 'a service', charge them for it and then a flawed product miraculously becomes a thoroughbred product.

Owners of the turntable then surmise, well if that needs a service, then their amps must also benefit from one too. They ask the amp maker if they will carry one out for them & the amp maker says "Sure, but for a price, of course".

So what happens when an amp gets a service then? Whip the lid off, blow out the dust & check that things are working as they should, back in the box & type the invoice?

[The Black Adder]

I've never had a single piece of kit serviced (not in the meaning of the word as I understand it, anyway). Replacing tired components is a repair job in my book.

Is this not just a needless quasi-industry that's been created in order to keep the lines of communication between dealer/manufacturer and your wallet open and flowing? I reckon this myth has grown up since a certain turntable that used to go off-song if anyone breathed near it was introduced - it needed setting up every 5 minutes because it was so volatile. Tell your customers it's 'a service', charge them for it and then a flawed product miraculously becomes a thoroughbred product.

Owners of the turntable then surmise, well if that needs a service, then their amps must also benefit from one too. They ask the amp maker if they will carry one out for them & the amp maker says "Sure, but for a price, of course".

So what happens when an amp gets a service then? Whip the lid off, blow out the dust & check that things are working as they should, back in the box & type the invoice?

LOL... I remember Musical Fidelity having a service/upgrade note on their website saying something like 'we can make your Musical Fidelity products sound like they should do'... When I saw that I couldn't stop laughing because it's bloody expensive kit in the first place.

[Rare Bird]

I never ever leave my equipment on. As it's mainly all vintage gear the only service is it gets stripped & rebuilt when i acquire it, it will no doubt see me out after that, besides i alternate equipment so never get much use.

Things like CD players, i don't care two hoots about if i can still buy a Lazer mech at the time of purchase i will as spare, but if the problem involves anything other than that part i'm afraid it's in the bin with it.I have no respect for modern equipment at all.

[Joe]

Mine doesn't even get dusted!

Had to have my valve power amp looked at a couple of years back (turned out to be a loose/broken connection) because me and a soldering iron and a piece of electrical equipment is a recipe for disaster.

My upstairs solid state system has been going strong for 12 years.

[Rare Bird]

Blimey Joe one spec of dust or fingerprint here & the baloon goes up

[Joe]

On the plus side, a cartridge side-swipe is unlikely!

[bogle111]

It was originally a Fella from a HiFi shop who said to leave the rig on as it doesn't have as much wear and tear as if I turned it on and off :(
Now a bit wiser
Jerry

If anyone in our shops told anyone to leave amps all the time, he would have been on the slate. I would make sure he can afford the excess on your insurance policy and be prepared to say that to the insurance company in court that it was safe to leave on. Bet the manufacturers wouldn't say that.

If it has an On/Off switch on it turn it off. Hi fi is not quite the same as a fridge. Wear and Tear my Dixie, On/Off controls cost less than inner components to replace.

Bit like leaving your car running cause restarting may wear out the starter motor.:doh:

[Reid Malenfant]

I would make sure he can afford the excess on your insurance policy and be prepared to say that to the insurance company in court that it was safe to leave on. Bet the manufacturers wouldn't say that.

If it has an On/Off switch on it turn it off. Hi fi is not quite the same as a fridge. Wear and Tear my Dixie, On/Off controls cost less than inner components to replace.
:scratch:

I guess you have never owned a Classe pre amp then? There is no power switch on either the front (or back if i remember correctly). As for insurance it passed all CE & whatever other tests are required to import into the EU ;)

While i agree that an on/off switch is cheaper to replace than internal components, it'll be the internal components that usually fail miles before a mains switch would in general. The problem with solid state stuff is due to thermal cycling, or if you like heating up & cooling down.

Constantly heating up & cooling down breaks transistors due to differing rates of thermal expasion of the silicon transistor & the copper substrate it's attached to. This eventually results in the two beginning to fracture & less heat can conduct from the transistor to the copper which eventually results in thermal runaway. & the transistors demise as well as a host of other components at the same time (usually).

Clearly it is much better in the case of a class A pre amp like the Classe DR5 for instance to leave it on & at operating temperature, where it'll not only sound best but will last significantly longer :)

[bogle111]

I do have a class A amp running now, not hyper esoteric, no, but it does run hot. I tend to run class A for the Tannoys, but use AB for the Yamahas. Yes, I have sold a quite a few as well. But if it should be a contributory factor in a fire, say a curtain blew over it or something were to blow on to it & catch fire, would an insurance company buy it. Even if a fire did not result, then surely no ventilation around would be worse.

I also remember selling the Cambridge Audio P110 and owning one, that worked so hot that you could sizzle bangers in a frying pan on, all because the designer said that all their products should be no more than 1.5 ins. high (matching B&O I suspect). A very fine amp, fantastic design by Stan Curtis I believe, all let down by design criteria that my own common sense told me "Be Careful, we could be sued if this went wrong".

Sorry, I have too many other things (as well as hi-fi related) that are irreplaceable to want to take the chance and I was just saying that legally, I would never advise or recommend. Unplugged amps are less likely to be a problem.

I would add though, that class A is probably the best I have ever heard, and I have heard a few.

[Rare Bird]

Constantly heating up & cooling down breaks transistors due to differing rates of thermal expasion of the silicon transistor & the copper substrate it's attached to.



Um.. There's Transistors & proper Transistors :eyebrows:

[Reid Malenfant]

Um.. There's Transistors & proper Transistors :eyebrows:
Wassat then Andr'e, you aren't hankering after some good old Germanium trannies are you :lol:


Actually i do tend to agree with what Peter says, i'd switch a class A power amp off due to costs of electricity & the possibility of something going wrong. They do tend to have massive power supplys with more than enough energy storage to do some severe damage..

A pre amp i'd leave on as these run pretty cool (unless it has Krell on the fascia :eyebrows:).