Amplifier warm-up

[Dom]

I was in Sevenoaks and the guy who I trust for knowledge and experience said amps need to "Warm-up" to sound there best.

This was true for some older electronic amplifiers, tube amplifiers, they did require warm-up time before they could operate at their best, but not for solid state amps.

I presume it was his sales approach, and he was stretching the truth. 😏

 

[Oxfordian]

Somewhere in the last month or so I read an article where it stated that all hifi/av products can benefit from a period of warming up before they will perform at their best, my thought at the time was that surely everyone knows that as I was told the same as the OP many many years ago.

The article was mainly focused on speakers as they suffer more from cold, something about being part mechanical, apparently if you leave the window open in your listening room in cold weather then come in close the window and start playing your music it will take about 15-20 minutes for everything to warm up and work at its best.

Now this may or may not be a complete load of bull droppings but I have always let my system warm up before I sit down and settle in for a bit of serious listening, usually a CD is played at low volume whilst I have dinner and clear away, then I settle in to the music.

 

[podknocker]

I think many circuits have an optimal operating temperature and I keep my Audiolab Omnia on 24/7

Keeping it at a constant temperature is likely to be better than constantly switching it off and on again.

I don't know if this increases the lifespan, but there must be more electronic 'wear and tear' having circuits on and off all the time.

I often think of the ignition coils in modern cars, switching the engine off at the lights and switching it on again a few seconds later.

Car engines were switched on once and stayed on for hours and now they are on and off, sometimes dozens of times a day. I doubt this is good for any electronic or mechanical part.

Most amps can cope with high temperatures, even the chips. Many CPUs in PCs for example happily sit at 90C for hours, as do graphics cards.

I have my laptop on top of my Omnia and neither complains, or show any thermal instability issues.

Valve amps are probably more picky about temperatures and most Class A/B amps will need less warming up.

The class D amps are very cool and efficient and again, are probably at their optimal operating temperature within seconds of being switched on.

 

[Dom]

The sound quality between a cold amplifier and one that has been "warmed up," you have to to acknowledge that this perception might be influenced by psychological factors, expectations, and the placebo effect.

 

[abacus]

All electronic components take a little time to stabilise after switch on. (This is why all scientific equipment has to be switched on for a time before taking precise measurements)
As far as solid-state Hi-Fi is concerned a few minutes is all that is required. (If your equipment has a standby function use it)

Bill

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

As far as solid-state Hi-Fi is concerned a few minutes is all that is required. (If your equipment has a standby function use it

I'd always done that, until a combination of three things:

- Not listening as often as I'd like.
- Massive hike in energy prices last year (mercifully having retreated).
- The smart meter showing that the MFs are very far from efficient in standby.

 

[podknocker]

I dread to think how high the energy bills get for those with Class A kit.

I suppose if they can afford a valve amp, they are willing to absorb the running costs and high maintenance.

I spotted a PrimaLuna EVO 400 through a window recently and instantly thought about the energy bills!

I use so much energy working from my flat over the last 3 years and the costs have tripled over this period.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

I use so much energy working from my flat over the last 3 years and the costs have tripled over this period.

Bit off topic, but I've had several doors and windows adjusted and added insulating strips around the inside of all of them. Definitely helps.

 

[Symples]

Bit off topic, but I've had several doors and windows adjusted and added insulating strips around the inside of all of them. Definitely helps.

Helps with the music or heating? 😀

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Helps with the music or heating? 😀

Primarily the latter, but if you stand very close to the french doors it's definitely quieter. Not that I expect the difference is audible from my listening position!

 

[Juzzie Wuzzie]

I dread to think how high the energy bills get for those with Class A kit.

I suppose if they can afford a valve amp, they are willing to absorb the running costs and high maintenance.

I spotted a PrimaLuna EVO 400 through a window recently and instantly thought about the energy bills!

I use so much energy working from my flat over the last 3 years and the costs have tripled over this period.

Running PrimaLunas does mean you don't need to switch on your central heating!

 

[Al ears]

I was in Sevenoaks and the guy who I trust for knowledge and experience said amps need to "Warm-up" to sound there best.

This was true for some older electronic amplifiers, tube amplifiers, they did require warm-up time before they could operate at their best, but not for solid state amps.

I presume it was his sales approach, and he was stretching the truth. 😏

Solid state amplifiers need time to stabilise only, even those that operate primarily in Class A.
By the time mine has done its usual start up checks it's ready to go.
If ie leave it half an hour do I perceive any difference? No.
And when I have finished listening it gets switched off.

 

[twinkletoes]

I was in Sevenoaks and the guy who I trust for knowledge and experience said amps need to "Warm-up" to sound there best.

This was true for some older electronic amplifiers, tube amplifiers, they did require warm-up time before they could operate at their best, but not for solid state amps.

I presume it was his sales approach, and he was stretching the truth. 😏

No there is element of truth to it, everything needs to get up operating temps to run at there best, some take seconds some take around 30mins like my suggy a21 once its hotter than hell kitchen the tone changes SLIGHTLY and I mean slightly if I weren't used to the sound of it you'd never know.

Its abit like me these days you have to stretch for 10mins before getting on the bike.

 

[BiggaJ]

Going back 30 years nearly all Hi-i specialists advised to let the amp warm up, whether this has changed or not is debatable and the sales guy you were talking to in Sevenoaks may well have been of a certain vintage and still stood by that principle .. I don't know of course. however, I leave my amp and phonostage on all the time.

I cannot say I have ever truly heard the difference between a cold and warm amp in my set up .... Gato Audio 250s NPM and Electrocompaniet ECP2 mk2.

 

[Gray]

Solid state amplifiers need time to stabilise only

✅
In the service manual for their PM-44 amp for example, Marantz say that 4 minutes is enough, after power-up, before setting the idling current on the output transistors.

I wouldn't worry about electronics being too cold - workshops actually have cans of freezer spray as diagnostic tools - a blast can temporarily spark duff transistors into action.

The need to warm up is a legacy from valve days.

 

[plastic penguin]

I was in Sevenoaks and the guy who I trust for knowledge and experience said amps need to "Warm-up" to sound there best.

This was true for some older electronic amplifiers, tube amplifiers, they did require warm-up time before they could operate at their best, but not for solid state amps.

I presume it was his sales approach, and he was stretching the truth. 😏

Certainly the case with Class A amps as they sound their best after BBQing a steak on them, around 20-30 mins (so I've read). Same goes for valve or tube amps.

 

[podknocker]

Certainly the case with Class A amps as they sound their best after BBQing a steak on them, around 20-30 mins (so I've read). Same goes for valve or tube amps.

'Your meats ready, do want to put some tunes on now'?

 

[Dave_]

I often think of the ignition coils in modern cars, switching the engine off at the lights and switching it on again a few seconds later.

Given they're charging/discharging thousands of times a minute when the engine is running, I highly doubt that personally.

 

[podknocker]

Given they're charging/discharging thousands of times a minute when the engine is running, I highly doubt that personally.

Isn't there a huge current draw, when the ignition is first switched on? This can't be happening all the time, with the engine running surely? I'm not a mechanic, but this constant switching on can't help. The sound alone makes me think it's not a good idea.

 

[plastic penguin]

'Your meats ready, do want to put some tunes on now'?

Having only owned Class AB amps there's no audible difference from cold or if they are used for a couple of hours or more.

 

[ianrjones]

When I was a in a band (70's) we had a large Selma valve amp and speakers to pump up the Bently Rythym Ace. (We sacked the drummer) But I am convinced, as the night went on, It just got better and better. The van was so cold some nights, so it was the first to be switched on. We placed said amp back into the cold van without any problems.

 

[nopiano]

I was in Sevenoaks and the guy who I trust for knowledge and experience said amps need to "Warm-up" to sound there best.

This was true for some older electronic amplifiers, tube amplifiers, they did require warm-up time before they could operate at their best, but not for solid state amps.

I presume it was his sales approach, and he was stretching the truth. 😏

If I was demonstrating Hifi for a living I’d definitely put it on 20-30 minutes before listening if I could.

My power amp is solid-state Class A and the manual says it takes up to an hour to fully warm up, and sounds better as a result. My class D integrated amp is silent on this, but I think it’s better after about twenty minutes. YMMV!

 

[Edbostan]

If I was demonstrating Hifi for a living I’d definitely put it on 20-30 minutes before listening if I could.

My power amp is solid-state Class A and the manual says it takes up to an hour to fully warm up, and sounds better as a result. My class D integrated amp is silent on this, but I think it’s better after about twenty minutes. YMMV!

Interesting. I run an original Cyrus One and the manual advises to keep it plugged into live mains so the preamp stage is at optimum temperature at switch on. There is no such mention for the power amp.

 

[Revolutions]

My Rega Elicit mk5 has replaced a radiator in the house.

Have to listen while it warms up. After 4-5 hours it starts to get me worried about spontaneous combustion 😬

 

[Covenanter]

Objectively there is going to be very little difference in the performance of modern solid state circuits at "normal" room temperatures. Quality equipment will be made from quality components and thermal stability will be one of the criteria used for selecting components.

Subjectively people believe all sorts of stuff! 🙂