How should you treat your tubes?

I once watched one of my EL34 tubes 'flame-out'. I still have the wine stain that resulted from my "mad dash...".

EL-34's are used as output tubes in guitar amps and tube amps, and are also commonly used in tube power supplies. As I noted above, tube amps should not be left powered up, if only because output tube failures can be speactacular (I've made a mad dash or two myself -- nothing like that arcing and/or cracking, and the tremendous noise coming from the affected speaker).

If your amp has a standby switch I would use it; if not based on your info I would leave the system on.I would power down when you know you won't be listening until the next day.

Lot of good responses. Seems like it comes down to 2 things. What will make it sound the best and what will make it last the longest. For sound, leave it on 24/7 for a week or even a month, then try cycling it. Decide for yourself if it makes any difference. For longevity it's got to be leaving it on BUT what if the difference was 10 years for on/off or 20 years always on? Do you really think you're going to keep it for 10 or even 20 years? I like Nelson Pass's philosophy: One day it will break and you'll just get it fixed.

For myself, I cycle. Most of us will go thru our whole life without a problem but I do not want to be that one statistic that comes home to see Firetrucks in front of his house. For sure tubes but I've seen evidence of a speaker catching on fire with a very well known SS amp.

Onemug, your concern about fires has application only to tube amps. I have never left my tube amps on when I am not there, even though it typically takes a half hour for them to get up to speed. They are better yet after being on for two hours. I have never turned off any other tube equipment other than when I am out-of-town or lightening threatens.