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When do you turn off the tubes?

Having had recent surgery and spending a lot of time at home, I was wondering how long a break from music do you feel you need to be taking before turning off your tube amplifier.I could leave it on all day even when not listening but that would be 12+hours/day.While my PrimaLuna Dialogue HP is gentle on tubes, the thought of retubing 8 KT150s is an expensive prospect.I usually turn the amplifier off if I am not going to listen for around 3 hours.What do other people do?

crwindy

Showing 2 responses by elizabeth

elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
IMO a tube amplifier should never be left unattended. So an hour left on... and no one home. bad. A tube preamp I would say depends on the tubes. (exposed, encased) and how hot the tube preamp gets when on.       
I used to leave a 12AX7 12AU7 with 4 tubes, fully enclosed and got only a little warm on 24/7/365. A current Conrad Johnson ACT2 gets really hot when on. plus the tubes are exposed in a plexiglass cage... and I turn that off even if I am going out to the store... half an hour.               
I leave all my solid state on 24/7/365
elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
I would think haw many hours a day you listen also matters.  
Being retired I listen to music somewhere around 10 to 14 hours a day, every day. For folks still working (not from home) that is impossible. Some folks travel for work, and so have maybe only one day every few weeks to enjoy the stereo/music.
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