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Should Class A Amps be left on??

Ok- Audiogon members need some advice here. Should Solid State Class A Amps be powered all the time? Have heard two school of thoughts on this. Apparently from what I have heard this is a moot question for Class A/B amps due to the usual low biasing of A/B Amps. From what I have been to learn so far Class A Amps should be left continously on.
ferrari
jtinn
1,123 posts
 
Leave them on.
warrenh's avatar
warrenh
2,286 posts
 
Yes! You heard right...
jameswei
795 posts
 
In part because the temperature difference between on and off is so great, the sound does change as the components warm up. (Obviously, designers work to optimize the sound after warm up, not during.) Keep them on, and you won't have to wait for the amps to warm up for an hour and stabilize every time you listen.
hpshps
66 posts
 
I used to own a big Class A amp that I left on continously for three years. Doubled my electricity bill and warmed my placed in winter (nice) and in summer (unpleasant). Sound was great, though. Now I have a Pass X350 that can be switched to standby mode. So far I have not found much difference in sound whether I leave it on continously or switch to standby. Just not sure what the cycles of heating and cooling could do to the amp..
6chac
235 posts
 
It's your call Ferrari!, I have class A monoblocks, and they genearate a lot of heat! But they sound good if you leave the power on all the time..
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