Why no heated gear?

Do you possibly believe that you can pre-heat a tube to anywhere remotely close to operating temperature?

uh, did I ever say that?

And regarding your last statement that there is no such thing as heat potential in a tube. Really?

Despite referencing several textbooks as well as the web I find no mention of the phrase "heat potential" when it comes to vacuum tubes.. I make no apologies if I misinterpreted what you meant when you used unconventional terminology.

So you believe that the anode and cathode in a typical vacuum tube are EXACTLY the same temperature?

uh, did I ever say that?

Granted, the cathode is generally heated to increase electron emission. That in no way negates the fact that keeping the tube warm when it is not in use will decrease warm up time.

You all can ignore what the original poster asked and try to nit pick responses, but the fact remains... if it starts out at a warmer temperature it will reach it's operating temperature more quickly. That is crux of the debate, double speak and patting yourself on the back for clever responses "I just knew that you were going to reply the way that you did" doesn't preclude the fact that any of you who dismissed the reality that preheating the equipment has a positive effect were wrong.

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Drill a hole and use a block heater - this is especially beneficial with diesel amplifiers.

"decrease warm up time" Well are we taking "How long a pre/amp take to sound it's BEST?" or how long it takes to be at operating temperature?
"I" thought we were taking about some slick way (pre heating with external heat) of making the waiting period (til the pre/amp whatever) for optimum sound (which is NOT just until the damn thing is warm). Now my prior amp (Forte 4a) took at LEAST an hour of being on to sound 'better' and nearly a whole day to sound great. Now hat amp was fully 'warmed up' in twenty minutes (far into class"A" operation) but no way did it sound great until it was on a whole day!!!
So i am sort of confused about some saying yeaah, external heat caould do it... no way IMO. Yes it could be 'warmed up' and 'at optimum operating temp' but NOT optimum sound quality from a external heat source.
Anybody care to clarify better?

To clarify IMO a "warmed up" component is when it sounds best, not that it is warm to the touch etc. As we all know those are very different when it comes to the sound of said component. I want to expedite the time it takes from off to sounding like bliss. Now when I say OFF I mean current isn't passing through the amp/pre amp circuitry, and sounding like bliss means it sounds like it would if it were left on all day everyday.

I think warmth is the result of the equipment being on, not
the sole cause of it sounding better, I think there is
something else going on besides heat (though operating
temperature is part of it - perhaps necessary, but not
sufficient on its own), along the lines that
Elizabeth suggests, and heat is a byproduct of that process,
and different than a mechanical engine, though a mechanical
engine may not be that different than heating up a cartridge
to "loosen" its suspension with an external
heater, versus the slower process of playing and warming up
the suspension assembly with motion (friction).