ADA Depot - A Forum To Support Users of ADA Amplification Gear

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

News:

Need a Schematic? Check the Vault *MP-1 Classic Schematics Just Added!!

Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Extended Breaks: Standby? Off? Leave it on??  (Read 7332 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Dante

  • Administrator
  • Superhero Member
  • ******
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2124
  • Nothing more uncommon than common sense
    • The Best Cover Band In Sacramento

I love my Microtube 200. It's tiny and powerful and sounds great. I want it to last. So, I ask you, when taking an extended break (let's say 30 minutes or more), should I put my amp in Standby or shut it off, or just leave it on??

It's an old amp, the tubes are in good shape, but to preserve the life of this dinosaur....what's best?

Soloist

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 534
  • Take No Prisoners...Take No Sh!t
Re: Extended Breaks: Standby? Off? Leave it on??
« Reply #1 on: Time Format »

If it's going to be more than 20 minutes I shut mine off. Whether it's my Mesa or Microtube. They both warm up quick so keeping them warm isn't an issue like with 70's tube amps. Plus it let's the internal temp of the rack cool down.
Logged
Live Rig:
Fractal Audio FM3 ver 1.06
Boss GT 100 ver.2.11
Switching- Radial Engineering Big Shot I/O v2 - Radial Engineering Pro D2 Stereo Direct Box
Power - Live Wire Power Conditioning Distribution System
Monitors  - (2) FRFR-112 Headrush Stage monitors
Axes - Charvel So Cal Pro Mod-Jackson DK2MQ Pro-Jackson USA Soloist-Ibanez RG3XXV
ADA gear: MP1- MP2 - MT200
Studio gear- way too much to list.

rnolan

  • Administrator
  • Superhero Member
  • ******
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5998
Re: Extended Breaks: Standby? Off? Leave it on??
« Reply #2 on: Time Format »

Unless it's really hot and you need to let it cool down a bit (and mostly this isn't the case), put in in standby.  This is why there is a standby, this keeps the tube at a constant temp (heater filaments on). What kills tubes (and light bulbs, and circuits in general) is tuning on/off, hot/cold cycles and power spikes.  In hi end audio/studio etc, they never turn things off unless they have to. In bands you have to turn stuff off at the end of the gig, but during the gig leave it all on, all tube gear to standby between sets (as I said, that's why the switch is there), MP1/2 I leave on (they have no standby.  Also good to let the tubes cool down slowly at the end of the gig before moving it and even more so taking it outside into the cold (this is a good way to blow stage lights, not letting them cool down and tubes are not fond of it either).
Logged
Studio Rig: Stuff; Live Rig: More Stuff; Guitars: A few

MarshallJMP

  • Superhero Member
  • ******
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4702
    • marshalljmpmodshop.net
Re: Extended Breaks: Standby? Off? Leave it on??
« Reply #3 on: Time Format »

I leave my marshall heads on,not in stanby.This keeps the tubes hot,in standby they will cool down a bit because there's no anode current flow.Now for an amp like the MT200 there are only preamp tubes so i would leave it on stanby.
Logged

Dante

  • Administrator
  • Superhero Member
  • ******
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2124
  • Nothing more uncommon than common sense
    • The Best Cover Band In Sacramento
Re: Extended Breaks: Standby? Off? Leave it on??
« Reply #4 on: Time Format »

Thanks Gents!!  Just the answer I was looking for.

Why did I ask? My band played a fundraiser a while back, and the hosting company was making announcements all throughout the night (typical for a fundraiser). At one point, they gave out a bunch of appreciation awards and told us to take a break (which is ironic since we only played a couples songs before the break). We didn't play another song for 45 minutes while they handed out all the awards.

I'll keep mine in Standby from now on

tomy

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 340
  • "To loose means trouble, to win pays double"
Re: Extended Breaks: Standby? Off? Leave it on??
« Reply #5 on: Time Format »

I leave my marshall heads on,not in stanby.This keeps the tubes hot,in standby they will cool down a bit because there's no anode current flow.Now for an amp like the MT200 there are only preamp tubes so i would leave it on stanby.

And do you need to replace the tubes more frequently ?


« Last Edit: Time Format by tomy »
Logged
"As far back as I can remember,  I've always wanted to be a  gangster..."

ARSENAL :
https://fr.audiofanzine.com/membres/885047/products/

MarshallJMP

  • Superhero Member
  • ******
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4702
    • marshalljmpmodshop.net
Re: Extended Breaks: Standby? Off? Leave it on??
« Reply #6 on: Time Format »

Well I should replace them,they have been in there for about 12 years now. :o
Logged

GuitarBuilder

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 278
Re: Extended Breaks: Standby? Off? Leave it on??
« Reply #7 on: Time Format »

Another vote for standby.... :thumb-up:
Logged
ADA and Rockman Heads
Marshall amps
Strats and Les Pauls
Pages: [1]   Go Up