Safe to leave amp on 24/7?

[ninetynine]

I have a rotel ra-02 integrated and I usually turn it on in the morning and off late at night. Will this damage my amp in the long run? or is it safer to just leave it on all the time.
Also , I have a standby if I press power on the remote 2 out of the 3 lights go out and one remaining light is left on which is the power light. To turn this one off you have to get up and press the power button on the amp. Is it even better just to leave the amp into standby when not using it?

[Mtbrider]

Leaving it on all the time is not a problem, except when thunderstorms are around. Turn it off then to be safe.

[hermanv]

This debate has been going on a long time. The answer is not perfectly clear.

If your system needs warmup before it sounds it's very best then there is good reason to leave it ready to play.

Aluminum Electrolytic capacitors have a finite life, it is shortend by heat. If your amplifier runs hot when on but not playing you might reduce the life of your capacitors by 20%. They typically last 10-15 years. This somewhat depends on how conservative the design was and also on the initial quality of the capacitors that were used.

Depends too of course on how hot.

[ninetynine]

I see, well when its on and I put my hand on the grill its a little warm in the middle and the left side nothing too hot, when music is not being played its less warm.

[vr6ofpain]

I leave my Adcom GFA-545 on all the time. Sometimes a few months without being shut down. It isn't even warm when idle.

The only time I turn it off, is when I or someone else is using a cell phone in the room. It like most electronics picks up interference and makes 'flopping' noises.

[Arturo7]

My Sumo amp and pre-amp have been on almost continuously for about 16 years. The only time the system is turned the system off is when I am going to be gone for a few days. Same with the CD and tuner. No problems yet.

[ninetynine]

by leaving the amp on 24/7, won't the display lights wear out in the long run?

[hermanv]

Most modern stuff uses LED diodes for display lights unless you are speaking of LCD or vacuum flourescent. The LEDs will last many, many years, LCDs have a finite life but I think its not that different whether they are on or off. Vacuum flourescents should last as long as the vacuum seal although they will dim somewhat with age.

My 240 watt per channel amp runs very hot presumably because it is heavily biased into the class A region. I am considering sending it to the factory for capacitor replacement. Not because it has gone bad but more a vague feeling of less good.

It has been on 24/7 for about 9 years and runs very hot I'd guess 130 degrees, hot enough that leaving your hand on the heat sinks becomes uncomforatble within a minute. The unit's temperature is mostly the same playing music or not.

[ninetynine]

I see, I noticed when my amp is in standby its shut off, so what is the use for this standby on the remote? ( I have to press power on the remote to put it on stand by 2 lights come off but one remains lit, the power on/off light, to turn the amp off completely i have to get up and press the power button)

[E-Stat]

It like most electronics picks up interference and makes 'flopping' noises.

And some folks wonder why I use highly shielded interconnects, speaker wires, and RF trapped power cords.

rw

[LEAFS264]

[QUOTE=E-Stat]And some folks wonder why I use highly shielded interconnects, speaker wires, and RF trapped power cords.



Are you suposed to leave the amp on all the time? I turn off my Nad 214 amp after each use.


Jay

[E-Stat]

Are you suposed to leave the amp on all the time? I turn off my Nad 214 amp after each use.

I leave my solid state amps on 24/7 and only power down the tubes. As I do my computer.

rw

[topspeed]

Like Herman pointed out, this question is as old as dirt. Some people feel their equipment needs to be warmed up before it sounds its best. With tubes obviously, this is a necessity due to their very nature. SS amps OTOH really just need to stabilize and charge their caps. This can take a few minutes or a few hours, depending on who you ask (and who you believe). Odyssey claims you need to warm their amps up for...and I'm not making this up...3 weeks before critical listening should be done. Uh, ohhkaaay .

There are other considerations. Heat is the nemesis of all electronics and if you are running a Class A amp, that puppy is consuming tons of electricity whether you are running it or not. That's why they are so hot, they are burning off unused energy. If I had a Class A, you can bet I'd turn that baby off if for no other reason because I don't want to pay the excessive electricity bills nor do I want a year 'round space heater. Switching amps, which look to be the future of ss amplification, consume less than a night light when in standby mode and rarely get warm to the touch even at full boogie due to their ultra high efficiency. Therefore, you could leave it on and not worry one whit.

In the end, I 'spose it comes down to personal preference. FWIW, I leave my equipment on or in "Standby" all the time except when leaving for extended durations (more than 3 days). I've done so for over 20 years and have never had a problem with any of my equipment except for the power light burning out on my old B&K after about 10 years.

[ninetynine]

In the end, I 'spose it comes down to personal preference. FWIW, I leave my equipment on or in "Standby" all the time except when leaving for extended durations (more than 3 days). I've done so for over 20 years and have never had a problem with any of my equipment except for the power light burning out on my old B&K after about 10 years.

The standby that is on my amp doesn't even act as a standby, when I press power on the remote it basically turns off the amp and the standby is basically the power button that is on and lit. I also notice that the amp cools down completely and it is clearly shut off so I don't know what is the use for this standby. Doesn't a standby make an amp run but in a sleep mode just like a computer? In my case, the amp is clearly shut off.

[hermanv]

If you can turn the amp back on with the remote then clearly everything is not off, at least the IR receiver is powered up.

[ninetynine]

I see, so shouldn't it feel somewhat warm?