Warm-up/ Cool-down
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Troy
Active member
The answer to this question can be found in your user's manual.
It's recommended that you leave the amp on standby at least 30 seconds to let the tubes warm up before playing through the amp. This will help prolong the life of your tubes.
Personally, I leave my amp on standby for at least 2 minutes, and I always flip it to standby during breaks in a gig or practice.
Not using standby shouldn't hurt the amp, but it's still a good idea to get into the habit of using it!
It's recommended that you leave the amp on standby at least 30 seconds to let the tubes warm up before playing through the amp. This will help prolong the life of your tubes.
Personally, I leave my amp on standby for at least 2 minutes, and I always flip it to standby during breaks in a gig or practice.
Not using standby shouldn't hurt the amp, but it's still a good idea to get into the habit of using it!
redmax61
Well-known member
I've heard anywhere from 30 seconds to 3 minutes on warm up, and 30 seconds on cool down. I think the secret to cool down is don't move the amp until the tubes are cool to the touch.
I hope this is right, it's how I've been doing it for a while.
I hope this is right, it's how I've been doing it for a while.
G.I.G.
Well-known member
In my owners manual for my Dual Rec, they suggest waiting one minute on standby before turning it on. They don't mention anything about turning it off. However, you should go in reverse order and turn the standby off, then the power off in order to avoid turning it on the next time with the stanby on. I usually wait just a second between turning the standby off before I turn the power off to avoid any popping or clicking, but you shouldn't be hurting the tubes if you turn the amp off right after you turn the standby off.
strumminsix
Well-known member
I do about 1 - 2 minutes each side.
Now here is an interesting twist, if you have a LSC and want to go from ON to TWEED can you just set it to standby and quickly move it accross?
Now here is an interesting twist, if you have a LSC and want to go from ON to TWEED can you just set it to standby and quickly move it accross?
screamingdaisy
Well-known member
I leave it on standby for 30+ seconds on warm up, and I power it off with the amp standby still in the on position to let the caps drain.
Leaving the amp in standby to cool down doesn't make sense to me, seeing as all standby does is keep the tube heaters on.....which defeats the purpose of letting it cool down.
Not using the standby at all will only add wear to your tubes. Vintage amps don't have a standby at all, all you could do was turn the gain down to zero until they warmed up.
Leaving the amp in standby to cool down doesn't make sense to me, seeing as all standby does is keep the tube heaters on.....which defeats the purpose of letting it cool down.
Not using the standby at all will only add wear to your tubes. Vintage amps don't have a standby at all, all you could do was turn the gain down to zero until they warmed up.
tele_jas
Well-known member
I'm bad about that 
I have good intentions, but I get in too big of a hurry sometimes and don't want to wait so I do the flip of both switches and hit a chord and listen to my sound "fade in". The cool down thing I'm always pretty good about and I usually wait 30-60 seconds. I should probably practice patients on the warm up too so I don't ruin my $2800 amp because I don't want to wait 30 seconds :wink:
I have good intentions, but I get in too big of a hurry sometimes and don't want to wait so I do the flip of both switches and hit a chord and listen to my sound "fade in". The cool down thing I'm always pretty good about and I usually wait 30-60 seconds. I should probably practice patients on the warm up too so I don't ruin my $2800 amp because I don't want to wait 30 seconds :wink:no soul
Well-known member
tele_jas said:I'm bad about that
youre wasting your tubes for no good reason.
Good habbit to kill the boredome during warm up is to tune your guitar, or do some warm up scales.
And ScreamingDaisy is right about "cool downs"
I just kill the the thing when Im done.
redmax61
Well-known member
Makes sense to just go ahead and kill it when you shut down. Not to doubt or anything, but does killing power and leaving the standby in the ON position really discharge the caps?
MetalMatt
Well-known member
OH Yea! I plug it in. Standby? whats that!. Turn it on full blast. Hit the biggest, power chords I know. I grap the thing , dont even unplug it! walk to my truck and throw it in the back, like a peice of trash. I have been doing that to my new Road King S-II for a week! Still works!
...
YEA RIGHT!
Man do I baby it. I turn it on (standby), setup/warm up (about ten minutes) then play. When Im done turn it off. I give it another 5 to cool down to move. After the beating it went through, I think she deserves it. :wink:
I even read stories to her be for we, Oh!... I go to bed
...
YEA RIGHT!
Man do I baby it. I turn it on (standby), setup/warm up (about ten minutes) then play. When Im done turn it off. I give it another 5 to cool down to move. After the beating it went through, I think she deserves it. :wink:
I even read stories to her be for we, Oh!... I go to bed
strumminsix
Well-known member
redmax61 said:
Depends on who you ask. There are many people (with electrical training) I know who say that it is better to for a short period of time (15-20 seconds) each way. They say it's like turning on a lightbulb, how many times do we flick one on and then BAM! it blows. As far as cool down goes they say if you haven't played it hard, no real need. But for a show or something give it some time to get to a more chilled temp.
Caps draining with standby or playing a note that fades out, no.
Only 1 way I know, complete the circuit and wait.
jbird
Well-known member
Does the practice of draining the caps after every shutdown prolong they're life :?: Is it necessary if no work is to be done :?:
no soul
Well-known member
best way I know off to discharge caps is this:
disconect the amp from its electrical outlet and and then flick both power and standby switches on. Let it sit like this for a few minutes.
I never do this after playing though, because my gets played constantly so my caps arent at high risk to swelling.
If you are going store your amp for a long period of time, this is a good idea.
Also, whenever you decide to monkey arround with the insides of your amp, its a good way to avoid getting shocked.
disconect the amp from its electrical outlet and and then flick both power and standby switches on. Let it sit like this for a few minutes.
I never do this after playing though, because my gets played constantly so my caps arent at high risk to swelling.
If you are going store your amp for a long period of time, this is a good idea.
Also, whenever you decide to monkey arround with the insides of your amp, its a good way to avoid getting shocked.
strumminsix
Well-known member
No, no, no, no, no, no no. Sorry to sound condescending but that is not only wrong but lethal. The only way to discharge or drain a cap is complete the circuit. The prescribed method above does not do that and it could be lethal to touch a cap after doing that.
Search the web there are plenty of places that describe how to properly do it.
Search the web there are plenty of places that describe how to properly do it.
Lespaulstandard
Active member
strumminsix said:
Thank you, I was hoping someone would correct that on here.
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