It is now bad to let your tubes warm up before playing

[maddnotez]

Correct me if I'm wrong but is this guy smoking crack?

I can kind of see the bit about no standby switch but not letting tubes warm up? So I'm supposed to just turn on my amp and blast it right away cold and loud?

GTFO. Isn't the owner of this page a RT member? Wtf are you posting? Again, correct me if I'm wrong please.

http://www.wiredguitarist.com/2016/11/1 ... struction/

 

[Chester Nimitz]

You basically destroy the plate coatings on your tubes blasting them cold with 440vdc.

Will it work ? Yeah, is it good for your tubes, no not really. Especially if they're 40 years old and you really like them.

A tube has heater filament for a reason.

Thats why push/pull amps have a standby.

 

[MetalHeadMike]

I'll stick to the instructions given in my owners manual. Warm the amp up in standby for at least 30 sec before playing thank you.

 

[Chester Nimitz]

If its on the internet it must be true ...

 

[maddnotez]

Seriously, LOL

Well thanks for the replies. Keep them coming, I am trying to compile a list of reasons of why this site should stop posting articles like this.

Amp builders and modders please chime in as well.

 

[maddnotez]

If its on the internet it must be true ...

WOW man that is gold and it almost freaking happened.

 

[SpiderWars]

This isn't new and has been debated ever since I got into modding/building in the late 90s. I'm sure it goes way back before that. It's generally not an issue but I still use them to turn an amp on. From what I remember, all this poisoning/stripping usually just doesn't happen in guitar amps. It probably doesn't matter much either way.

I did buy a modded amp that had 2 each 100uF bias caps (Marshall uses 10uF) and they took a long time to charge up so I guess that could be an issue in some amps.

 

[maddnotez]

Oh well, I left their FB group.

Some of the owners there are thick headed.

My problem with the whole thing is that it reeks of today's media practices. The title says It is bad to warm up your tubes. But then in the actual article it focuses on if a standby switch is needed or not.

Completely different and misleading. On top of that their own reference links have a few bits where guys are saying to let your tubes warm up for a minute.

Then one of the asshat group owners starts arguing when I call post about it trying to make himself look good and references how Mike Fortin says this and that but yet, why does Mike Fortin have a standby switch? Why does Mike Fortin in his own manual say to turn on the amp, set the knobs and get everything ready for a minute and THEN turn on the switch to play?

It is complete bullshit. I can't remember who it is here but one of the RT members owns that website and should really have better titles that are not so misleading.

 

[ghosty999]

I don't understand why you'd want to get rid of a standby switch?

I rely on mine all the time for plugging in and out of the amp without destroying anyones ears, that almost makes it seem extremely important... not redundant?

 

[maddnotez]

I don't understand why you'd want to get rid of a standby switch?

I rely on mine all the time for plugging in and out of the amp without destroying anyones ears, that almost makes it seem extremely important... not redundant?

In THEIR defense, could just turn down your master volume before you unplug.

My issue isn't about the switch at all. It is them saying it is bad to warm up your tubes and also that being the title but not even touching on that.

That is like me writing an article with a title saying New Discovery, using a wound third will break your guitar and then having the article talk about Nylon strings.

 

[GuitarGuyLP]

I didn't read the article, the title sounds too much like click bait to me. I do remember reading that the standby switch is only really needed in RF transmitters, and X-ray tubes where your running a couple KV not just a couple hundred volts. That said I still use mine especially when switching cabs etc. I have never seen a vintage radio with a standby switch

 

[slyym]

You basically destroy the plate coatings on your tubes blasting them cold with 440vdc.

Will it work ? Yeah, is it good for your tubes, no not really. Especially if they're 40 years old and you really like them.

A tube has heater filament for a reason.

Thats why push/pull amps have a standby.

I thought that you don't get any voltage until the tubes warm up any way. You only blast the plates with full voltage when you let the tubes warm up on stand by and then flip stand by off.

 

[FourT6and2]

You basically destroy the plate coatings on your tubes blasting them cold with 440vdc.

Will it work ? Yeah, is it good for your tubes, no not really. Especially if they're 40 years old and you really like them.

A tube has heater filament for a reason.

Thats why push/pull amps have a standby.

I thought that you don't get any voltage until the tubes warm up any way. You only blast the plates with full voltage when you let the tubes warm up on stand by and then flip stand by off.

That's actually correct. So in a way, you can damage the tubes (or shorten their life) be going from standby to play. Because you're hitting the tubes with full voltage. But the tube is already warm. So it's a draw.

You will get some cathode poisoning if you leave your amp in standby for an extended period of time. Like... days at a time. So that's sort of a moot point because nobody does that.

Standby or no standby, your amp will work just fine either way. I use the Standby as a mute switch. Or when changing between cabs with the amp on.

 

[NinjaRaf]

I agree...that article is click bait like a mofo. I read it this morning and was sort of thinking along the same lines...wtf are these guys even talking about?

 

[SpiderWars]

I may be wrong on the terminology but I thought the hot switching referred to in the article was more about how the power supply is wired. In Fenders, the first bank of filter caps (for the OT center tap) is charged when you turn the amp on. Then when you flip the SB switch the rest of the amp gets the juice. In Marshalls, the ON/OFF switch just turn on the filaments and doesn't charge any of the filter caps until you flip the SB switch. Then there is a big inrush of current to charge all the filters while the amp is actually running. This is what I thought hot switching meant. Not really a problem in a SS rectified PS but it can be unfriendly to rectifier tubes.

My tube rectified Rocket (my sig pic) has a SB switch but the first bank of filters are charged in standby.

 

[GuitarGuyLP]

You will get voltage on the plates right away, but no current because the heater has not emitted enough electrons yet. That is why the volume will start off quiet when you first power on without using standby.

 

[andross182]

While I do agree with the line about guitarists being resistant to change, this is not one change I will make.

 

[maddnotez]

You basically destroy the plate coatings on your tubes blasting them cold with 440vdc.

Will it work ? Yeah, is it good for your tubes, no not really. Especially if they're 40 years old and you really like them.

A tube has heater filament for a reason.

Thats why push/pull amps have a standby.

I thought that you don't get any voltage until the tubes warm up any way. You only blast the plates with full voltage when you let the tubes warm up on stand by and then flip stand by off.

That's actually correct. So in a way, you can damage the tubes (or shorten their life) be going from standby to play. Because you're hitting the tubes with full voltage. But the tube is already warm. So it's a draw.

You will get some cathode poisoning if you leave your amp in standby for an extended period of time. Like... days at a time. So that's sort of a moot point because nobody does that.

Standby or no standby, your amp will work just fine either way. I use the Standby as a mute switch. Or when changing between cabs with the amp on.

Right but sticking to the suggestion of the title. Standby switching aside. Warming up your tubes is bad? Seems like Chester's reply made more sense.

 

[GuitarGuyLP]

Keep in mind that inside a tube is a vacuum, and with no heater current there is no flow of electricity. You can have a very high voltage with no problems at all. It is current flow that wears a tube unless you are talking about a 150,000 VDC X-ray tube. The electrons hit the anode hard enough to do some damage, but for the most part even in large tubes the thing that wears them out are heat cycles, and current output. Keeping your amp on standby when you are taking a break will keep the tubes warm, and extend their life that way.

 

[Chester Nimitz]

When you measure plate voltage it's 440vdc on the "plates" not amps.

Rectifiers convert ac to dc regardless of amps.

Im quite sure if you grab the right pinout on a power tube as you turn on the "power" your going to get 440vdc sandwich regardless if the heaters are hot enough. Thats because Capacitors store a charge.

My wall sockets have 115/230VAC ready to go without any "volume".

Caps are always ready unless drained.