How long does it take your tube amp to warm up?


My tube amplifier has about 12 tubes and takes a couple hours for it to open up and sound really good and comfortable to listen to. Always wondered why it takes so long for a tube amplifier to warm up and what’s happening during this phase.

If I left it on for six or seven hours would it sound even better? I normally don’t leave it on for more than four or five hours.

How long does it take your amplifiers to warm up?

emergingsoul

Showing 1 response by orthomead

My VAC gear sounds decent after 5 minutes, but incrementally improves over the next 2 hours.  I warm everything up at once and play LP's that I don't totally engage me or are a new purchase at lower levels for several sides.  The other question is: once warmed up, does it take the same amount of warm up time after it's turned off and restarted to sound superb, or is there residual heat that remains.  Thinking of the scenario of going out to dinner (I never leave my gear on when I'm not home) and then once home again firing the system up again.  I would think that one would "get credit" for earlier play time.