Is it OK to leave a tube preamp on all the time?


I just recently purchased a used VTL 2.5 preamp that I'm using along side with an Adcom home theater processor. I've had to do this because I can't find a processor under $2500 that keeps me happy for two channel music. I'm currently going from the Adcom processor front pre outs, to the processor input on the VTL, then out to the amp inputs. I connect only my CD player and turntable to the VTL, and all video sources to the Adcom.

My wife has become very frustrated with this arrangement because it's much too complicated to figure out what to turn on and off, and which volume to adjust- so I've had to constantly leave the unit on and turn until the volume so it's balanced with the centers and rears. Does anyone know if leaving on constantly (but without passing any signal through) shortens the tube life? The logical answer would be yes, but I'd like to know for sure. Or is there another way that I can feed both the VTL preamp and my processor to the amp input without losing sonic quality (like a very high quality Y connector)?

Any advice would be appreciated. I know the easy answer is to get rid of the wife, but that's not an option right now ;)

Thanks!
alouie

Showing 2 responses by sean

If you put a signal through a tube before it reaches operating temperature, you will know it. It sounds HORRIBLE.

Having said that, once you turn on a tube set and the filaments begin to glow, you are ready to operate in well under one minute. Give it a minute just to be sure though. The sound might not be near as good as if you let it idle for a bit longer, but why waste time when you can be listening to tunes ? Try not to "throttle" stone cold tubes though, as this is when you are most likely to do damage to them. That or getting the plates cherry red by overdriving them or having a bias problem.

Keep in mind that this is a broad generalization. Some tube gear might have soft start or circuitry that delays the firing of tubes to minimize in-rush current. Read your manual and go from there. Sean
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