Your experience is one we've heard about fairly often.
If you're not planning to use the amp for a few hours, you can totally turn it off. No need to run at a reduced voltage- that will slowly eat the tubes. But it is a good idea to do the slow start.
There are motorized variacs that can maintain output voltage as the AC line fluctuates.
Its also pretty normal and a bit unsettling to see the bias variations, but the amp is known for that. I've been told a number of times by customers that you have to keep an eye on it.
The 6C33 power tube has a very high transconductance number and it is affected by heat- it can get into a sort of thermal runaway if it gets hot enough. I'd be conservative about the bias if I were you!
If you're not planning to use the amp for a few hours, you can totally turn it off. No need to run at a reduced voltage- that will slowly eat the tubes. But it is a good idea to do the slow start.
There are motorized variacs that can maintain output voltage as the AC line fluctuates.
Its also pretty normal and a bit unsettling to see the bias variations, but the amp is known for that. I've been told a number of times by customers that you have to keep an eye on it.
The 6C33 power tube has a very high transconductance number and it is affected by heat- it can get into a sort of thermal runaway if it gets hot enough. I'd be conservative about the bias if I were you!