Leave it on?

@mulveling  Yeah I tend to agree.  My preamp is from Linear Tube Audio and it’s hard to think they’d engineer something that’s capable of blowing my speakers no matter how it’s used, but still I’m gonna check just to make sure.  Peace of mind, better safe than sorry, etc.  

@larryi  Thanks!  Very helpful and just the info I was looking for.  I’ll contact my preamp manufacturer and ask them. 

Here’s a question — I relatively recently required a tube preamp.  I like to keep my amp and all components on and could leave the rube pre on too because the tubes last a long time and are cheap. The question is if I leave my amp and source components on and turn the preamp off is that a potential issue?  I know you’re always supposed to turn the pre on before the amp, but that’s when starting with everything off. I’m thinking it should be fine since the amp is already on but just wanted thoughts if any potential problems doing this. 

What if your amps don’t even have an on/off switch, just an IEC?!  I just leave them powered up all the time.  SMc Audio now uses thermal-magnetic switches (think Swiss Digital Fuse Box) that serves the purposes of both equipment protection (i.e., fuse) and on/off switch.  After sourcing two of them from SMc, I mounted them in-line, in the wall, one for each amp and replaced the line fuses in both amps with copper rod.  At least I can now turn the amps on/off without unplugging them.

@mitch2 Nice. I’m jealous of your magnetic switches.  My upgraded DNA 0.5 has the power switch disconnected so I’ve gotta unplug my amp to turn it off.  But I leave it on all the time anyway, unless I’m going away for at least a few days, so it’s no biggie but still it’d be nice to have the power switch working.  BTW, Patrick at SMcAudio said I probably prolonged the life of my amp by years by leaving it on.   All I know is the thing lasted 30 years with me leaving it on.

McCormack recommends leaving it on all the time.  I did this and my amp lasted 30 years, and it’s always warmed up and ready to listen to immediately.  Think about it — light bulbs mostly blow out when you turn them on.  Capacitors and other components constantly going from cold to warm just can’t be good. Unless you’ve got a tube or class A amp I’d just leave it on.