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Lifespan of Power amps

What is a reasonable amount of time a power amp should perform without trouble, or need replaced? If kept in good, clean condition I'm guessing 20-25 years, is this correct? I have an 18 year old power amp and am just trying to figure how long it will be until I will need a new one. Does anyone think the technology is the same today as it would have been 18 years ago for amplifiers?
fruff1976

Showing 3 responses by atmasphere

atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,632 posts
 
Electrolytic Capacitors are a fact of life in amplifiers, tube or solid state. They last about 20-25 years, which is a sort of half-life, IOW about half of them will be bad in about 20-25 years. Unlike radioactive isotopes, though, the rest will be following soon after. By 30 years they all should be replaced without question.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,632 posts
 
No- connectors, switches and controls are subject to corrosion and transistors can develop leakage and other issues due to the same. There seems to be no free lunch.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,632 posts
 
Sirspeedy, the effects of corrosion can be reduced by proper care. The tin plate on a good tube socket for example can reliably last for 30-40 years. OTOH if you store it in the basement or the garage where it can be attacked by humidity or moisture, the life of the connectors and filter capacitors can be really shortened.

If you stored a Martin (never a good thing for a string instrument as you know) it would suffer too. What's the saying? there's no free lunch? no free cigar?
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