On/Off Switch

Thank you for your response blindjim! You have covered a lot of points here.

If I were building an amp the power switch would be a concern. If I’m not building one, but buying one, altering it would be of no value to me. I mean, why? Why fix something that is not broken?

I am trying to build my own tube amps, and the question about the on/off switch came as part of the parts selection process. I am also tweaking/upgrading my commercial tube monoblocks…

Manufactures decide on what kind, type, and level of power sw they will use in what ever amp they make. 

Yes, and every manufacturer has to do compromises with their design. Sometimes cool design takes priority over good electrical contact and this large LED glowing button with super tiny pins at the end is a winner (and a compromise).

I have not heard too many arguments on $10K or more priced amps power swituches being crap and needing replacement immediately or for that matter, at all..

I agree with you. I have not heard such arguments either. But I also have not heard too many arguments on $10K or more prices amps fuses being crap and needing a replacement immediately... But people replace the fuses and think it's for the better. So my argument is that if a fuse makes a difference, why would not the switch make a difference too? And I am only referring to the on/off switches that are part of the voltage circuit... not those that just command relays... but I will get to that in a little bit.

 I’ve owned mono tube amps that ran $7500 a pr. Which used a $1 toggle switch. They sounded fabulous.

The amps, not the switches. The switches just sounded like ‘click’. Louder if you really put a little something behind it when you flipped them on or off.

Same comment about fuses as above. 

As well, not every ON/OFF sw is seeing full current or remains in the ckt at all times. Some do. Some do not. Relays are used to dispense power about the amp and are a part of many amps ‘soft start’ opwerational system.

You are absolutely right here! I do not think that on/off switches that command relays would make any difference. I should have clarified that.

If one is thinking of how to improve the sound of an amp, maybe it is time to find another amp, well, if it is an SS amp.

Possibly. I use tube amps, not solid state. I have expensive SET monoblocks that sound amazing and don't want to replace. They sounded really good from the factory. But replacing the decent caps they had inside with the top of the line V-Caps made a quite significant difference. Replacing the stock power cord and fuse with better quality made some improvement too. Changing some resistors in the signal path with higher quality and the internal signal path wiring also made an improvement. The thing that bothers me now is the cheap wire that goes from the IEC on the back to the cheap power on/off switch on the front and back to the rear of the amp. I would like to bypass all that, put a 2-way switch near the back of the unit, and use short and better wire. Maybe it would impact the sound, maybe not. As I said in my original post, I think that if a power cord, fuse, power outlet, IEC inlet makes a difference, it sounds logical to me that removing the excess and crappy internal wire and replacing the crappy switch would make a difference...
I like to do all these optimizations before I move on to the next class, which would cost at least 20K more. 

I’d worry about more tangible and meaningful areas to improve the presentation… not swapping out switches. But that’s just me.

Very good point.

If you need the switch in place, consider something like the higher-quality, silver-contact, 2-way toggle switches. Online electrical supply houses often have them. Parts Express might have one or two, I don't know. Also try Goldpoint.

Thank you for the suggestion, Ivan. Parts Express has a couple of decent switches. I would appreciate a heavier duty switch that can accept thicker wire and has a solid contact made from good conductors.  Didn't find a suitable product by Goldpoint.

tommylion207 posts11-01-2017 7:13amI've never tried a higher quality on/off switch, but I just know it can't possibly make a difference in the sound. Just like fuses. Trust me, I read a book about how electricity works, and understood some of it 😉

Tommy - point taken. If fuses don't make a difference, there is no need to discuss the power switch.  

There was a time I did not believe that cables make a difference. And I am not even talking about power cords here... I am talking about speaker cables, interconnects, etc. And guess what? I was right! They did not make a difference in my system at the time. That time is way in the past now. As the resolution of my system was improving, I started to hear what difference various components of my system make. Or maybe my brain is playing tricks with me... but hey, if replacing a fuse does not make any difference in the sound, but tricks my brain to think the sound is better, I would still spend the extra $50. Not to make my system better but to trick my brain :).

I don't want this thread to turn into a fight if power cords or fuses make a difference. There are plenty of threads like that here we can probably read for days... 

What I would like to hear is suggestions for a good quality power switch or if people believe that all those components in the power grid make a difference but the power switch does not, I would like to know why. The fact that I could not find a high-end switch in the typical boutique parts stores for audiophiles suggests that my logic may not be that solid after all.  

toddverrone684 posts11-01-2017 1:56pmIt has actually been discussed on quite a few threads here and the best idea put forward and used by at least one amp manufacturer was to use a circuit breaker in place of the on/off switch and the fuse.

Interesting... Maybe I did not use the right keywords in my search as I could not find any relevant discussions. I will try again. Thanks, Todd.

tommylion208 posts11-01-2017 6:10pmMy previous post was totally tongue-in-cheek. Having some fun with the kind of responses that those of us who do hear differences with these kind of things often get.

You got me! :)