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The everyday use of a tube amp

Hello everybody,
I know this seems to be a stupid question but hey! still have to learn... I am working at home, listening to music all day long. Until now, things were like that :
Day use, SS integrated, tunrned on the morning with the radio or music server, turned off in the evening. Muted when I need to stop the music or during the meals.
In the evening, tube amp and Turntable for 2-3 hours, serious listening or during Fly tying sessions up to late night.
I will build a new system, all tube (Dodd pre and 50Wmonoblocks), so my question is:
Excepted for the tubes that I will have to change often, is there limitations leaving the system turned on 18 hours a day? I think that it is better to leave it and to mute when I need, even for an hour or so, than to turn it on-off and so several times during the day. Thank you for the help!
ovnifou

Showing 1 response by rpf

rpf
76 posts
 
I have the Dodd Mono 50s (which I love) and often run them 10 hours a day. They are a Class A/B design with a standby switch and they do not run particularly hot.

The tubes used are very inexpensive: the output tubes (of which there are only two total) are widely available at $10-20 apiece and the drivers (four total) are about the same ($10-15).

According to Gary Dodd, the tubes should last five years or more with "ordinary" use. I would imagine that would mean about 1000-1500 hours/yr. so you'd need to replace them around once a year with your usage. Definitely change them before they burn out as you could lose a fuse and resistor, or worse, if not. In any event, as a poster above noted, the sound will deteriorate before the tubes give out.

Good luck and enjoy,

Rob
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