Should an audio system be left on at all times?

Maybe if it's solid state, I wouldn't if it is tubed equipment, why waste the life of the tubes? I never understood what the advantage was to leaving it on. I have tubed equipment that I turn on about an hour before I want to listen to music, that seems to be enough warm up time. Even it I wanted to keep it on, my wife would never feel comfortable leaving the house all day with equipment turned on, afraid of a fire or something to that effect.

Cyclonicman - I don't understand advantage of leaving equipment on all the time either. Other elements of the system - like speakers also need time to warm up (playing time).

Even if Stanwal is right about miniscule effect of time on capacitors (electrolyte evaporation) in low temperatures there is no reason to keep it on - rush current doesn't do anything to capacitors.

I turn my system (class D) on every evening ant turn it off at night. On days of bad weather forecast I unplug it from the wall.

Concerning solid state equipment, there have been endless discussions of this question over the years, concerning audio equipment, computer equipment, and all kinds of other electronic things, with no definitive answers, even among electrical design engineers (I am one, and I've discussed this question with others).

My own feeling is that the answer will be dependent on the design of the particular item, both the circuit design and the characteristics and quality of the particular parts that are chosen. Doing an analysis to definitively answer the question even for one particular design would be a formidable task, and could only be done if complete documentation on the design were available.

My bottom line suggestion for solid state gear is simply a common sense one -- if you use it frequently (e.g., two sessions or perhaps even one session per day) leave it on all the time; if you don't use it frequently turn it off.

Regards,
-- Al

The issue is indeed temperature related more so than anything else. maintaining a constant ambient temperature. in the sixties (or close to it) will extend the life of either tubes or Ss amps... and they can be left on forever.

Other considerations do play parts though too. As was mentioned, controling power surges & spikes or brownouts is important for sure.

In the military we left much of the electronics on continuously... operating in a very cool ambient temp. I don't recall a tube or SS component failure of any great significance. periodic cleaning and testing of the tubes were the only prerequisites. We tested different tubes at varying intervals. outputs were once a year.

Leaving equipment unattended and powered up indefinitely in one's home however, could well be a problem just waiting to happen. Common sense is required to protect one's investment. We don't all have pockets as deep as the Govt's. I believe that's the variable which forces us to be more conservative thinking when we see the 'always on' OR 'as needed' powering up debate.

If you are going to use it routinely, can control the environments temperature, invest some time to periodic cleaning, and testing of the tubes at given intervals, as well as attend to verying power insurgencies, leaving it or them on is not a problem affecting greatly the life expectancy. Electronics do seem to enjoy a steady state of electricity more so than an intermittent one.

In either case though, just how long a thing will last, or if it will last longer is more predicated upon the topology and build than these other factors.

All that being said I've got a receiver I've had now for 8+ years. For nearly a year it was shelved and kept off. otherwise, I've used it nearly everday, and certainly each week at least. I turn it on as needed. it just went into the service center for a repair. An IC chip was the issue... not caps or transformers. The IC being replaced apparently had something to do with regulating power to whereever and as needed for startup. it was popping shortly after initial power up, and might have damaged the speakers if left alone. Reportedly, it is OK now.

According to some makers of amps, eg., Odyssey, it is recommended they remain on 100% of the time. For the most part mine does. Although I do have to shut it off now and then when reconfiguring other things and it does take more than 30 mins to get back to acting right again following powering down.

BTW.... I've an older PC that is 10 now, and only goes off during a lightening storm. it's working fine, and requires only a clean install of the OS about once a year.

Electronics fails, most of the time, when you turn it on. Always leave your SS stuff on if you are concerned about longevity.