Warming Up Tubes

trevschultz · #1 03-29-2011, 10:28 AM

I just got my first tube amp. Have you ever had an amp be farty when it hasn't warmed up all the way? I mean I know people always say that tubes sound sweeter the longer you let them warm up but will the amp actually distort if you don't give them enough time?

Electricblue · #2 03-29-2011, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trevschultz

I just got my first tube amp. Have you ever had an amp be farty when it hasn't warmed up all the way? I mean I know people always say that tubes sound sweeter the longer you let them warm up but will the amp actually distort if you don't give them enough time?

I suppose you could try it. Dont try it yet though, wait until you get the OK from somebody who is confident with tube amps. But i shouldnt think it would hurt it.

BassmanPaul · #3 03-29-2011, 10:52 AM

All tube amps distort while they are warming up and there isn't enough current flow for normal operation.

AwkwardLoudness · #4 03-29-2011, 11:10 AM

Tubes will distort (when dialed in for cleans) for the first few seconds or so if they're totally cold. I always leave tube amps in standby mode for at least a minute after turning on the heater filaments. Otherwise, the tubes will wear out much faster. The tone will sweeten up a little bit after playing for 30 to 60 minutes....but it's very subtle.

zenlowend · #5 03-29-2011, 11:23 AM

I leave my amp in standby warming up before we play. Depending on what slot we have and when we start our set. If we are opening I usually leave mine in standby warming up after we load in. If we are headlining I will hop on stage with our opener and put it in standby. Then When its time for us to go on my amp is warm and full of tone gooeyness.

kranahan · #6 03-29-2011, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zenlowend

I leave my amp in standby warming up before we play. Depending on what slot we have and when we start our set. If we are opening I usually leave mine in standby warming up after we load in. If we are headlining I will hop on stage with our opener and put it in standby. Then When its time for us to go on my amp is warm and full of tone gooeyness.

+ 1

Remember to try to let it cool down in standby as well.

username1 · #7 03-29-2011, 12:26 PM

I've found 30 seconds to 1 min is all thats needed on my svt. I've found the tone doesnt change a bit leaving it warm up longer.

okcrum · #8 03-29-2011, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by username1

I've found 30 seconds to 1 min is all thats needed on my svt. I've found the tone doesn't change a bit leaving it warm up longer.

+1. That's the way the tubes are designed to warm up. Any more and you're just putting time on the filaments.

panama · #9 03-29-2011, 01:45 PM

I turn my amp on when I get to the jam space and by the time I've hooked up a pedal or two, plugged in, tuned, took a swig of beer it's ready to go.

Same routine at a gig.

BassmanPaul · #10 03-29-2011, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kranahan

+ 1

Remember to try to let it cool down in standby as well.

Why on earth would you want to do that??? If you are in standby with the power on the amp will never cool down. There is so much complete and utter crap out there about tube amps as if they are some mystical thing.

You set the amp up and when you are ready to play you switch it on. It takes a few seconds to warm up and you are ready to play. When your set is over you switch it off. Repeat for the rest of the night.

When you are done you switch it iff, pack it up and go home. There really isn't anything more to it than that.

panama · #11 03-29-2011, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassmanPaul

Why on earth would you want to do that??? If you are in standby with the power on the amp will never cool down. There is so much complete and utter crap out there about tube amps as if they are some mystical thing.

You set the amp up and when you are ready to play you switch it on. It takes a few seconds to warm up and you are ready to play. When your set is over you switch it off. Repeat for the rest of the night.

When you are done you switch it iff, pack it up and go home. There really isn't anything more to it than that.

LOL

GBassNorth · #12 03-29-2011, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassmanPaul

Why on earth would you want to do that??? If you are in standby with the power on the amp will never cool down. There is so much complete and utter crap out there about tube amps as if they are some mystical thing.

You set the amp up and when you are ready to play you switch it on. It takes a few seconds to warm up and you are ready to play. When your set is over you switch it off. Repeat for the rest of the night.

When you are done you switch it iff, pack it up and go home. There really isn't anything more to it than that.

Seriously, is this correct?
I've always powered on my SVT in standby, let run for a couple of minutes then plugged in my bass and flipped standby switch to run. Always sounds good. On shut down, I've always reversed that order and flipped my standby on, then after a few seconds disconnected my bass then after a couple of minutes turned the amp power off.
My tubes are at least 8 years old and see something in the range of 12 to 24 on hours a week.

lem8r · #13 03-29-2011, 02:22 PM

Plates need to be warmed up too with idle current.

BurningSkies · #14 03-29-2011, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GBassNorth

Seriously, is this correct?
I've always powered on my SVT in standby, let run for a couple of minutes then plugged in my bass and flipped standby switch to run. Always sounds good. On shut down, I've always reversed that order and flipped my standby on, then after a few seconds disconnected my bass then after a couple of minutes turned the amp power off.
My tubes are at least 8 years old and see something in the range of 12 to 24 on hours a week.

Yes, Paul is correct, as he pretty much always is with tube amp questions. If you're 'warming' your tubes before playing for more than about 30 seconds, you're just wasting power. If you're warming down (?) your tubes after you'r done, you're once again just wasting power. They'll cool off on their own just fine.

Mr. Foxen · #15 03-29-2011, 02:49 PM

Cooling down with the standby is a good habit to be in, regardless of the cool down reason. It means you can't put signal through valves with the heaters off, which does the same damage as playing through before they've warmed up.

okcrum · #16 03-29-2011, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lem8r

Plates need to be warmed up too with idle current.

No. This is pure myth.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Foxen

Cooling down with the standby is a good habit to be in, regardless of the cool down reason. It means you can't put signal through valves with the heaters off, which does the same damage as playing through before they've warmed up.

No. A couple more myths. You don't cool the amp down in standby, you merely keep it hot, as Paul said. You don't damage a receiving type tube (that includes common audio power tubes) by applying plate voltage before the filament warms up.

BassmanPaul · #17 03-29-2011, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Foxen

Cooling down with the standby is a good habit to be in, regardless of the cool down reason. It means you can't put signal through valves with the heaters off, which does the same damage as playing through before they've warmed up.

Which does absolutely nothing as the tubes are not warmed up enough to pass a signal. Therefore no damage!. Honestly where is all this stuff coming from???

metron · #18 03-29-2011, 03:39 PM

Not really. Playing through cold tubes doesnt damage them because they arent conducting. Applying high voltage to a cold tube is the problem and thats why you warm them up briefly in standby. Putting an amp in standby before power down isnt necessary. Since current is on the filaments in standby they dont really cool down anyway. Actually it is useful if your amp pops loudly when turned off like my peavey classic 400 did.

Edit: man you guys are fast!

BassmanPaul · #19 03-29-2011, 03:50 PM

The bigger problem is having a hot cathode, which is suppling electrons, that have nowhere to go as there is no B+. That can and does wear out your tubes prematurely.

okcrum · #20 03-29-2011, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by metron

Not really. Playing through cold tubes doesnt damage them because they arent conducting. Applying high voltage to a cold tube is the problem and thats why you warm them up briefly in standby. Putting an amp in standby before power down isnt necessary. Since current is on the filaments in standby they dont really cool down anyway. Actually it is useful if your amp pops loudly when turned off like my peavey classic 400 did.

I'm sorry, no on the applying voltage to cold tubes. If you're talking very large transmitting tubes, yes. Otherwise, no. There isn't enough voltage applied to cause any problems to an undamaged tube.

Remember, they never put standby switches on tube stereos or TVs, and those ran just fine.