Can you run your amp too long?

[aaronious]

I recently got a hartke lh500 and an ampeg 4x10. Also I'm off work for a month. All I do is practice. All day everyday. I have another rig I can use but this one's new( to me) and loud and it sounds amazing.

What I want to know is, if I'm playing at low to medium volume for 3-4 hours at a time through several stretches a day. Am I gonna blow my rig up? Or my ears for that matter, that's less of a concern though, I really don't play that loud. Except the first day

Should I switch amps throughout the day? Or am I being overly concerned about nothing?

 

[tkonbass]

No it's what they're designed to do.

 

[sprag]

back in the day I lent my amp to a mate running a dance party so he could get a bit more low end without hiring more PA gear. ran all night at moderate volume and I still haven't had an issue with it 15 years on. as long as the fan (assuming it has one) is running it shouldn't be a problem

 

[agedhorse]

Depends on the quality of the design and construction of the amp.

For a good quality amp, I would expect between 10 and 20,000 hours of operation before trouble (on the average)

 

[StyleOverShow]

Yeah, I was going to say that it is a lifetime measured in hours and you are playing them, which is good.

I don't play enough everyday through an amp and I wish I could, thinking about it now. Just for the gestalt of it all. I play DI at a studio mostly although I spend long hours with my upright which incidentally sounds better when EQ'd and amplified.

I used to feel bad when I left amp on at lockout for days. That hurt.

 

[Munjibunga]

Depends on the quality of the design and construction of the amp.

For a good quality amp, I would expect between 10 and 20,000 hours of operation before trouble (on the average)

That's a pretty wide range.

 

[sobie18]

If you play a lot of wrong notes, they will build up residue and blockage to your ideal sound. Gotta blow out the carbon with some good stuff...

 

[aaronious]

So keep on doing what I'm doing. Thanks guys.

 

[BassmanPaul]

So keep on doing what I'm doing. Thanks guys.

No!!!! With all that practicing you should be doing it better!!

 

[aaronious]

No!!!! With all that practicing you should be doing it better!!

I am!!! I'm even starting to realize that hey, maybe I don't completely suck!

 

[Nev375]

Depends on the quality of the design and construction of the amp.

For a good quality amp, I would expect between 10 and 20,000 hours of operation before trouble (on the average)

I'm definitely over the 10 hour mark. Proceeding wth caution from here on out.

 

[agedhorse]

Of course, that's 10,000 to 20,000 hours

 

[Passinwind]

Of course, that's 10,000 to 20,000 hours

Where's the fun in that though?

 

[Pyrat]

burn-in on a lot of electronic gear(ie, before it leaves the factory) is usually 48hrs or more...you should be alright~

 

[Joe Nerve]

Whelp... I have a Roland Micro Cube that I've left on for weeks at a time. It's about 10 years old now, I use it every single day, leave it on often (I'm half deaf, don't hear it, and therefore forget to shut it), and never had a single issue.

 

[nashvillebill]

burn-in on a lot of electronic gear(ie, before it leaves the factory) is usually 48hrs or more...

Not true by any means. TV's, cell phones, whatever, they are made on an assembly line and put directly in the box, never powered on.

 

[tubedude]

You'd have to ask your neighbors or family.

 

[hsech]

If you gig often, the average gig is 3 to 4 hours. Your amp is a tool of the trade. Don't abuse it and it will last.

 

[aaronious]

You'd have to ask your neighbors or family.

I'm fortunate that my neighbors are deaf, so is one of my roommates and the other couldn't care less.

 

[SirMjac28]

Not true by any means. TV's, cell phones, whatever, they are made on an assembly line and put directly in the box, never powered on.

.
So there's no QC control? Apple just crosses their fingers and hopes their iPads work once they leave the factory without turning them on at least once? the testing period may not be long but I would imagine any company producing mid to high level electronics has a testing period of some kind.