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Turning volume off before shutting off amp?

C

ckunke002

Oct 13, 2012
20
0
Portland Oregon
#1
I just recieved my first bass amp, unfortunately still without a bass :bawl: The search continues..

Anyways, i was just flipping through the instructions for a second (I know, what's the point in reading an instruction manual with a practice amp?i don't have the answer really). Something stuck me as sort of odd however, it says to turn the volume to 0 when turning amp on or off. What could be the reason for recommending that?

Sorry for the stupid question, i'm just a curious guy :D
 
#3
Always, with any gear. It's a pet peeve of mine.

It at least makes sure nothing else hooked up in the system gets sent to your speakers. It's not onpy better for your speakers, it's also much more professional. No loud pops, thumps, hisses or squeals when you're messing with your gear in front of an audience and are supposed to be looking and sounding professional up there.

Same reason the poweramps in your PA are always the last on, first off, again with the volumes rolled all the way down.

No gear, no matter what it is, gets turned on or off with any volume up....ya hear?:p
 
#5
will33 said:
Always, with any gear. It's a pet peeve of mine.

It at least makes sure nothing else hooked up in the system gets sent to your speakers. It's not onpy better for your speakers, it's also much more professional. No loud pops, thumps, hisses or squeals when you're messing with your gear in front of an audience and are supposed to be looking and sounding professional up there.

Same reason the poweramps in your PA are always the last on, first off, again with the volumes rolled all the way down.

No gear, no matter what it is, gets turned on or off with any volume up....ya hear?:p
Click to expand...

Makes more sense now, I turned it off with the volume and gain and everything at normal levels then saw that in the manual and was just curious. Thanks all!
 
#12
pfft :rolleyes:

take care when turning it on (to make sure that the rest of the rig is already on so there's no thump when the other stuff gets switched on), but turning it off? i don't buy it.

also, plugging or unplugging the cable from the amp is fine when it's on, as the amp's input jack shorts out, silencing the amp. you don't want to plug or unplug at the other end when it's on, or you get thumps and racket (and dirty looks from bandmates).
 
#13
walterw said:
pfft :rolleyes:

take care when turning it on (to make sure that the rest of the rig is already on so there's no thump when the other stuff gets switched on), but turning it off? i don't buy it.

also, plugging or unplugging the cable from the amp is fine when it's on, as the amp's input jack shorts out, silencing the amp. you don't want to plug or unplug at the other end when it's on, or you get thumps and racket (and dirty looks from bandmates).
Click to expand...

Watch the woofer cone in a stereo system using old equipment when you turn it off- Phase Linear and other DC-coupled amps would cause the cone to move out slowly, then in, as the filter caps discharged. They didn't use relays in
a protection circuit and let everything go to the speakers.

Also, I never underestimate someone's ability to find and use the wrong part when they need to replace something that should have been one specific item, including not using a shorting jack when they tear the guts out of the original one on their amp or effect.
 
#16
Old guy who taught me how to under over roll a cable, without putting kinks into it, also told me to always turn down input gain so it doesn't momentarily amplify a dead short as you pull out the cable. He said this gives the preamp hell. From what I'm reading this isn't so but I'll keep turning everything down always before unplugging.
 
#17
1958Bassman said:
Watch the woofer cone in a stereo system using old equipment when you turn it off- Phase Linear and other DC-coupled amps would cause the cone to move out slowly, then in, as the filter caps discharged. They didn't use relays in
a protection circuit and let everything go to the speakers.

Also, I never underestimate someone's ability to find and use the wrong part when they need to replace something that should have been one specific item, including not using a shorting jack when they tear the guts out of the original one on their amp or effect.
Click to expand...
Downunderwonder said:
Old guy who taught me how to under over roll a cable, without putting kinks into it, also told me to always turn down input gain so it doesn't momentarily amplify a dead short as you pull out the cable. He said this gives the preamp hell.
Click to expand...
both valid concerns with old stuff, but most amps you find these days don't have those issues.

if you don't hear thumps, etc, they're not happening, and you can stop worrying about it (as long as you still remember the amp as "last on, first off" in any signal chain).
 
#19
Mykk said:
I always roll master volumes off before turning off an amp. Aside from hopefully avoiding any popping sounds it also forces you to listen and reset your levels next time you jam with the band.
Click to expand...

Besides probably being easier on my speakers, I always figured that rolling off the master volume before shutting off an amp also helps prevent any mishaps while turning it back on the next time - although I'm also in the habit of checking that before turning on any amp...


- georgestrings
 
#20
true enough! not so much about mystery thumps from the amp as you accidentally blasting out a way-too-loud note.

i do indeed turn my bass rig power amp all the way down before turning it on for that reason; turning it off, i don't worry about it.
 

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