Stupid tube amp questions - STANDBY switch?

[Ace]

Re: Stupid tube amp questions - STANDBY switch?

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When turning your amp off, I have been led to believe that there is no reason to use the standby, and that it is safe to just turn it off. Pete's suggestion that flipping the standby switch so that it is in the correct position when you turn it on again, makes perfect sense though. I use the same procedure with my Blue Voodoo.

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That is what I've heard as well. That the reverse procedure exists solely to make the turn-on sequence (the next time you turn on the amp) start out in the correct config.

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Yes that's true. Flip your amp straight on a few times while the standby is off and soon you'll follow the same procedure.

[Fragle]

Re: Stupid tube amp questions - STANDBY switch?

i always turn it on with the standby engaged...just like everyone else already said [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] i turn the power off first before switching to standby when turning the amp off, though....just flip the standby to on right after the amp turned off, so you don't accidentally forget it.

[thurston]

Re: Stupid tube amp questions - STANDBY switch?

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i always turn it on with the standby engaged...just like everyone else already said [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] i turn the power off first before switching to standby when turning the amp off, though....just flip the standby to on right after the amp turned off, so you don't accidentally forget it.

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I do the same thing. Power off first, let everything shut down before I flip the standby switch. I may have read somewhere this allows some of the caps to discharge, but I may have also made that up.

[toejam]

Re: Stupid tube amp questions - STANDBY switch?

Actually, I've always heard you should shut the standby off first and then the power... just the opposite way of turning it on.

[thurston]

Re: Stupid tube amp questions - STANDBY switch?

I can't see how it would make much difference. Using the standby switch to power on really just heats up the tubes before you hit them with the full voltage.

EDIT: Here's the article where I got my info

[Emthrax]

Re: Stupid tube amp questions - STANDBY switch?

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Actually, I've always heard you should shut the standby off first and then the power... just the opposite way of turning it on.

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Yes, I agree Jam. That's what I said too. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
Works for me, so far. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Fragle]

Re: Stupid tube amp questions - STANDBY switch?

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i always turn it on with the standby engaged...just like everyone else already said [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] i turn the power off first before switching to standby when turning the amp off, though....just flip the standby to on right after the amp turned off, so you don't accidentally forget it.

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I do the same thing. Power off first, let everything shut down before I flip the standby switch. I may have read somewhere this allows some of the caps to discharge, but I may have also made that up.

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well, i heared the exact same thing, so there should be some truth in it [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[yabba]

Re: Stupid tube amp questions - STANDBY switch?

semi-related question: can you swap preamp tubes with amp powered on, but on standby?

(I've always turned it off, but trying out different tubes would certainly be easier/quicker if you could just go to standby)

[Hyperfuzz]

Re: Stupid tube amp questions - STANDBY switch?

I boil my standby switch for a good 3 minutes before I even turn it on....but that's just me. Results may vary. [img]/images/graemlins/brow.gif[/img]

[YetAnotherOne]

Re: Stupid tube amp questions - STANDBY switch?

Under no circumstances should you try what the kid who bought my 2:90 did: plug your speaker cab into the footswitch jack, turn both volumes to "10", and flip both power & standby on at once. Rumor has it that you'll hear an absolutely deafening screech for a split second followed by complete silence as your tubes blow.

Whatever procedure you use to power up your tube amp it's almost certainly going to be better than that one. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Ace]

Re: Stupid tube amp questions - STANDBY switch?

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semi-related question: can you swap preamp tubes with amp powered on, but on standby?

(I've always turned it off, but trying out different tubes would certainly be easier/quicker if you could just go to standby)

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I wouldn't. Besides that there is probably current going through them, they will be hot enough to burn you good and fragile from the heat. If you wanna A/B them try recording them both and comparing them on tape(or WAV or CD or whatever your using).

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: Stupid tube amp questions - STANDBY switch?

Thanks for the tips folks. Scored a Mesa DC-2 this morning. Details/photos when it arrives of course. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]