Questions about valve amps

stu

I just got myself a full valve amp so I kind of have a question. Im still getting used to the stand by switch so Im often putting it on stand by and after a few minutes then when I want to turn it off I end up putting the stand by switch back on (dont laugh!). So my questiong is, do I need to leave it on stand by for a few minutes again or can I switch it off?

My other question is, if I hit the power switch instead of the stand by switch when turning it off, should I put it back on and switch it to stand by or is it too late?

matta

Stu,

Not a silly question at all! Firstly understand WHY the standby switch is there.

Tubes need time to warm up, which is the role of the filaments/heaters, they warm the tubes and agitate the electrons getting them unsettled and moving about inside the tube, in the old days we used tube rectifiers, these too had filaments, so the WHOLE amp would warm up together... BUT when we switched to solid-state rectifiers the flow of electrons from the High Voltage line was instantaneous, hitting the tubes wiith voltages over +300VDC, under daily conditions this wears the tubes down and can lead to what is known as cathode stripping.

Now to over come this the STANDBY switch was introduced, effectively cutting off the High Voltage supply from the tubes, while allowing the filaments to still warm up, in much the same way tube rectifiers did.

SO the correct operation is when turning an amp on from a cold start, turn the POWER switch on, while leaving the amp in STANDBY mode. Allow the amp a few minutes to warm up and then switch the STANDBY switch into PLAY mode... simple.

Turning the amp off is not as big an issue, you can just turn the POWER switch off, then switch the amp to STANDBY so that when you next turn the amp on the amp is in STANDBY mode.

STANDBY is also useful when you are gigging and want to keep the amp warm while taking a break between sets, you just switch the amp to STANDBY and then back to PLAY mode when you are ready to jam again.

I hope that helps!!!

Cheers

Matt

[deleted]

joel wrote

Another valve noob question............My Hotrod Deluxe is very loud ?..I'm using it at the very lowest volume setting possible.......is this bad for the amp to use it continuously at this low volume ?? :-[

It is bad. Amps want to be cranked. Furniture likes to move around the room. Windows like to have their putty tested. Dogs across town want to bark.

I think you should form a support group with an equally miserable Hotrod owner, Francis Viviers, whose neighbours' coffee cups slide across their table just from the valve hiss when he turns it on.

aja

Stratisfear wrote
joel wrote

Another valve noob question............My Hotrod Deluxe is very loud ?..I'm using it at the very lowest volume setting possible.......is this bad for the amp to use it continuously at this low volume ?? :-[
It is bad. Amps want to be cranked. Furniture likes to move around the room. Windows like to have their putty tested. Dogs across town want to bark.

I think you should form a support group with an equally miserable Hotrod owner, Francis Viviers, whose neighbours' coffee cups slide across their table just from the valve hiss when he turns it on.

HAHA! :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:

FatBoy

I don't believe it is bad for the amp to play at low volumes, but valves amps generally give better tone when cranked up.

To avoid blowing your eardrums or having your neighbours declare war on you, get a speaker attenuator, which lowers the volume coming out of the speaker, while the tone is still awesome.

Graeme Parfett , a forum member, developed the Tube Tamer which he sells, have a look here http://www.tubetamer.co.za/

Ray

Is it bad to drive a fast car slowly? No, but it is wrong. PLAY LOUD!

FenderBender

+1 Fritz

The amp will suffer no damage at low volumes, but you will not get much of the benefit of using a valve amp.
The neighbours might complain and cause you to suffer damage at high volumes though ?

ezietsman

Stratisfear wrote
joel wrote

Another valve noob question............My Hotrod Deluxe is very loud ?..I'm using it at the very lowest volume setting possible.......is this bad for the amp to use it continuously at this low volume ?? :-[
It is bad. Amps want to be cranked. Furniture likes to move around the room. Windows like to have their putty tested. Dogs across town want to bark.

I think you should form a support group with an equally miserable Hotrod owner, Francis Viviers, whose neighbours' coffee cups slide across their table just from the valve hiss when he turns it on.

This is only really funny until you have owned a big (50 watt or more) valve amp. I cranked the Valveking a bit just before it was sold and stuff on the desk was moving about. It sounded fantastic though, I'm sure the people on the other end of the street will agree ?

stu

matta wrote Stu,

Not a silly question at all! Firstly understand WHY the standby switch is there.

Tubes need time to warm up, which is the role of the filaments/heaters, they warm the tubes and agitate the electrons getting them unsettled and moving about inside the tube, in the old days we used tube rectifiers, these too had filaments, so the WHOLE amp would warm up together... BUT when we switched to solid-state rectifiers the flow of electrons from the High Voltage line was instantaneous, hitting the tubes wiith voltages over +300VDC, under daily conditions this wears the tubes down and can lead to what is known as cathode stripping.

Now to over come this the STANDBY switch was introduced, effectively cutting off the High Voltage supply from the tubes, while allowing the filaments to still warm up, in much the same way tube rectifiers did.

SO the correct operation is when turning an amp on from a cold start, turn the POWER switch on, while leaving the amp in STANDBY mode. Allow the amp a few minutes to warm up and then switch the STANDBY switch into PLAY mode... simple.

Turning the amp off is not as big an issue, you can just turn the POWER switch off, then switch the amp to STANDBY so that when you next turn the amp on the amp is in STANDBY mode.

STANDBY is also useful when you are gigging and want to keep the amp warm while taking a break between sets, you just switch the amp to STANDBY and then back to PLAY mode when you are ready to jam again.

I hope that helps!!!

Cheers

Matt

Thanks matta, that was helpful.