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  1. #1
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    How long does it take to adequately warm up the tubes (power and preamp) of a tube amp designed for home audio?

    I've always owned tube powered guitar amps. Usually but not always NOS 6L6 power amp tubes and usually but not always NOS 12AX7 preamp tubes. I found it takes about 20 minutes to warm up and "stabilize." I've also found the tone of a tube powered guitar amp to be slightly inconsistent for those first 20 minutes or so. I've never owned a tube powered home audio amp. Do they require approximately the same warm up time? More, less, none at all?

  2. #2
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    Re: How long does it take to adequately warm up the tubes (power and preamp) of a tube amp designed for home audio?

    I have noticed that my tube gear sounds considerably better after about 20-30 minutes!
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  3. #3
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    Re: How long does it take to adequately warm up the tubes (power and preamp) of a tube amp designed for home audio?

    It depends a lot on which tube you're talking about.
    Tubes like Randy's 6C33's are very slow to ramp up and stabilize.
    However as stated 20-30 minutes is generally more than satisfactory.
    The other components in the piece of equipment may require more time to reach their potential though.
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  4. #4

    Re: How long does it take to adequately warm up the tubes (power and preamp) of a tube amp designed for home audio?

    When the somore's are ready so are the tubes. I'm kidding, I wouldn't know.

  5. #5
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    Re: How long does it take to adequately warm up the tubes (power and preamp) of a tube amp designed for home audio?

    My CJ gear took 30 to 45 minutes to open up.
    Aurender ACS10 w/Audioquest Diamond USB, Esoteric N05xd
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  6. #6
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    Re: How long does it take to adequately warm up the tubes (power and preamp) of a tube amp designed for home audio?

    Any of my ARC amps 30 min. +-
    Synology 1019D+ - SGC Sonictransporter I9 w Roon/HQ Player- UltraRendu- PBD Stream IF to Playback Designs MPS5 via fiber optic - ARC 40th Anniversary Pre - ARC 610 T's - Martin Logan CLX's - 4 Martin Logan Depth i Subs - Shunyata Hydra, DIY PCOCC interconnects, speaker cables and power cords with Furutech terminations. Blue Jeans CAT 6's. Acoustically treated room with one permanent chair.

  7. #7
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    Re: How long does it take to adequately warm up the tubes (power and preamp) of a tube amp designed for home audio?

    Jadis DA 50:

    5 minutes - good
    30 minutes - better
    60 minutes - perfect
    hifi:
    power: Audioplan Powerstar, Audioplan Finefilter, Audioplan Powerplant, Powercord
    tube amp: Jadis DA 50 Signature RC, Line Magnetic 508ia
    speaker: Living Voice Avatar 2
    turntable: Pro-Ject Xtension 10 + Ortofon Quintet Black MC
    phono stage: Remton 383 MKII
    cables: Audioplan Musicable bic 7a, Profigold, Wilbrand

    home-cinema: Sony blu-ray, Yamaha rx v2700, Heco Metas 700 (4x), Heco center

  8. #8
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    Re: How long does it take to adequately warm up the tubes (power and preamp) of a tube amp designed for home audio?

    the variable for 'tube warm up' has a direct correlation to ones own personal perceived belief's as well.

    FWIW, when I was running tube amps (KT120's) for the initial 20 hours or so of the new tubes they were re-biased a couple of times, after which tube bias stabilized to where they remained as such for hundreds of hours. It was at that point that I felt comfortable with 30-45 min warm ups ...........
    Cheers ! …. Dave

  9. #9
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    Re: How long does it take to adequately warm up the tubes (power and preamp) of a tube amp designed for home audio?

    My all tube amplification system gets smoother after about 15 minutes. If pushed to describe it, I would say the mods become fuller.
    Main Equipment: Kharma Elegance dB11-S, JL Audio F113v2 X 2, Esoteric Grandioso C1X Solo PreAmp, Bricasti M21 DAC, M32 Mono Amplifiers, Antipodes Kala K-50 Server with 4TB internal SSD
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  10. #10
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    Re: How long does it take to adequately warm up the tubes (power and preamp) of a tube amp designed for home audio?

    Thirty minutes works for me even with the hybrid BHK gear.
    Main - JVC QL-Y7/Denon DL-301 Mk II, Gold Note PH-10, Jays CDT3 Mk3 , Auralic Aries G2.2, Holo May KTE, Supratek Cabernet, Kinki Studio EX-B7 monoblocks, Verity Audio Otello, (2) Rythmik F12SE, Audio Envy IC, SC & PC's, Triode Wire Lab PC's, Inakustik USB and I2S, (2) Puritan Audio Labs PSM-156 with Groundmaster City, Timbernation rack

    Family Room - Oppo UDP-203, Auralic Aries, Aqua La Voce S3, Kinki Studio EX-M1+, Nola KO, (2) Rythmik F-12G, Wireworld SC & IC's, Neotech PC's, SurgeX SA-1810

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  11. #11
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    Re: How long does it take to adequately warm up the tubes (power and preamp) of a tube amp designed for home audio?

    My pair of McIntosh MC2301 tube power amplifiers hit their stride at about 30 minutes. I generally turn the sound system on about a half hour or so before I begin listening.


    Dan

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  12. #12
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    Re: How long does it take to adequately warm up the tubes (power and preamp) of a tube amp designed for home audio?

    I used to turn mine on ahead of time as well but it still seemed like it took a bit of music playing to get them at the right point. Definitely seemed to reduce the overall time from cold though.

    Quote Originally Posted by jdandy View Post
    My pair of McIntosh MC2301 tube power amplifiers hit their stride at about 30 minutes. I generally turn the sound system on about a half hour or so before I begin listening.


    Aurender ACS10 w/Audioquest Diamond USB, Esoteric N05xd
    Mark Levinson #526, 534 & JBL 4367's
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    Clarus Concerto & their Crimson cables

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  13. #13

    Re: How long does it take to adequately warm up the tubes (power and preamp) of a tube amp designed for home audio?

    I really don't notice any major changes during warm up of the CJ gear... a slight change during the first half hour or so, but, it's sweet from the start!
    Magnepan 20.7 - CJ ART 300s - CJ GATV2 - Meitner MA-1 V2 -Dedicated JRMC + Synology NAS

  14. #14
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    Re: How long does it take to adequately warm up the tubes (power and preamp) of a tube amp designed for home audio?

    My CJ never sounded bad, after about 30 minutes or so you should hear like the sound stage sort of open more and a more relaxed sound. Maybe at the end of a CD/album play the first track again, if you trust your memory I think you will hear what I mean. It's almost like a flower closed to the cold and opening up in the warm sun

    Quote Originally Posted by Rayooo View Post
    I really don't notice any major changes during warm up of the CJ gear... a slight change during the first half hour or so, but, it's sweet from the start!
    Aurender ACS10 w/Audioquest Diamond USB, Esoteric N05xd
    Mark Levinson #526, 534 & JBL 4367's
    Clearaudio Performance DC w/Maestro cart
    Clarus Concerto & their Crimson cables

    HT: Marantz AV8003, Linn 5125, JBL SAM3ha, Revel s30,
    SVS PC13 Ultra
    Transparent, Analysis Plus & Tributaries. PS Audio filtering
    Sony XBR-75X940D & BDP
    Parasound P6, MBL 8006b, Artisan speakers/subwoofer

  15. #15

    Re: How long does it take to adequately warm up the tubes (power and preamp) of a tube amp designed for home audio?

    About 9 to 10 minutes for my HH Scott 299C - 15 minutes for my Scott 296.

  16. #16
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    Re: How long does it take to adequately warm up the tubes (power and preamp) of a tube amp designed for home audio?

    I turn on the ref 6 about 45 minutes before I begin listening. also gives me a chance to finish the second jack and coke...
    Aurender > Weiss > Audio Research > SoundField
    Oppo > Lexicon > Hegel > SoundField

  17. #17
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    Re: How long does it take to adequately warm up the tubes (power and preamp) of a tube amp designed for home audio?

    Quote Originally Posted by tube-vds View Post
    Jadis DA 50:

    5 minutes - good
    30 minutes - better
    60 minutes - perfect
    Just to add to this:

    90 minutes to 2 hours - Outstanding!
    Paul

    Speakers: Von Schweikert VR-5 Anniversary MK II Front L/R, LCR-35 Center, VR-1 Rear L/R Sub: JL Audio F113
    Amps: PS Audio BHK Signature 300 Mono, McIntosh MC207 Pre-Amp PS Audio BHK Signature and Gold Note PH-10 Phono Stage/PSU-10 Power Supply
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