OFF OR ON...?

[Andrew]

Mostly off for me, although if I'm going to listen that day, it goes on in the morning to warm up. I rarely listen in the evenings, so it usually off again by late afternoon.

[Sandman]

On all the time for me except if I'm off on me hols, does it save anything if you switch them off?

[Cowpervelo]

I leave my A80s on all the time because the Doc says so. I would be interested to know how much electricity they use on idle.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

Milliamps.

[Cowpervelo]

Thanks Doc. That's good to know.

[Yomanze]

I switch mine all off, and agree with Jez's sentiments on the matter. The lightbulb analogy is useless when applied to HiFi unless we are talking about fast blow fuses, and the computer / server analogy doesn't consider that servers are more robustly built, are kept in cool rooms and less dusty environments. The only turn off turn on warning I've heard is with my PA0 SE amp, which if you switch it on and off rapidly can (apparently) damage the output resistors. Am not sure this is true, nor am I stupid enough to flip switches on and off quickly.

Another reason is that I run balanced mains, and am not 100% convinced that the home insurance would stump up if something did go wrong. It does have overkill protection though with an extra RCBO on the output along with an MCB on the input, and a fused plug of course.

My DAC manufacturer also recommends to switch it off when not in use due the TDA1541A chip running quite hot, and the regulators / output stage running in Class A.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

Transistors are electronic switches, it stresses them to be switched on and off continuously, it does not stress them to leave them on quiescent current. The life of a transistor can be quoted as how many thousand on and off switches it will survive not how long it is left on. The transistor is in its design state when left on. Some integrated circuits are different I will accept that. Valves shouldn't be left on transistors should be. If anyone is worried then remove the load by taking just one speaker lead out per channel. Then the only thing to hurt the amp would be a lightning strike, but that would probably kill the amp anyway even if it is just plugged into the mains.