Another standby switch thread

[saturated]

I searched I promise  there is so much ➗ divisive content on the interwebz a guy could spend the rest of his life reading about it.

So the standby switch on my toob amp savage rohr 15 is a good thing  or...no it's killing toobs   

I'm not 🚭 stressin out about it I'm 61 (eek  ) so the amp and toobs will probably outlive me 
And I'm a strictly at home bedroom wanker no three sets a night at the pub 

The only time I use or was using it was start up and shut down and in between changing pedals etc

Like I said it's not a big deal I'm just gonna do what you guys tell me to or not to do.   

Also it is toob rectified if it matters
Also if it matters I always have the preamp maxed out and the power section set at 0.000001   

[g1]

Also it is toob rectified if it matters

Yes it matters.  With solid-state rectifier you do not want to hit the tube's plates with instant DC voltage before the heaters warm up, so standby is a way to deal with this.
With tube-rectifier, the DC builds up slowly while the heaters are warming up, so you don't really need a standby switch.

[Miyagi_83]

Merlin Blencowe argues that you don't actually need a standby switch at all for receiving tubes.

See here

[saturated]

Thanks guys last night I gave it a work out.  When I changed pedals I put it on standby.
Then when I was done I put it on standby for a few minutes disconnected everything then shut it off.

Or...would you have just shut it off...idk if it has to go on standby to cool down before shut off or just turn it off.

Sorry for all the questions I realize it's not the mona Lisa     

[Miyagi_83]

Thanks guys last night I gave it a work out.  When I changed pedals I put it on standby.

When changing pedals there's no need to put your amp on standby. Just pull the cable out of your amp's input jack, disconnect and connect whatever pedals you want, and put the plug back in. Or simply turn the gain knob all the way down and then reconfigure your pedal string.

[joecool85]

Thanks guys last night I gave it a work out.  When I changed pedals I put it on standby.

When changing pedals there's no need to put your amp on standby. Just pull the cable out of your amp's input jack, disconnect and connect whatever pedals you want, and put the plug back in. Or simply turn the gain knob all the way down and then reconfigure your pedal string.

I feel like hitting the standby my be the quickest option regardless though, and it does no harm.  But your option is fine as well.

[Miyagi_83]

... it does no harm.

A lot depends on the user, I guess. Most people probably use a standby switch sparingly, so it does no harm whatsoever, but I know one person (in person) who used to leave his 50-watt all-tube amp on standby for extended periods (over an hour)... According to Merlin's article which I linked, it's bad practice and can have a detrimental effect on tubes.

Personally, I haven't put a standby switch on my tube amps for years now.

[saturated]

Hey guys

What about shutdown at end of playing ?

Power off or standby for a while then power off 

[Miyagi_83]

Personally, __I__ would flip the power switch first and the standby switch later on, if at all.

[saturated]

Thanks
I guess it would help if I looked it up and determined what actually happens circuit wise with a standby switch  like it shorts out the flux capacitor 

You cannot view this attachment.

 

[pdf64]

If there's a valve rectifier (especially indirectly heated like here 5AR4), I suggest to just ignore or eliminate standby; none of the typical arrangements are downside free or are anywhere near evenly balanced (in regard of technical downsides and benefits).

[saturated]

Well....you knew I was gonna do it 

Amp in playing mode
You cannot view this attachment.

You cannot view this attachment.

Amp on standby

You cannot view this attachment.

You cannot view this attachment.

 

[phatt]

If you think about it there is a clue in the word ""Standby"".
Band takes a short break, flick it on standby so when you come back flick the standby and play. There is no waiting for the amp to warm up again.

To me that would have been the obvious logical reason for the Standby switch.
No doubt there will be some monster circuits that need warmup time before HT is applied but for most small to medium wattage amps don't loose sleep if you forget to switch to standby before you power up.

I recall reading long ago that there are some standby designs that cause more harm than good.
Phil.

[g1]

Yes, maybe it would be better if it was called the 'break-time' switch.   

I understand what Merlin says about cathode stripping being a myth, but I prefer to use the switches as prescribed by the manufacturer for turn-on and turn-off.
He gets very adamant about his anti-standby stance and it ends up putting me in the "methinks he doth protest too much" zone.

I have suspicions about tube warm up possibly being involved with tubes going microphonic, but have absolutely no hard data to back that up.

[phatt]

Yes, maybe it would be better if it was called the 'break-time' switch. 

I understand what Merlin says about cathode stripping being a myth, but I prefer to use the switches as prescribed by the manufacturer for turn-on and turn-off.
He gets very adamant about his anti-standby stance and it ends up putting me in the "methinks he doth protest too much" zone.

I have suspicions about tube warm up possibly being involved with tubes going microphonic, but have absolutely no hard data to back that up.

Well for me personally I'll only live for another 20 or so years so whether I use the standby or not the Valves will still out last me.

It's interesting to note that nearly All those old mantle radios and Gramophones did not have a standby.

I once inquired about an old Mantle Valve radio in an Antique shop which had been owned by the same Family for 3 generations.
The owner who would have been in his 60's told me that it belonged to his grandad. It had been running every working day since he could remember.

I think this falls under one those unsolvable mystery options like;
Some people leave the toilet seat down while some people get nasty if you leave it up.  
My wife lost here wedding ring down the loo because she used to leave it up.
and I said,, "well that is why they come with a lid dear"  

YMMV, cheers, Phil.