I searched I promise :tu: 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 :tu: or...no it's killing toobs :loco :grr
I'm not 🚭 stressin out about it I'm 61 (eek xP ) so the amp and toobs will probably outlive me :grr
And I'm a strictly at home bedroom wanker no three sets a night at the pub :duh
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. :dbtu:
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 :P ::)
Quote from: saturated on January 05, 2025, 05:56:58 AMAlso 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.
Merlin Blencowe argues that you don't actually need a standby switch at all for receiving tubes.
See here (https://valvewizard.co.uk/standby.html)
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 :grr :loco :lmao:
Quote from: saturated on January 06, 2025, 12:49:49 PMThanks 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.
Quote from: Miyagi_83 on January 06, 2025, 04:03:45 PMQuote from: saturated on January 06, 2025, 12:49:49 PMThanks 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.
Quote from: joecool85 on January 08, 2025, 06:16:33 PM... 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.
Hey guys
What about shutdown at end of playing ?
Power off or standby for a while then power off :loco
Personally, __I__ would flip the power switch first and the standby switch later on, if at all.
Thanks
I guess it would help if I looked it up and determined what actually happens circuit wise with a standby switch :grr like it shorts out the flux capacitor :tu:
IMG_20240309_130153595 (1).jpg
xP
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).
Well....you knew I was gonna do it :tu:
Amp in playing mode
IMG_20250111_195959370.jpg
IMG_20250111_200007723_HDR.jpg
Amp on standby
IMG_20250111_203609820.jpg
IMG_20250111_203613945_HDR.jpg
xP
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.
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.
Quote from: g1 on January 14, 2025, 01:41:37 PMYes, 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. :lmao:
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. :trouble :grr
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" :lmao: :lmao:
YMMV, cheers, Phil. 8)
My first tube "anything" did not have a standby switch, but it took about 5 minutes before any noise came out of my 1957 VW Beetles all tube radio.
It freaked some people out how the radio came on all by itself, it just needed time to warm up.
Well....I wasn't gonna mention it but since you brought it up :tu:
I was reading this the day before yesterday and of course I instantly remembered you talking about your car radio
IMG_20250118_115320662 (1).jpg
Diagram and text Art Margolis
In contrast (apparently) TV tube heaters are (were) in series
IMG_20250202_072640179 (1).jpg
I guess my job now is to find out if my tube amp heater circuit is like an old TV or the 📻 radio in TV's car 🚗
xP
Ok now it makes sense why in another thread I suspected a tube and G1 had me check for heater voltage ⚡
I bet many innocent tubes are wrongly accused and framed :trouble
Quote from: Miyagi_83 on January 05, 2025, 06:10:48 PMMerlin Blencowe argues that you don't actually need a standby switch at all for receiving tubes.
See here (https://valvewizard.co.uk/standby.html)
Dave Friedman concurs with Blencowe on this. I haven't noticed a difference but I always have the amp on standby until ready to play and when taking breaks. For shutdown I always just turn the power switch off as it allows the residual current to bleed off faster (or so I've been told by guys who know more than me). Allows the amp to cool down quicker so you're not moving around still warm amps at load out is the line of thought here.
My second real guitar amp was a Traynor YBA-1A. That amp has a whopping 560V main B+. One day the amp took a tumble off the car seat it was on and the Standby switch was broken. I barely got the amp to work that day so I just left the Standby in the Play mode. Several weeks later the amp stopped working. Turns out that without using the Standby switch, that 560V B+ goes all the way to the preamp where the filter cap is only rated at 450V. My first Amp Repair. The 450V cap was shorted and it took out a resistor. I set up a Voltage divider so that Voltage was limited to the preamp filter. 8|
Quote from: Loudthud on August 19, 2025, 06:10:27 PMTurns out that without using the Standby switch, that 560V B+ goes all the way to the preamp where the filter cap is only rated at 450V. My first Amp Repair. The 450V cap was shorted and it took out a resistor. I set up a Voltage divider so that Voltage was limited to the preamp filter. 8|
My only question would be what is a 450v cap rating? Is it 450v surge current or working voltage? I would assume the 560v would be there for 20-30 seconds decimating before simmering down. I like tube rectifiers! I am truly curious what peak voltage ratings exist for modern capacitors. They are not like motor run capacitors that enjoy absorbing in rush current. I remember Brad the guitologist installing run of the mill electros in his AC unit. It melted or something. Also, isn't a motor run capacitor not concerned with filtering DC current? Unless something is being rectified somewhere.