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How to use standby switch on a guitar amplifier?


salem

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Posted

Okay, I'm pretty sure how to use the standby switch when turning the amp on: leave the standby switch in the off position and turn the power switch on. After waiting about a minute, turn the standby switch to the on position.

However, I'm not sure about the correct way to turn the amp off. What is the proper sequence with the standby switch and power switch when turning off the amp?

Posted

reverse the order of startup but you don't need to wait near as long , put amp on standby ( no sound ) and wait for 10-30 seconds

Posted

Here is some info I've gotten from another website. What do you guys think of this?

"When powering the amp down, however, most will agree that it is best to just power the amp off without going into standby first. It lets the capacitors in the amp drain gracefully."

Posted

I just trip the main breaker in whatever building I'm playing in at the time. Really pisses off bar owners, though.

Posted

I spill my beer in the chassis. You get to power down and enjoy a fireworks show too.

Posted

No kidding. I just whack 'em down. Off/Off and I'm off. That's the kind of insane bastard I am.

Posted
No kidding. I just whack 'em down. Off/Off and I'm off. That's the kind of insane bastard I am.

I'll bet you don't "repeat" while washing your hair, either.

Posted

thats funny sh-t I like the one about spilling the beer and watching the firework show .. what if u drink New Castle .. thats great beer ..

Posted
Here is some info I've gotten from another website.  What do you guys think of this?

"When powering the amp down, however, most will agree that it is best to just power the amp off without going into standby first. It lets the capacitors in the amp drain gracefully."

The above is the same advice given to me by the person who built my amp.

So, I knock off the power without going to standby when I am done. When I turn the amp back on I hit standby then flip on the power.

Posted
Here is some info I've gotten from another website.  What do you guys think of this?

"When powering the amp down, however, most will agree that it is best to just power the amp off without going into standby first. It lets the capacitors in the amp drain gracefully."

The above is the same advice given to me by the person who built my amp.

So, I knock off the power without going to standby when I am done. When I turn the amp back on I hit standby then flip on the power.

Thanks for the sincere commentary, Steve. From now on I'm going to turn my Fender Twin off without going into standby first. However, I'm going have to unlearn years and years of doing otherwise.

Posted

And for a different perspective, here's what the THD Bivalve manual says:

11. Standby Switch: Standby mode keeps the power tubes powered and the amplifier itself off. Always power up in Standby mode and allow the tubes to heat up for at least two minutes before switching to Play. The amp should also be placed in Standby before it is turned off to cool the tubes more gradually and to reduce the possibility of internal arcing.

Posted
And for a different perspective, here's what the THD Bivalve manual says:

11. Standby Switch: Standby mode keeps the power tubes powered and the amplifier itself off. Always power up in Standby mode and allow the tubes to heat up for at least two minutes before switching to Play. The amp should also be placed in Standby before it is turned off to cool the tubes more gradually and to reduce the possibility of internal arcing.

Thanks for the different perspective. For anyone who loves their amp and wants to take care of it, it looks like this is not an easy issue. This is why I raised it. Does anyone else have any opinions about the proper shutdown of a tube amp?

Posted

Standby off then power off. If you are in a hurry flip em both off. It doesnt really matter according to MESA and my amp tech.

-MattB

Posted

Just pull the plug :D

Posted
reverse the order of startup but you don't need to wait near as long , put amp on standby ( no sound ) and wait for 10-30 seconds

+1

Posted

Salem,

I agree with what THD said; power up gently and power down gently. Plus, doing it this way assures that your switches are in the proper position for the next power up.

Posted

The standby is most important when powering up. IF you're really snobby about things, you should let the amp sit in standby and warm up for at least five minutes before bringing the amp up on the pipe. To make things clear, let the reader here understand that standby "on" means that the amp is in standby, or that there is no high voltage being applied to the circuit and tubes. When in standby the only thing running is the heater circuits for the tubes. Some repait techs advise that once you haev the amp going and off of standby, leave it that way until you're done for the night. Between sets the amp should be left full on and simply turn down the guitar volume pot. Powering down isn't nearly as stressful as the power up sequence. You'll find several differing opinions here, but ultimately you have to take into account how you're using the amp to make a wise decision. If you're playing at home and the amp isn't cranked to the moon, the tubes really aren't getting much hotter than when they're on stanby. A simple turn them both off together isn't a big deal. But on the other hand, if you're filling Madison Square Garden with the schiznit, the tubes are gonna be hotter than a fresh 4qd fox in a forest fire. The tubes will thanks you for kicking the amp into standby for 10 minutes or so, which allows the tubes to cool slower, as it will be a stepped cooling period.

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