Vote

Electronic components need time to stabilize at their optimum temperature.

The main difference between warmed up & cold on my system is the DAC, It was adjusted for minimum distortion after about an hour of warmup time.

I have tube pre and power and it does sound better after it worms up. I have noticed a clear difference from the first few minutes to say a hour. At first turn is sounds hollow and tinnie. I guess it takes awhile for the tubes and passives to stablize at temp. which seems right with thermonic devices.

I guess that it is designed to work best when warm. Components would be chosen for 'Quality when hot' (in use) not cold from the shelf.

Of course! Every component rewards me with the expected sound when given a warm up before listening. The PS 300 feeding the WADIA combo the least yet very noticable, the McIntosh valve amp MC 2000 the most. While the reason for this is obvious in a valve gear (a valve needs heat to work at all), the reason in an IC unit is that all electronic components (resistors and esp. capacitors and transformers) will work the way they should best - in their given and calculated range - when warm. A bit like tyres in a formula 1 car. Their performance is designed to be best in a WORKING (warm) condition.They are just bad when cold.

Only tube lovers can make this claim.

Using a tube amp probably has something to do with it.

My amp is coal-stoked and it must be at 600F to get just right. Any cooler and it is very brittle sounding. When it hits 600F, it's smokin', man!

Warm-up isn't a myth, but my current system hardly needs it. A PS Audio Power Plant and a good, low-powered solid-state amplifier sees to that. Beats waiting for the old tubes to decide they're going to "put out!"

Only after 6 or 7 hours of play do my tube equipment sound much better!

It is always better with a glass of red.

My system is on all the time. (Except when I'm out of town or stormy weather.) Yes, it does sound better after I have shut down then turn it on for awhile. Reason: Ya got to warm up any high performance machine before you go flat out.

It's MAGIC.

I'm sure it's has something to do with the internal components stabilizing

most of the electronics achieve constant operating condition, eg. temperature etc.

Cuz nuthin sounds like a set of tesla 6550's once you let them burn for about 45 minutes.

Tubes seem to like the thermal stability they acquire through time. Trouble is by the time they feel all things are a go, it's either too hot in the room to continue listening or someone is calling . . . . It never fails!!

It takes me a while to really get into the listening mode, so by the time I am ready to notice any significant differences, it has warmed up. However, whatever change happened during the warm up was me fine-tuning my ears to the experience.

5AW4 gets the electrons hot, then the oil caps make them slippery. Takes time to spread the good stuff all thru the circuits.

I can make loads of guesses, but I cannot be sure. It also sounds better late at night -- AC quality, no sag on line ? This improvement is slightly better than the warm up improvement.

Caps charge fully, circuits stabilize

My power amp and pre amp are 'always on'

particularly the preamp, it requires 5 days in order to have outstanding quality just like a closed rose, full blown sound require time. the amp 2-4 hours is probably fine, anyway the bottom line is they are never turned off! PS: I would like to know who's got High End equipment that's turned off?

all capacitors (including wirers, circuit boards and connectors) have to get stable.

Of course it sounds better when it warms up, this is because the components used within the electronics fall under spec under normal operating temperature, resistors, transsistors, capacitors, inductors all have different tolerences with respect to different temperatures, therefore the components are designed to meet the requirements under normal operating temperature.

I can't honestly say that I can hear any difference. My system sounded great right out of the box, and it continues to amaze me a year later!

I'd have to say yes. My system does sound better after it's been on for a while. Especially my amp and pre-amp. As far as an explanation goes, you'll have to ask Krell about that!

I'd have to say yes. My system does sound better after it has been on for a while -- especially my amp and pre-amp. As far as an explanation goes, you'll have to ask Krell about that!

It also sounds better when I get promoted, when my wife is away, whenever I am in a good mood generally.

I have a tube integrated amp and it takes about an hour for the tubes to come up to max potential.