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The fact that PS Audio Power Plants consume twice the power used by the components hooked up to them has prevented me from owning them. I don't need more heat in my room or a higher electric bill.

It is truly amazing how much Krell monoblocks can heat up a room!! I usually fire up the system and leave the room for about a half hour before I want to listen critically. Our local power company has a budget system of billing, and after living in this house for 15 years with no big change in power requirements except for the great hi-fi, our bill has gone up $15 per month. To my way of thinking, it's a small price to pay for the enjoyment I get from the system.

Broadcasters, military, and other pro communications services know that repeated heating up and cooling down eventually creates microfractures in any electronic component. Several serious reliability analyses have determined that if consistent performance is required, ventilate properly and LEAVE IT ON!

My CD player is left on all the time, but my amp being a hybrid, Copland CSA28, only when listening.

Powering up is deleterious to electronic devices, or so we've been taught.

Switch on when coming from work and switch off when going to sleep.

The Pre-amp and CD stay on all the time. The power amp is on all weekend, and when used during the week.

I leave the preamp on all the time. he DAC is in standby when not in use, but it keeps the critical analog stages on internally in standby. The transport is off when not in use. The Gryphon Antileon power amp is on when in use. It takes around 30 minutes to stabilize. This is a class-A amplifier with a manually adjustable bias to conserve energy. (This feature is called "Green Bias.") I put the bias at 100% for serious listening, and leave it at 50% when the music is not the prime focus. I'm talking about a power use of 500W vs. 1000W.

For less than $100 you can easily get a digital clock that will let you program the startup of your system, say, two-three before you get home, which I find a good compromise between power wasting and system warming.

You don't turn your fridge on only when you need a cold beer. It's not even good for the equipment to turn on and off, not to mention the poor performance. As for power, I'm saving enough because music sounds better in the dark.

I have honestly never heard a difference in my system, whether left on for days and then listening or starting from cold. But I do not question others' claims that they can. How would I know? Do what works for you, baby!

I am one of the lucky ones who has some very powerful class-A monoblocks. But the drawback is the power consumption. If I leave them on, they double my electric bill. Not to mention the fact that they run so hot that they turn my house into a sauna in the summer.

It's eco-eclectica here at Casa Outthere. Potatoes, hamsters, and the trusty Honda generator for extended listening sessions.

I leave my tube gear (amp, pre amp) off unless I'm listening, or if I'll be away for less than, say, two hours. Any longer than that, I think the wear on the tubes from being left on is at least as bad as the "powering up" stress they might go through. I leave the DAC and transports on all the time, and the tuner is only left on when listening to it. Headphone amp is rarely ever on.

It only takes about 1/2 hour for everything to warm up, so I enjoy a drink in the meantime.

I normally leave my receiver on 24/7, unless we are having a storm. But the rest of the equipment is normally only powered when in use. I do leave them plugged in, so any power consumption that occurs in the standby mode is a small drain.

I turn off my tube preamp for the night only during the week, and always leave it on all the time during the weekends for more serious listening sessions, and when I'm free during the week too. So it's on about 90% of the time or more. :-)

I leave my amp on 24/7, but turn my CDP off and my pre-amp to stand-by.

I used to keep my power amp on at all times. Then the electric bill came.

Most equipment, if properly cooled, will tend to last longer if left on continuously. This is because the heating and cooling of electronics is what shortens its life more than how many hours it is left on. This is especially true of tube equipment.

I have never heard any difference if the components are left on or turned on just before I listen. I think it would shorten the life of the equipment.

If I am going to have a serious listening session I turn it on for several hours before listening. Otherwise only when listening or watching movies. It is at it's best after several hours, but after only half an hour it is about 90-95%.

I've found out that there is no use in leaving my equipment on all day, although I used to. Now I turn it on about half an hour before listening to the tunes.

soapbox-I only leave my pre-amp on (25 watts) and my Sunfire power amp ( 40 watts at idle, 600 watts per channel @ 4ohm -for the Maggies )on all the time. D to A, CD player & REL sub warm up for a 1/2 hour. There are more products that use less. You just have to look at the spec's. Unless you just have to have a 300w/ch class A amp of course, then get out the marshmallows. Utility stocks are very popular lately with deregulation and all.

that pretty much adds up to anywhere from four to sixteen hours a day, (whenever I'm home my stereo is on, I don't watch TV)

Oink

Some of my components go into standby mode. Therefore, they cannot be considered completely truned off.

Those components without on/off switches (e.g., preamp and digital front-end) are always "on." I turn the amp on at noon Saturday and turn it off Sunday night. That way, the amp is always ready to go! The turntable, tuner, CD burner, and others are turned on as needed.

My current system is only on when listening to music. I do not leave it on (standby) because it won't sound any better. Once I can afford a new $1000–$2000 amp, I may consider leaving the power on to make sure it is always ready to sing. I like the idea that the amp could keep my house warm in winter, but the summers will be tough to suffer through.

I understand that the average power amp uses less energy than a lightbulb. Ultimately you will use more power lighting your living room!