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Electronic components need time to stabilize at their optimum temperature.
Have you ever noticed that your audio system sounds better after it's been on for a while?
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.
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.
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 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.
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?
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.