Fire up the tubes for just a song or two?

[clmrt]

I'm hunting for tube gear, probably an integrated, for my 847a's. Then it occoured to me, my listening habits include short "opportunity" sessions, where the gear is on for 5 to 20 minutes only.

Would this be an issue for tube gear?

[speakerdave]

Hi,
The only answer I can offer is that I do it, and I don't worry a whole lot about it.

David

(Doing it right now, in fact, before going to work: David Willcocks conducting the King's College Choir singing Palestrina's Missa Brevis)

[GordonW]

My only problem with this, is that typical tube gear won't even get up to normal operating temperature during that short of a time period... so you won't even get all the "tube goodness" available.

In short, you'll be using the tube amp in a regime that it wasn't designed to operate in... it won't hurt the amp one bit, but it may kind of defeat the purpose of having a tube amp vis-a-vis having a solid state piece...

Regards,
Gordon.

[speakerdave]

My only problem with this, is that typical tube gear won't even get up to normal operating temperature during that short of a time period... so you won't even get all the "tube goodness" available.

Agreed. I think this is also true with solid state amps, although perhaps to a lesser degree.

David

[Wardsweb]

My only problem with this, is that typical tube gear won't even get up to normal operating temperature during that short of a time period... so you won't even get all the "tube goodness" available.

In short, you'll be using the tube amp in a regime that it wasn't designed to operate in... it won't hurt the amp one bit, but it may kind of defeat the purpose of having a tube amp vis-a-vis having a solid state piece...

Regards,
Gordon.

Come on, that kind of thought process would keep anyone from buying a Lamborghini or Ferrari, because why go to the corner store in a car that can turn 10K rpm and hit speeds around 200mph.

Go ahead and buy the tube amp(s). It won't hurt for the times you listen for a short period and more than make up for it when you have extended listening sessions. Hey, it's what I do.