Members Burstbucker Posted February 24, 2007 Members Share Posted February 24, 2007 I've always heard that when switching off a tube amp, you should simply just turn off the Mains Switch and leave the Standby Switch in play mode to allow filter caps to discharge. I believe this is what I read in Gerald Weber's 'A Desktop Reference To Hip Tube Amps' book too. I just made a deal to buy a used Marshall JCM2000 DSL50 head, so I downloaded the User's Handbook and when I came across the instructions for the Stanby Switch, this is what was said:"On switching off, the Standby should always be switched before the Power Switch." What do you make of that? Maybe it really doesn't matter a whole lot when it comes to powering down? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members adiohead Posted February 24, 2007 Members Share Posted February 24, 2007 i power down by switching off the standby first, i leave it for a few seconds......then switch off. everyone on this board will agree with the weber method, BUT i have blown a fuse in the past from just hitting the power switch, plus i always hate the pop noise from just switching off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Strato-Rich Posted February 24, 2007 Members Share Posted February 24, 2007 The other guitar player in one of my other bands never uses the standby switch unless he's on break. He just turns his amp on and it goes POP when it's warmed up and ready. I tried to tell him that's hard on it, but he's a goober. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chudanez Posted February 24, 2007 Members Share Posted February 24, 2007 i power down by switching off the standby first, i leave it for a few seconds......then switch off. everyone on this board will agree with the weber method, BUT i have blown a fuse in the past from just hitting the power switch, plus i always hate the pop noise from just switching off. Yep same for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TU BE Posted February 24, 2007 Members Share Posted February 24, 2007 Standby switch is there for a reason and it ain't for the band smoke break. It's hard on your power tubes (not to mention other components) to just switch it on and off without using the Standby switch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members adiohead Posted February 24, 2007 Members Share Posted February 24, 2007 wow! i'm shocked you guys agree with me! (and marshall lol). usually when these threads appear everyone just says to switch it off without the standby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Guttermouth Posted February 24, 2007 Members Share Posted February 24, 2007 I've always heard that when switching off a tube amp, you should simply just turn off the Mains Switch and leave the Standby Switch in play mode to allow filter caps to discharge. I believe this is what I read in Gerald Weber's 'A Desktop Reference To Hip Tube Amps' book too.I just made a deal to buy a used Marshall JCM2000 DSL50 head, so I downloaded the User's Handbook and when I came across the instructions for the Stanby Switch, this is what was said:"On switching off, the Standby should always be switched before the Power Switch."What do you make of that? Maybe it really doesn't matter a whole lot when it comes to powering down? the only time you wanna follow gerald weber's method is when you are going to be working on the amp. discharging the caps is useful when you have to be in the amp working on it but on a day to day basis you wanna use the standby to let the tubes warm up and cool down properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Burstbucker Posted February 24, 2007 Author Members Share Posted February 24, 2007 Yeah, you definately want to power up with the amp on Standby, so that the tubes have a chance to warm up before hitting them with high voltage but I'm not so sure about putting the amp on Standby before powering down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members uz3r Posted February 24, 2007 Members Share Posted February 24, 2007 Standby is always switched on/off before the power switch for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tommythelurker Posted February 24, 2007 Members Share Posted February 24, 2007 The standby switch is there to warm up the tubes before applying B+ to the plates. This does not apply when turning the amp off, though two reasons I can think of why it might be suggested to put it in standby first are 1. to avoid the pops and 2. so you don't forget to switch it to standby before turning it on next time. Using standby to "cool" the tubes before turning off is kind of silly if you think about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Loghead Posted February 24, 2007 Members Share Posted February 24, 2007 I've always heard that when switching off a tube amp, you should simply just turn off the Mains Switch and leave the Standby Switch in play mode to allow filter caps to discharge. I believe this is what I read in Gerald Weber's 'A Desktop Reference To Hip Tube Amps' book too.I just made a deal to buy a used Marshall JCM2000 DSL50 head, so I downloaded the User's Handbook and when I came across the instructions for the Stanby Switch, this is what was said:"On switching off, the Standby should always be switched before the Power Switch."What do you make of that? Maybe it really doesn't matter a whole lot when it comes to powering down? I think you may be misreading Weber. To turn on: turn on power, wait, then turn on stand by. To turn off: turn off stand by, then turn off power. I doubt that anyone, even Weber, disagrees with this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Loghead Posted February 24, 2007 Members Share Posted February 24, 2007 You wouldn't want to drain your filter caps unless you were opening up the amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Matter-Eater Lad Posted February 24, 2007 Members Share Posted February 24, 2007 I switch them both off at the same time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Burstbucker Posted February 24, 2007 Author Members Share Posted February 24, 2007 tommythelurker, I totally agree with what you said. Thanks all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members drixll Posted February 24, 2007 Members Share Posted February 24, 2007 don't do that! let them cool down and warm up before you try to 'drive' them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stangme01 Posted February 24, 2007 Members Share Posted February 24, 2007 don't do that! let them cool down and warm up before you try to 'drive' them. cool down ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ripping Rudy Posted February 24, 2007 Members Share Posted February 24, 2007 Since day one I always put the an amp back into standby before powering off. There is something 100 per-{censored}ing-cent wrong with just hitting the power switch. I don't know what it is but I feel it in my bones!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TomCTC Posted February 24, 2007 Members Share Posted February 24, 2007 I switch them both off at the same time. +1I turn it off quickly, flick them both, and then the Standby is already on when I power up again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members adiohead Posted February 24, 2007 Members Share Posted February 24, 2007 Since day one I always put the an amp back into standby before powering off. There is something 100 per-{censored}ing-cent wrong with just hitting the power switch. I don't know what it is but I feel it in my bones!! i can't stand that pop! and i once blew a fuse so i just do the standby way. never blown a tube/fuse since! and it's been about 4-5 years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stangme01 Posted February 24, 2007 Members Share Posted February 24, 2007 Since day one I always put the an amp back into standby before powering off. There is something 100 per-{censored}ing-cent wrong with just hitting the power switch. I don't know what it is but I feel it in my bones!! +1!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted February 24, 2007 Members Share Posted February 24, 2007 I've always heard that when switching off a tube amp, you should simply just turn off the Mains Switch and leave the Standby Switch in play mode to allow filter caps to discharge. I believe this is what I read in Gerald Weber's 'A Desktop Reference To Hip Tube Amps' book too.I just made a deal to buy a used Marshall JCM2000 DSL50 head, so I downloaded the User's Handbook and when I came across the instructions for the Stanby Switch, this is what was said:"On switching off, the Standby should always be switched before the Power Switch."What do you make of that? Maybe it really doesn't matter a whole lot when it comes to powering down? Where did you hear the other way? I always switch the amp to standby for a little while and flip the power switch off after that. Does a standby switch do anything if the power switch is shut off? I wouldn't think so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members destined2nate Posted February 24, 2007 Members Share Posted February 24, 2007 Standby is always switched on/off before the power switch for me. same here...and it helps that the 5150's "standby" light dims and eventually turns off when it's ok to turn it off!...i thoguht that was cool when i first discovered it..hell..it's still pretty damn cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members CaseyMAN Posted February 24, 2007 Members Share Posted February 24, 2007 I always start up with standby on and the same for turning off. If im in a rush and I don't I always hear a click click pop sound when turning off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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