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Do you turn your receiver off when not in use?

  • Absolutely!

    Votes: 38 88.4%
  • I leave it on all the time

    Votes: 5 11.6%

Turn your receiver off or leave it on?

3456 Views 71 Replies 29 Participants Last post by  HowHardCanItBe
I was curious. I've always heard leaving devices that generate heat on would lengthen their lifespan, I left my sony receiver on for the 13 years I owned it until it quit, but it was a cheapie. I have an old school Kenwood receiver now, and was wondering what was best? I hope to not have to buy another receiver ever again.

Thanks!
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I've had my denon 1908 on now for 5 years straight, give or take a few days due to storms and what not, actually hoping it dies so I can upgrade to a model with more hdmi inputs
My older one I would leave on constantly. My slightly less used current one I turn off. Mostly because I don't like to leave stuff on other than my desktop while I am at work. Those things are built very sturdy. A LOT of power can pass through those things. I have blared my stereo so loud that smoke has come out of it before and then after letting it sit a day unplugged worked perfectly fine after that. I wouldnt worry about it too much unless you want to save the planet/power, ya know
I shall leave her on then, I'm already folding so much I probably wouldn't notice the power savings. I've walked to the opposite end of my acre lot, with the speakers firing the other way, and it sounded like i was at the club on 4/8, 70% volume from the computer, the old receivers are stupid loud!
I keep mine off unless im using it. that's because im cheap and that's more power and I don't need the extra heat it puts off. it can make a huge temp difference in the room for me.
I would turn it off, but that's because I have a cheapie Sony that I wouldn't mind being forced to replace.
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However, I also had an expensive old Sansui from 1972 that I used in the garage that never turned off because the tubes' heater circuit didn't always work. (it got donated in my last move) Either way I think your stereo will probably end up dying of something else other than turning it on and off.
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Originally Posted by SuperB4d View Post

I keep mine off unless im using it. that's because im cheap and that's more power and I don't need the extra heat it puts off. it can make a huge temp difference in the room for me.
I agree with this^

My old one would get super hot, but most of that was because it was in a slim cabinet. My new one has nothing preventing airflow but it does make a room warmer (especially with my subwoofer moving so much air)
I personally Don't leave home without It off...
You could make the argument that computers are better left turned on because of HD spinup and spindown and that their components run very hot, introducing thermal stress.

But receivers have no HDs and don't run as hot as PCs, and the warm up rather slowly, so thermal stress isn't nearly as much of a concern.

What IS a concern are the plethora of large electrolytic caps that they have. Typically more than a PC. They're the most likely to fail in an audio system, and they don't like heat. So turning it off will help lengthen the life of the most fail-happy components in the thing.

The only other thing that could really be affected is the transformer, which experiences significant stress during power on. But they almost never fail unless they're overloaded- after all, they're just copper wire wrapped around a hunk of iron.

So turning it off is better for it.
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Originally Posted by kevmatic View Post

You could make the argument that computers are better left turned on because of HD spinup and spindown and that their components run very hot, introducing thermal stress.

But receivers have no HDs and don't run as hot as PCs, and the warm up rather slowly, so thermal stress isn't nearly as much of a concern.

What IS a concern are the plethora of large electrolytic caps that they have. Typically more than a PC. They're the most likely to fail in an audio system, and they don't like heat. So turning it off will help lengthen the life of the most fail-happy components in the thing.

The only other thing that could really be affected is the transformer, which experiences significant stress during power on. But they almost never fail unless they're overloaded- after all, they're just copper wire wrapped around a hunk of iron.

So turning it off is better for it.
+1 for that
Thanks for the thoughts y'all, +rep
I have a lot of vintage stuff don't like / want it being on unattended and don't really want it wasting power when nobody is using it.
One of my old receivers has been turned on and off multiple times a day since 1997 or 1999, and it's still working just fine
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Yes, leave the system always on. If it's active system, leave both the source and amplified speakers on too. There is a positive effect for keeping current through the circuit board and caps, for "better sound". Sound improves the longer you leave them on. The improvement is small and varies depend on the systems.

I got 40% improvement leaving my PC on for 3 weeks with the White Night Power and Unreal Power Ultra power cables connected to the system. Much better than when I restart the computer or cold boot the computer.

With stock power cords the improvement is very small, but you still gain a little with SQ.

cheez
Quote:
Originally Posted by CheezCake View Post

Yes, leave the system always on. If it's active system, leave both the source and amplified speakers on too. There is a positive effect for keeping current through the circuit board and caps, for "better sound". Sound improves the longer you leave them on. The improvement is small and varies depend on the systems.

I got 40% improvement leaving my PC on for 3 weeks with the White Night Power and Unreal Power Ultra power cables connected to the system. Much better than when I restart the computer or cold boot the computer.

With stock power cords the improvement is very small, but you still gain a little with SQ.

cheez
That sounds like a lot of speculative crap. The only sound equipment that benefits from use is speakers and that is only during break in. Circuits don't wear in or become better with use, if anything they degrade slightly. As long as computers get their current they don't give a shot what cables are used, you could grab any power cable and be fine, unless you have a 1600watt PSU there is no difference. I'd like to see how you measured a 40% improvement over anything.
Thanks for the responses! I managed to re-run the solder in my reciever with the help of a towel, and now neither channel cuts out anymore, it hasn't been off in a month. Based on what i've seen here, this is the only logical reason to do so.
I turn my stuff off when i'm not going to be using it. It produces heat, and that heat builds up over time. It also increases the electricity bill. I don't think there is any hard proof that leaving devices like receivers on improves lifetime, just theories, and if anything i'd bet it'd vary from receiver to receiver. Some receivers will have certain parts fail before others.

Do what you prefer in my opinion.

Quote:
Originally Posted by CheezCake View Post

I don't have the technical details of exactly how it works as I am not the sound specialist nor an engineer but I can pass out info from the experienced, is that the longer you leave the audio system on (receiver, amps, speakers (amplified)) the better it will sound. There is something about warming up the capacitors in every components circuit board. It sound "meh" right after you cold booting or restarting the computer. But after a week it's sounding better, less harsh / roughness. After 2 weeks the roughness is reduced and less fatiguing. After 3 weeks things really turn around. Roughness is minimal and increased silkiness with better treble extensions and increased micro detail. It gets better after 4 weeks. It may not be noticeable much on systems with stock cables with people with less-than-stellar / average hearing. With some of the aftermarket cables the difference will differ more drastically, but depends on the manufacturers / models.

cheez
Seem to be trying really hard to justify blowing $58,000 on cables with $1,000 speakers? I googled these cables and your video was the first thing that came up. I am actually baffled and had to comment. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96zQ5177peg

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It sounds like crap because you are listening through your crappy audio system. You stupid tard. Go get the real power cables so you can have some sound.
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Blame the poor camera although it actually captures sound pretty descent. Most importantly blame your ears. Maybe you've got bunch of wax built up in your canals... Go to see a doctor, hollow head from Denmark.
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The fact your would blame his audio setup when watching a video on youtube recorded through a camera speaks volumes about your character and your knowledge of audio. While there is some small truth to what you say about cables, you are blowing it way out of proportion and went far beyond what is realistic from cables.

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I just had Patrick starting building me a new cable, Unreal Power 5M Ultra. This was $14k final price but the price has just gone up to $40k. You can't afford it now because you wasted time *****ing about the cables and prices and saying how these make no difference and you gotta have a $100k audio receivers / amps. Skeptics are so stupid beyond imaginable.
I am 100% sure your speakers connected to a $100k receiver/amp, or even $20k receiver/amp, would sound worlds better than $58k cables.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXtEXtCkuiI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=md3U0O7L66o

I think my favorite part was in the second video where it says "Tree fiber/crystals in the perfect ratio". It's so obviously a scam, but it only takes 1 guy to buy into it for him to profit. Congrats on being that guy... I can't believe you bought that cable for $40,000. Oh wait you got it for only $14,000, what a steal!
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You admitted you have no knowledge of how this stuff works, and i'm telling you right now... You are getting scammed. Take my word for it, or don't, it's your money. I'm just amazed you are calling other people stupid.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Murlocke View Post

I am 100% sure your speakers connected to a $100k receiver/amp, or even $20k receiver/amp, would sound worlds better than $58k cables.
You meant to say "I think" not "I am 100% sure". That tells me you haven't tried the $100k system with stock cables vs. $1000 system with $50k power cables. The people who have experienced using both setup know that their expensive DAC and amp is a waste of money.

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You admitted you have no knowledge of how this stuff works, and i'm telling you right now... You are getting scammed. Take my word for it, or don't, it's your money.
No I was speaking in respect to how capacitors work in audio components and how it alters the sound. I was saying about the "result" of how it sounds based on end-user experience and the builder of the cable himself. You don't have to know everything about how electrical components work in order to know about the sound. What matters is the end result. It's on the ears. Don't rely on text books so much. Rely on the mother nature and listen.

cheez
Quote:
Originally Posted by CheezCake View Post

Quote:
Originally Posted by Murlocke View Post

I am 100% sure your speakers connected to a $100k receiver/amp, or even $20k receiver/amp, would sound worlds better than $58k cables.
You meant to say "I think" not "I am 100% sure". That tells me you haven't tried the $100k system with stock cables vs. $1000 system with $50k power cables. The people who have experienced using both setup know that their expensive DAC and amp is a waste of money.

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You admitted you have no knowledge of how this stuff works, and i'm telling you right now... You are getting scammed. Take my word for it, or don't, it's your money.
No I was speaking in respect to how capacitors work in audio components and how it alters the sound. I was saying about the "result" of how it sounds based on end-user experience and the builder of the cable himself. You don't have to know everything about how electrical components work in order to know about the sound. What matters is the end result. It's on the ears. Don't rely on text books so much. Rely on the mother nature and listen.

cheez
Yes, dont rely on cold hard facts, why would you ever do that? Its MUCH better to rely on the human brain, the thing that has been proven time and time again to distort every input that comes into it based on what it wants to hear, in this case literally.

OT: I dont have a receiver, apartment is too small for that, but unless you have a decent tube-amp i cant think of any reason to leave it on. My dad (who does have a nice non-tube amp and speaker system) turns it off, and that setup is older than I am! So my vote is no, it doesn't make a difference either way for a circuit based amp. Tube amps are likely different, but I cant comment on those.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CheezCake View Post

You meant to say "I think" not "I am 100% sure". That tells me you haven't tried the $100k system with stock cables vs. $1000 system with $50k power cables. The people who have experienced using both setup know that their expensive DAC and amp is a waste of money.
No I definitely meant to say 100% sure. This is not rocket science. You can't connect ANY power cable to a $1k setup and make that device all a sudden outperform a $100k setup. The cables in the wall aren't even rated at that grade, and even if they were it still wouldn't make sense. It's the same logic when it comes to speaker wire. For most setups there's no difference after 16 gauge speaker wire. Some people go with 10-14 gauge wire just because it's not much more, and it's better for distant runs.

This guy has taken monster cables to a whole new level. I don't really understand how delusional a person has to be to buy into this stuff. I really suggest you do some reading on the placebo effect. There have been countless studies and "blind tests" people have done when it comes to cables. There's a reason when we test medicine that some people are given placebos, the human mind can easily trick itself into believing things that are not true. This can go to extreme levels, as it has in your case.

Anyway.. I'm done debating this. I've come to the conclusion that you are:
1) Trolling.
2) A con artist "assisting" the guy making these cables.
3) The con artist himself, using another account to assist himself.
4) A very impressionable person. I can't help you here.
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