My understanding is that you get a remote and other goodies that come with it, like front panel suspend, only if you have a Lampizator with a volume control. As I prefer to use a regular preamplifier, I didn’t want a volume control. That’s my beef with the Horizon. You can’t get that without a volume control.
Lampizator Valve / Tube Rolling Review Thread
- Thread starter Zero000
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It sure would be nice if Lukasz Fikus can chime in on this discussion. I have only turned off the back on/off switch when moving the DAC, or changing the tubes.
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Doesn’t that depend in whether or not there’s a standby mode? My reading says output and power tubes shouldn’t be pulled hot. Have to see what Lukasz has to say, if he pipes in.
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Had you been at my house in February for the soft launch of the Horizon , I was shocked to watch Lukasz and Fred change tubes without turning off the front or rear switch on the Horizon. They were changing tubes on the fly with the Horizon on and no ill sequelae. IIRC we changed the rectifier, signal and power tubes separately whilst the Horizon was on and everything muted
On my big 7 I don’t need to turn it off to change tubes I would still like to know the answer about turning the unit completely off I’ve never known
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
How My question is do I turn off the switch on the back after listening in the evening and turn it back on the next evening quit collegeI think you’ve answered your own question
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Sorry. I thought the question was whether you need to turn if your DAC while changing tubes. In the users’ manual for the Horizon Lukasz encourages users to leave the DAC on 24 x 7 for the reasons I posted above. Bottom line is good tubes can fail immediately and crap tubes can last a life time. Yet for me there is always tube life to consider as well as replacements should that become necessary. If left on tube life with the Horizon should easily be 10 years. I’ve also read here that several Horizon users have left their unit on 24 x 7 only to incur tube failures with NIB tubes. So for me I turn off the front with the remote when I’m done listening I never turn off the rear switch unless I’m going to
move the unit. I think it needs to be left on because it powers and charges the capacitors. Turning rear switch off and then on would need a new settle in until the capacitors are charged. Users of the extreme are told this and also say it takes 3 days to recharge the capacitors
so pay your money and take your chances either way
move the unit. I think it needs to be left on because it powers and charges the capacitors. Turning rear switch off and then on would need a new settle in until the capacitors are charged. Users of the extreme are told this and also say it takes 3 days to recharge the capacitors
so pay your money and take your chances either way
For me, it is fear of not understanding how electronics work as to why I turn off any tube component when changing tubes.
On a very prior note, I mentioned a big brother was joining my family. It is the Aries Cerat Ianus Essentia mono amps. I asked two people who own them if they turn them off after each day. One person leaves them on 24/7 and the other turns them off at the end of the day. I guess it is a personal preference.
On a very prior note, I mentioned a big brother was joining my family. It is the Aries Cerat Ianus Essentia mono amps. I asked two people who own them if they turn them off after each day. One person leaves them on 24/7 and the other turns them off at the end of the day. I guess it is a personal preference.
My Lampi does not have a volume control and therefore has no stand by mode. As I am not comfortable leaving any tube gear powered on while unattended, I turn it off after listening with the rear switch. Does it mean my dac never reaches its optimal performance as I never have it powered on 3 days in a row?
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
what does the volume control have to do with standby mode. Is there not an on-off button on your remote. Just turn it off and leave the back switch on.
There is no remote with Lampis without VC. My front button switches output between USB and other outputs. The only way to turn on/off dac is to use the rear switch. This is common for all Lampis without VC.
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
My initial TRP came with a small remote, volume up/down and one other function (mute?) as I recall, but now it’s a multi-function unit with a power switch. I don’t understand the point of not including at least a minimal remote with a power button for standby mode, VC or not. I guess it’s a hint that Lukasz thinks the non VC units should be left on all the time.
The on-off debate is VERY hard to answer competently to say the least.
Tubes were designed to be abused like hell and they withstand anything and everything. After all they are not a watch but just a piece of hard metal in the vacuum. Nothing complicated.
The only way the tube may die is when it has air inside which happens when glass has a crack. Or if excess heater current is used for extended period of time. Or if excess anode current is drawn for extended period of time. Theoretically on-off should not affect tube life by much. Nobody, including the manufacturers - knows how long the tube will live. The so called tube life expectancy is BY NO MEANS any indicator how long a tube will live. This number is simply an agreement between manufacturer and ordering party about what life expectancy will be covered by a warranty. So it is in the interest of manufacturer to put the lowest number humanly possible, that they can get away with. and it is when ALL and every limiting parameter is reached all at the same time. Like max voltage, max current, max capacitor, max external temp, max heaters, and 10% excess on top. In the contract between say Raytheon, the maker of missiles and RCA they would say: the tube must live minimum 2000 hours - and that figure goes to datasheet. In my personal experience a normally used tube lives 20 years no matter if you switch them on-off or not. When I started the business, most of my tubes used to cost 3-5 dollars so nobody really cared how long they will live - 10 or 20 years. Now some rare tubes cost in excess of 500 dollars a piece so we do care.
I would leave a take away advice - switch off for holidays, vacations, and the night. But not when you go to get something from the kitchen. Keep it sane and DONT WORRY too much. Anyway - 99% tubes will die due to an event unrelated to normal use - they get broken, dropped, mis-inserted, they have internal defects, etc. In our DACS we use the tubes up to 20% of full power ratings so they are treated SUPER LIGHTLY. Unlike in a power amps where every tube is used 101% of the limits. In these conditions most tubes live 5-10 years. I have a customer whose monoblocks (old VTL) have russian "C" 6550 's and they have been running 35 years and didnt drift even 5%. I also have PSVANE 101d's that live a week or two. Again - dont worry and enjoy!
P.S. there is no such thing as standby for the tube circuit. The tubes must either be in nominal parameters or fully off. The tubes CAN NOT be in "half parameters". Whoever says differently - is lying.
Tubes were designed to be abused like hell and they withstand anything and everything. After all they are not a watch but just a piece of hard metal in the vacuum. Nothing complicated.
The only way the tube may die is when it has air inside which happens when glass has a crack. Or if excess heater current is used for extended period of time. Or if excess anode current is drawn for extended period of time. Theoretically on-off should not affect tube life by much. Nobody, including the manufacturers - knows how long the tube will live. The so called tube life expectancy is BY NO MEANS any indicator how long a tube will live. This number is simply an agreement between manufacturer and ordering party about what life expectancy will be covered by a warranty. So it is in the interest of manufacturer to put the lowest number humanly possible, that they can get away with. and it is when ALL and every limiting parameter is reached all at the same time. Like max voltage, max current, max capacitor, max external temp, max heaters, and 10% excess on top. In the contract between say Raytheon, the maker of missiles and RCA they would say: the tube must live minimum 2000 hours - and that figure goes to datasheet. In my personal experience a normally used tube lives 20 years no matter if you switch them on-off or not. When I started the business, most of my tubes used to cost 3-5 dollars so nobody really cared how long they will live - 10 or 20 years. Now some rare tubes cost in excess of 500 dollars a piece so we do care.
I would leave a take away advice - switch off for holidays, vacations, and the night. But not when you go to get something from the kitchen. Keep it sane and DONT WORRY too much. Anyway - 99% tubes will die due to an event unrelated to normal use - they get broken, dropped, mis-inserted, they have internal defects, etc. In our DACS we use the tubes up to 20% of full power ratings so they are treated SUPER LIGHTLY. Unlike in a power amps where every tube is used 101% of the limits. In these conditions most tubes live 5-10 years. I have a customer whose monoblocks (old VTL) have russian "C" 6550 's and they have been running 35 years and didnt drift even 5%. I also have PSVANE 101d's that live a week or two. Again - dont worry and enjoy!
P.S. there is no such thing as standby for the tube circuit. The tubes must either be in nominal parameters or fully off. The tubes CAN NOT be in "half parameters". Whoever says differently - is lying.
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