When does your system hit it's "sweet spot" after turn-on?

[Big Dog RJ]

Nice topic mate.

According to the CJ monoblocks manuals, they state about 15mins of warm up... yeah right! The dam things take about at least an hour each, probably close to 2-3 hrs. The Esoteric digital player takes even longer but the preamp for some reason is good to go after 15-20mins. The CLX's require about 2secs to charge up, and thereafter do their bullet speed attributes nicely. I think everything else has to settle in, that is the room parameters, the cable's & interconnects sonic qualities and other accessories, power cords etc., and of course as a few members have stated, definitely after a few Reds!!!
A good woofty woof'n, enjoy those fine tunes!
RJ

 

[Addicted to hifi]

My system takes about one hour to fully warm up. The biggest change in sound is in the first 20 minutes.

 

[Lampie519]

+1

 

[Big Dog RJ]

Also noticed a slightly interesting phenomenon just over the weekend since Friday, it depends on the source! With phono, around 30mins is pretty good and after about an hour it's top notch. Whereas, with the digital front nothing less than 2-3 hrs... guess it's to do with the obvious types of circuitry and tube layout. The phonostage being a full tube design, compared to the digital gear all SS.

Anyway, currently enjoying this LP by Gregory Porter, Liquid Spirit, fantastic!

Cheers, and do enjoy those fine tunes!
RJ

 

[Lampie519]

My digital gear is never powered off.

I do not say it is something other need to follow.

It is because i have the same issue when digital gear is "cold"...

 

[Big Dog RJ]

My digital gear is never powered off.

I do not say it is something other need to follow.

It is because i have the same issue when digital gear is "cold"...

Yes, correct! That's basically what it is but I simply cannot leave it on, since I'm off at work most of the time. Don't want the daughter to be snooping around with her DJ mates...

Best, RJ

 

[Holli82]

My system seems to hit the sweet spot 5 minutes before I have to leave.

 

[Big Dog RJ]

Without a doubt!

 

[amey01]

My system seems to hit the sweet spot 5 minutes before I have to leave.

It's always the way!

 

[Big Dog RJ]

However, with vinyl it's quite different. Basically on the first side after a few tracks we're good to go! Speaking of which, I'm listening to an LP from Diana Krall, Wallflower, fantastico!

So... that makes me thinking... I feel it's really nothing do with my all tube system, rather it's the digital front! Yes, definitely that Esoteric digital gear takes quite a while to get going from cold start to reach optimal, few hours the least.

So, Cheers to vinyl! Enjoy those fine tunes!
RJ

 

[Cellcbern]

Let's assume there's a point after you turn-on your system that everything "sings". Let's call that point "100%". How long does that take for your system? (We're not talking about break-in here, but the time for a fully broken in system to reach its peak after turn-on.) Even if you leave one or two components on (i.e. server, pre-amp, other?), how long would you say it takes to reach "100"?

In my case (I leave my server and pre-amp on but shut down my tube DAC, tube phono and SS power amps daily), there are generally about 3 ramp-ups and I reach "100" after about 45 min-1 hr. Of interest, before that point, there is generally a max volume I cannot exceed or listening quality is degraded. The first 3-5 minutes is worthless; 5-20 min allows more volume as the system becomes listenable; at 20 minutes the bass becomes coherent so volume increases now become fun, but the full monty (with commensurate final volume appropriate for the source material) isn't reached until 45min-hr or more.

Second question: what is the main culprit for this performance ramp-up? My guess is power amps (time to reach thermal stability?) but could it be speakers (drivers and crossover reaching optimal operating temperatures as well?). The floor is open....

After about 45 minutes. My Pathos amp in particular has to warm up in order to sound its best.

 

[K3RMIT]

Here is my observation, front end , server always on
dac if tube still had the digital board on. So tubes need to heat up amd get stable. 30 on tubes I think is good.
now asside of one of my Dacs wirh tubes it’s all SS.
my guess is in part when we raise the volume over a period of time I can’t account for it’s effect on quality. now once all is playing loud enough if I pause and go back on it seems better to me. So for me playing for a period of time then off then back on is almost always a wow
now Amps SS I do think there is a thermal leveling that matters. so a given amp is on standby does not mean much play music does matter much more. my guess is getting the entire amp hot
it sounds best.
how long we’ll really massive amps with really big heat sinks I think take longer.
but to put a pin on this my systems need hours
and if I had to point to one device amps.
but all do matter of ice cold

 

[trekpilot]

My system seems to hit the sweet spot 5 minutes before I have to leave.

Or 5 minutes before I start to nod off...