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AUDIO FORUMS >> General Discussion and Support >> System warm-up
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Message started by Crazy Bill the Eel Killer on 09/20/17 at 02:15:03

Title: System warm-up
Post by Crazy Bill the Eel Killer on 09/20/17 at 02:15:03

Hello all,
Of course I always try to have the system warm up for 15-20 minutes before any serious listening.

Found it's not enough.

After 15-20 minutes, getting started it sounds very good. But as listening time goes on, it sounds WAY better. After about 1.5 hrs., everything just locks into place in a way that is just missing up until that point. It goes from good to sublime.

The problem, of course, is that after it locks in after 1.5 hrs or so, the presentation is so sublime that I can't listen anymore until it gets there.
Means I've got to do a better job of planning listening time, as listening before that magic 1.5 hrs ( or so ), is just so unfocused compared to later on that it's hard to listen.

And, believe me, martini # 2 has nothing to do with this. The difference is really night and day.

Anybody out there experience anything like this ?

Curious in Danbury.

Cheers, Crazy Bill :)

Title: Re: System warm-up
Post by Jeff of Arabica on 09/20/17 at 03:51:36

I am in agreement Bill. I have had this play out countless times on my Taboo. Ill fire it up as soon as the house settles. I often forget to warm it up prior to donning the headphones. I am impatient, so I get right to listening. Two things have held true. I have to turn down the volume a step or two and the sound keep improving over the course of an hour+.

Title: Re: System warm-up
Post by Lonely Raven on 09/20/17 at 14:43:41

I agree completely. In fact, when I first got my ZMA and fired it up at a friends house, my heart sank because it sounded rough, brittle, just not exciting. I could see the other people in the room looking at me to see how I was reacting, because they could hear it too.

About 15 minutes later it was starting to warm up and sound good, and we all settled in for a listen. 30 minutes later it had finally reached it's stride. In my review of the ZMA (the very first one released to the public), I said it reminded me a horse warming up and eventually getting into a gallop. Once it really got it's stride, all the other amps in the room sounded weak in comparison.

Since then, whenever we have a listening session at Palomino's house - he sets up a staging area with power and cheap speakers to plug the amp into, and while we're demo'ing one amp, the others are warming up on the sideline. We've found once the amps are warmed up, if we swap them out quickly, it only takes a few minutes for them to reach their stride again, rather than an hour or whatever.

When I'm at home and I know I'll have time for a listening session, I'll usually turn the gear on and have it playing at a medium low level in the background while I cook dinner, or just powered on and idling while I watch a TV show.

Only once did I forget my little Zen amp on for 3 days straight, LOL.

Title: Re: System warm-up
Post by DB2 on 09/20/17 at 17:30:29

To avoid having to plan your listening ahead of time you should consider just leaving the amp on (almost) all the time. I do my listening on the weekends, so my ZMA is powered up Friday afternoon and turned off Sunday night. This way there is only one on/off cycle per week (which is the hard part on your tubes).

Title: Re: System warm-up
Post by Jeff of Arabica on 09/20/17 at 20:00:01

I remember reading in the ZMA manual that this amp, unlike all other Decware amps, should not be left on overnight. I haven't inquired as to why this is beyond what is written in the manual, but I turn my off after each listen because of this.

Title: Re: System warm-up
Post by maddog07 on 09/20/17 at 21:27:48

can't speak to the ZMA - only have experience with the Rachael and Torii. With my Torii... it's "listenable" after 20 minutes or so. Better at an hour to hour and a half. But when it really makes you soil your trousers is when my audio buds and I have "tune time" and it's on from mid-day until way late at night. Toward the end of the session, it's so present and juicy I almost can't stand to turn it off.

Title: Re: System warm-up
Post by Archie on 09/21/17 at 01:26:32

Quote:

My ZMA's output transformers can run hotter as time goes on, especially when biased higher. I don't hear anything like the improvement that others are from cold to warm but as the evening wears on and things sound better and better I wonder if it's more due to Steve's "magic hour?" Listening late at night has always been rather special.

Title: Re: System warm-up
Post by Jeff1 on 09/21/17 at 01:56:42

I am running the ZMA. The manual states that a 30 minute warm up time is ideal. I am around 30-40 minutes. I think I read in one of Steve's articles pertaining to speaker efficiency that a speaker voice coil needs to warm up as well with decent levels of music being played. I usually start listening at the amp warm up time with tracks that are not pristine in recording quality and then progress to more resolute recordings. I also feel that this takes me into the 1 - 1 1/2 hours as well till the sweet spot is kicking. I listen in the dark with no light other than from the equipment. IMO it takes a while for my other senses to dull and leave me with my ears only at full attention. I try to relax in lower level light and stimulation while my amp is warming up. Give it a try see if it works for you.

Title: Re: System warm-up
Post by Acetone on 09/24/17 at 17:25:56

On many occasions I will turn on my superzen and listen to a few CD's in the late afternoon. I just leave it on for the nite-time vinyl listening session. Yes, 30+ min warm up is definitely a benefit.

Title: Re: System warm-up
Post by hdrider on 09/24/17 at 17:37:10

My routine seems to have settled into Friday afternoon when I get home the ZP3 gets turned on and left on until Sunday night. The Rachael is turned on every night (M-Th) around 5pm and runs until around 10 when my much better half goes to bed. That's mostly streaming tv/dvd. I will listen to cd's when I get home M-F and prep dinner. Saturday morning Rachael gets turned on and plays cd's or streams Pandora for back ground music thru the day until I stop chores/projects and spin records and that goes till Sunday night. If we have company for BBQ, it's always vinyl. I open up the closet and let'em look and choose. I don't serious listen until the amp and phono stage have at least 1.5 hours on them.....then Decware bliss. Happy listening, Chris.

Title: Re: System warm-up
Post by SonicSeeker on 09/24/17 at 18:21:25

I always turn my equipment on as soon as I walk in the door and give it a good twenty minutes at least to settle down when possible.
On the weekends I turn it on when I get up, early riser, and wait for the wife to get up, not so early riser, so plenty of warm up time there. :)

Title: Re: System warm-up
Post by stone_of_tone on 10/01/17 at 13:53:37

1.5 hours is spot on for me too. Whether it's my ZMA Direct from Source or with my ARC LS2. Especially, with my ARC, always shut down and turned on with Mute engaged. I just keep busy doing stuff and maybe having to tweak the Balance of a new pair input/ZMA rotation I run with: Mullard's, Ediswans, choice of Tungsrams and 6N23 Platinums. I could not be without bias and balance meters at my fingertips, for the output tubes! Steve, you had to go and spoil me.

Title: Re: System warm-up
Post by metropolis7 on 10/01/17 at 18:59:42

That magic hour Steve refers to is even more striking with hi-rez headphones. I am relegated to headphone listening during these late hours, and it gets almost psychedelic at times. No spirits or smokables necessary.

Title: Re: System warm-up
Post by Lonely Raven on 10/03/17 at 16:36:05

I believe that's what Steve is talking about when he says "out of body experience" - when you get so *into* the music you leave your body behind, and explore the music in your mind.