Highend analog consoles! How to manage them?

[J.F.K]

I have a question for you out there who uses analog consoles. I have heard many opinions on if you should to turn them off during night, or to leave them up and running.

The disadvantages with letting them cool off and heat up or the fact that time clock is ticking when turned on?

What do you guy's do?

All the best

Fredrik

[Slipperman]

I leave them on 24/7 unless I'm repairing or recapping them.

I routinely 'exercise the desks'. This involves twisting all the knobs around and pushing all the buttons up and down repeatedly. Especially the stuff that doesn't get as much use.

I keep them and their supplies VERY cool as much as possible.

I never leave my shop unattended, 24hrs. a day, 365 days a year. This place burns down and 'affordable' insurance couldn't even remotely begin to replace it.

I pay outlandish electrical bills.

I have never regretted these behaviors.

Best regards,

SM.

[Knox]

all the gear in my studio stays powered up 24 hours a day except for tube gear or anything with constantly moving parts.

[Jim Williams]

Everything is off until I need it. Tube gear gets a 1/2 hour warmup. If the ambient temperature in my console rises to 95 degrees, no worries as my caps are 105 degree rated and have over 5000 hour life at max temperature. I do break in all caps for at least 50 hrs. Ventilation is my answer as my console is loaded with class A modules which are individually heat sinked.

I use a Sony WEGA cathode ray tube television. It's the top dog in this design. It uses a vacuum tube as the display. After 2 minutes of warm up I can detect no difference if it was on all day.

I prefer to save on the power bills as I don't run a 24/7 commercial facility.


Jim Williams
Audio Upgrades

[Jay Kahrs]

I leave the desk up 24/7 unless I'm on going on vacation (whuz that?!?) and it won't be used for a week or two. The power amps, tube outboard, DAW and lava lamps get shut off every night, the rest of the outboard stays on if it's being used the next day. Over a typical project that might be a two or three week run and there have been times when it's on for months at a clip.

That initial surge of electricity when you turn a piece of gear on is generally what blows stuff up. Every time you power cycle gear it heats & cools & expands & contracts and it can handle that so many times before the next cycle takes something out.

Do you want a bigger electric bill or a bigger repair bill? It usually evens out in the end.

[themaidsroom]

in recent years,
the mixing console
and the tape recorder have only been off
during the black out of 03......
i do at least a full session every
month as a benefit for
con edison, our power
company


- jack

[Matt Syson]

Keeping as much kit at around 25 centigrade for as much od the time is probably the key. How you do it is up to you. Effective aircon that is piped to keep the inside of the desk cool is one way, turning off when not needed is another. Granted desks seem to be more 'predictable' if left on, especially as they get older but working against you are localised hotspots which drag more gunk from the atmosphere to kill your switches and pots. Look inside at modules from any hot running desk and you can see the marks from the dirt that is dragged in by the hottest components.
Will insurance cover you for equipment left unattended but powered up?
So many factors to look at.
The Slipperman comments above look good to me.
Matt S