Hunt Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 This may be a silly Q, but what can I expect for life expectancy for my new amp? [b&K 200.7 R2] This is the 1st one I have owned. Picked it up Sat. and hooked it up Sun - still have lots of experimenting to do w/ it, but am very pleased with it so far. (ie, what everyone else says - better bass/ wider soundstage/ extension). It does run very warm to the touch. I have it alone in a 3 ft tall cabinet, with a hole cut in the side (about 3" x 6") to vent-in air. For now, I keep the cabinet door open when it is on/cooling. Thinking about installing a small fan as well. If I use it say 4hrs/day, is there an average life expectancy? I have it set to trigger-on whenever the TV is on. I'm wondering whether I should just listen to TV speakers for normal viewing, and save the amp for movies/music. ...still learning in Indy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunburnwilly Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 Don't know about the B&K , but I've had my Quad 606 for 12 years now with no problems , and it's left on . Also I've had an Acurus 100x3 for 9 years with no problems , it's left on as well . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunt Posted October 25, 2005 Author Share Posted October 25, 2005 Thanks, that is good to know.[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wstrickland1 Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 Don't know about the B&K , but I've had my Quad 606 for 12 years now with no problems , and it's left on . Also I've had an Acurus 100x3 for 9 years with no problems , it's left on as well . your amps, much like your avatar, are immune to the effects of aging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteelerFan Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 Don't worry about it, as long as it is adequately ventilated I'm sure it will last indefinately. By the way, I have the 200.5 and love it.[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travisc Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 Don't know about the B&K , but I've had my Quad 606 for 12 years now with no problems , and it's left on . Also I've had an Acurus 100x3 for 9 years with no problems , it's left on as well . interesting.. would it be a good idea for longevity to leave ss amps on all the time? One of my amps kicks like a mule when it comes on. I would just keep it on if start up voltages were possibly gonna shorten its life. More info needed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 onena my Crown DC150's ... is 35 years old ... never any work to it .....[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunt Posted October 25, 2005 Author Share Posted October 25, 2005 Sweet, cause I'm lovin this new B&K. Listened to more music the last 3 days, then I have in the past 3 yrs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunburnwilly Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 Don't know about the B&K , but I've had my Quad 606 for 12 years now with no problems , and it's left on . Also I've had an Acurus 100x3 for 9 years with no problems , it's left on as well . your amps, much like your avatar, are immune to the effects of aging. Just Good Clean Livin Billy , Good Clean Livin ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael hurd Posted October 26, 2005 Share Posted October 26, 2005 Without getting too much into detail and different topologies, a solid state amplifier has many capacitors in the signal path, and in the power supply. In most ss, cooling is done either by convection or fan. The entire enclosure gets warm. With a tube-type amplifier, most often than not, the tubes are on the top side of the enclosure, and any capacitors are inside or under the chassis. Reference the link on selecting capacitors, and it is basically shown that as the operating temperature drops 10 degrees C, it's life expectancy doubles. Sort of the same as the temperature of the oil in your automatic transmission, heat kills. http://www.cornell-dubilier.com/tech/SelectingInverterCaps.pdfThe cooler a capacitor runs, the longer it will live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael hurd Posted October 26, 2005 Share Posted October 26, 2005 Another good read. http://www.capacitorindustries.com/SEI/guidelines.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael hurd Posted October 26, 2005 Share Posted October 26, 2005 Some food for thought, don't know really if it is myth or reality, the part about computer hard drives I can see, as it is a mechanical device. http://members.aol.com/searsound/frmcont/onoff.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael hurd Posted October 26, 2005 Share Posted October 26, 2005 Wearout free capacitors???? http://www.e-sonic.com/acc/PassiveEdge/Wearout%20Free%20Capacitors.pdf Probably have a military and NASA price to boot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tofu Posted October 26, 2005 Share Posted October 26, 2005 Without getting too much into detail and different topologies, a solid state amplifier has many capacitors in the signal path, and in the power supply. In most ss, cooling is done either by convection or fan. The entire enclosure gets warm. With a tube-type amplifier, most often than not, the tubes are on the top side of the enclosure, and any capacitors are inside or under the chassis. Reference the link on selecting capacitors, and it is basically shown that as the operating temperature drops 10 degrees C, it's life expectancy doubles. Sort of the same as the temperature of the oil in your automatic transmission, heat kills. http://www.cornell-dubilier.com/tech/SelectingInverterCaps.pdf The cooler a capacitor runs, the longer it will live. are you implying that caps on solid state amps should be renewed every decade or so? my mcintosh mc250 (ss) is from the late 60's or early 70's, and i was wondering if the caps are shot or not. wouldn't using non original components in a case like mine degrade the value of the amp? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael hurd Posted October 26, 2005 Share Posted October 26, 2005 It really depends, I had to replace an electrolytic capacitor on an amplifier that saw really hard useage, and it was made in the 80's. The electrolyte dried out and the cap exploded. I also had a cap failure in a cheap home sub amp, again it exploded. To answer your question about non-original parts.... depends on the person buying it, some would like original non-molested units, and others would prefer to have it recapped, knowing that it is more of an "insurance policy". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tofu Posted October 26, 2005 Share Posted October 26, 2005 ah, the amp works fine.. just wondering because i don't really hear about anyone ever "upgrading" caps in their ss amps, even vintage. the only cap replacements i hear of are in tube amps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
easylistener Posted October 26, 2005 Share Posted October 26, 2005 Caps do wear out. Like was stated heat kills all electronic things. When they start to go bad you will hear cap noise. It can be a slight hum almost like a ground loop hum. Most good ss amps will last 20 years + Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elgrillo Posted October 27, 2005 Share Posted October 27, 2005 Forever. I've been wanting my amp to die so that way I would have a great excuse to buy a new one. Juice has been spilled in it, and the bastard still lives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEAR Posted October 29, 2005 Share Posted October 29, 2005 Well ventilated amps,in rooms where humidity is low and at the same time not desert dry will last a very long time,depending on the quality of the parts and built quality a solid state may last over 30 years.Tube amps even longer,you replace the tubes gone bad and continue. I have the original SimAudio Celeste 4070SE,running perfect and I used the amp for years and was always ON.No sign of any failing parts.Bryston gives a 20 year warranty on thier amps,not for nothing,quality amps last. The more simple purist designs often outlast the high tech complex units,quality being equal.A PassAleph should last a near lifetime(save for caps that will suffer from the intense heat inside the glorious heatsink cube),and these amps run VERY hot,as they are Class A.Most are Class AB,a good compromise between signal purity and less heat generation. Yes caps dry out with time,over the years they will start failing first.In hot running amps(Class A or hot running Class AB). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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