In an earlier post I mentioned that we were one of the guys who first introduced the idea to high-end audio of just turning the front panel light off instead of the power.
I wanted to touch on this subject once more because I think it's important. Important to keep your equipment powered up and at the ready - as long as we're talking solid state not tubes.
I think most of us understand that when a piece of high-end gear has been warmed up and burned in for some time it sounds better - but there seems to be a common misunderstanding that left on it wears out - when actually the opposite is true.
If you switch off the power to your equipment day in and day out it won't last as long as simply leaving it powered on. Why? Because the inrush current to charge your power supply up takes its toll over time - while steady state power has no such problem. Your electronics take a small thrashing every time you plug and unplug them from the power.
I think the myth that products wear out started with tubes and mechanical devices like turntables, CD transport mechanisms, hard drives etc. (because it's true in their case). But a purely electronic piece like a power amp or preamp are better left powered on at all times - with but few exceptions.
So, keep the lights on with your equipment - it helps everything live longer and sound better.
