Any reason why my system takes up to 4 hours to warm up?

I have always found my system has usually taken a couple of hours to warm up before it gets on full song so to speak but lately it’s taking more like four hours.
From start up it sounds shut in and thin,brittle or too bright, as I have made upgrades it has become more noticeable.
When I added the 282 it opened up the soundstage massively and this is the thing you notice when it warms up but wondered if anyone has similar or can offer any advice on why this is happening.

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There’s an easy way round this - just leave the system powered up. I only switch my main system off when I’m going to be away from home for a few days or more.

Naim’s advice always used to be to leave everything turned on. I suspect that this advice has been tempered with electricity use and global warming in mind.

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I am by no means an expert but I wonder how old your gear is? I only ask, as it could be that some of the capacitors which store power from mains are needing to be replaced so a service could be in order. I leave my Stereo Power Amp on standby (not Naim) but do leave my CD player (Naim CD555) constantly powered up with its dual power supplies, Naim recommended doing this. I suspect the new gear has standby options as either a requirement or choice due to E-Co reasons. I generally turn my amp on about 2/3 hrs before playback on a Sunday, if you do not want to do this, can I suggest a system warm up disc which essentially covers the dynamic range of frequencies and gets your system moving. :grinning:

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Morning Graham the system is always powered up, never switched off, so guessing it must be something else.
I’m wondering about the age of my 282 as it’s serial number seems to indicate that it’s a 2004 model but it did go back to Naim in 2022 for a service so a little confused as to the cause of the issue.

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Morning broomy, I did think it maybe an age issue but as I mentioned the 282 had a service in 2022, my streamer, hicapdr are only 18 months old, the napsc is only two years old, 200dr is a 2019 so that should be fine, the only other item is my recently acquired ndac which is 2010 and as far as I know it hasn’t had a service.
It’s frustrating as when the system finally comes on sound it is sound really good just could do without the four hour warm up.

Oddly, enough, I’ve heard a suggestion that you should switch everything off for 24 hours or longer every so often. I don’t know why this would be - perhaps to allow the capacitors to discharge, or some other reason.

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The system has been powered down a few times over the last few months but thanks for the suggestion.

My (olive) system is on all the time. Even so, I’d say sometimes it sounds sweeter than others but given that it is a machine I wonder about the other variables - me, how I’m feeling, the mains, background noise, listening volume, the recording, genre etc. Of these, I could well be the main variable!

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Nicely balanced system there. No reason for it to be off at all.

Power off and unplug/replug all connections. Check cable direction, interconnect cables can have the lock rings undone, try to ensure nothing is touching.

Are you speakers level and stable i.e. do they rock at all when pushed?

Totally get your points but have tried four or five listening sessions and each time has been the same, definitely something changing after the warm up, one thing it’s consistent :joy:

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Will run through everything again, plugs, leads etc but I’m wondering just to pull out the ndac and try the system without it for awhile just to hear if it makes a difference.
If l’m being honest it concerns me as the effect is almost like the difference between the 202 and the 282, almost like the 282 as it warms up it starts to deliver that lovely wide sound stage, it’s pretty obvious almost like the speakers going out of phase it opens the sound stage up that much allowing you to hear everything so much easier, more room between artists if that makes sense.

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Have you tried leaving the system playing something like radio 3HD with the volume on extremely low?

Or even on mute?

I’m not actually quite sure what your problem is by the way – are you saying that from the moment you start playing music on the system it takes four hours to warm up, even though it has been continuously switched on (but not playing music or making sound) for several days?

I’ve never heard of a problem like that.

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Interesting topic our system which is housed in separate room was fired up yesterday always kept on 24/7 to spin a few discs whilst carrying out the domestic chores. Last listened to about a week ago heating on an hour before settling in sadly old house cold room. First on the playlist was Liv Christian Leaves Eye’s and boy was it awful seemed totally out of control tried another well known disc same again not relaxed and very uptight. Everything very cold to the touch and speakers the same rubber surrounds very cold. Put heating on shut door and went back 1 hour later what a difference 3 hours up and running great tunes and another three hours in the evening heating on before hand total gold. Temp having a great affect especially from the past couple of weeks weather.

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Hi JimDog that’s exactly what my system is doing, 3 to 4 hours in it opens up, like most systems it always sounded better after a few tracks to get everything working fully but this is really obvious, it’s just like starting with a 202 then 3 to. 4 hours in it changes into the 282, hope that makes sense.

? Cables need warming up by some actual current?

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That’s pretty much what I get but the room is warm, heating been on for a few hours so normal lounge temperature but what you describe is exactly what I’m experiencing at the moment.

Hi Silverback yes we have always had a similar issue and I did forget to say that we did leave music playing with the door shut for the hour we left the system alone. All components except CDX serviced by Class A within the last 12 months. Also find that sound changes later in the evening as our room is built over a stone cellar and in winter despite the heating temp drops drastically but I think that change in perception is physical. Good session last night played the same discs as per the morning session and as I said pure gold. Good luck and enjoy the tunes.

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If it takes 4 minutes, let alone hours, for the capacitors to charge up, they will not be capable of providing enough energy for musical peaks If you play loud. And if they did take 4 hours to charge up, then the first playing with multiple musical peaks loudly will deplete their charge and it would take another several hours to get back. I don’t think that is what the OP is experiencing.

To the OP, I take it that the issue you are describing is now happening every time, and not just once or twice?

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Have you tried leaving the system playing Radio 3 HD with the volume on extremely low?

It would be interesting to know whether that made a difference, given that in that case the music would’ve been playing constantly for a day or more before you start your listening session.

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The issue has happened the last 4 or 5 sessions, so pretty consistent, I have started playing the system at low level and going for my daily walk, even after an hour or so it starts to improve but definitely needs longer to reach its best.
So frustrating, once it reaches it peak the sound is very good just frustrating having to wait.