Spring Storms in Pennsylvania: Unplugging and Warm-up

So I leave my XS, FC2 and CD5i2 on all the time. Now that spring has arrived in Pennsylvania, we are getting our weekly round of storms.

I was wondering if you guys turn off and unplug at each and every threat of any storm activity? But, more importantly, when you plug back-in and turn everything on again, how long does it take to get back to optimal sound?

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I unplug my NDX, Supernait, NAT05 & PSU’s with storms, plus if I go away for more than a few days.
In my system the warm up to good sound is not long, 30 minutes max. I’m told by a buddy with 552/300 amps that his takes more than one day.

If I’m not too lazy, I switch off everything and since most are in one powerstrip, I unplug that also. It is just so much more peace of mind. Rather have to “suffer” with listening to my system at less than best sound than all the hassle of massive repairs and or no sound. Tbh, I do not hear tremendous changes as it warms up again.

I pretty much rely on my surge protection to cover me, so I generally have never unplugged for a storm.

That’s risky, what surge protection do you have, if its a purpose made lightning arrester built into your incoming power supply, OK but they are not 100%,
But if its in a power strip, that will do nothing.

Having experience a direct hit & seen what it can do, I prefer to assume nothing will protect you. So I not only turn off, & if the storm is getting close I also pull out power plugs, antenna & phone/broadband wires.

:small_blue_diamond:Our experience in Sweden,is that it takes up to three days before the music-system “starts singing” again.

:small_orange_diamond:Tube-amps with 300B-tubes,usually you can listen to after about 20 minutes. But start playing “good” after about 60 minutes.
But really,really good after 6-8 hours.

/Peder🙂

Hi Mike,

It is always a risk, but the way I see it, no more a risk than if something happens when I am not around to unplug. I am running a whole home surge arrest on my incoming power to protect against the big stuff (lightning strikes, downed power lines etc) … and I have PS Audio over/under voltage protection & surge protector at my system as well.

I agree. I’ve heard the horror stories too. No consumer-grade surge protector on earth stop the force of lightning.

We live in North Florida and have more than our fair share of thunder/lightning storms. I always turn everything off and unplug from the wall … the system (NDX, 252, 250DR) generally takes 30 to 45 minutes to come back on song …

:small_blue_diamond:JohnWillmott,…It is odd that we can experience this so different.
Most of the posts I’ve read about this,.are that they feel it takes a few days before the music-system “begins to sing”.

This also recommends and says the Swedish distributor.

:black_small_square:As I said before,.this above is heard very clearly in Sweden after about three days.

I have no explanation that we perceive this so differently.
Is just amazed that we do it.

/Peder🙂

I live in Indiana and we get spectacular lightning storms as well, right through the summer. I always turn off and unplug my system when I remember to. Sounds great right away when I turn it back on, and perfect within the hour.

I am with Peder. It takes approximately 3 days for the system to sound good/optimal when powering up from cold.

It will sound fairly good when powered up from cold. The bass will sound a little undeveloped and mechanical, and the overall sound less airy as the decay of notes is cut short. Nevertheless, sound quality is still not too bad in the first few minutes or hours. It gets worse the next day as there is a thinness or hollowness in the sound. Difficult to describe in words but music doesn’t sound too good. The same less-than-stellar sound carries over to Day 2.

Day 3 the system begins to sound fuller as everything seems to fill out. Music appears to start to emanate freely from the speakers and not held back. In other words the system begins to sound optimal.

I usually switch the system off once a month on average. 282/250DR with Hicap DR.

Not related to the topic but I am actually considering a non-Naim integrated amp to complement my separates (I own 202/200 and 282/250). The integrated amp needs to sound consistent when powered up from cold and not show an up-and-down performance like my Naim amps did.

I still love the sound of the Naim.

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Is there a reason for the monthly switch off?

I switch the system off once in a month as I don’t spend much time listening to the system during the weekdays. Most of my listening is done during the weekends.

I’m lost here.:confused:
You use the system for weekends only but switch it off once per month. Presumably not at a weekend but Monday to Friday.

Realistically I could have switched it off 4 times in a month but I chose to switch it off once (or twice) in a month as frequent switching on and off isn’t doing the system too much good although others may have a different opinion. Since it takes about 3 days for the system to sound optimal, I sometimes leave it on although I don’t listen to the system in say 3 to 4 days, or more.

If you are worried about lightning strikes then unplugging from the mains electricity isn’t enough. You also need to unplug any aerial and any ethernet cable, or at least the ethernet cable that goes to the router.

As all the power, phone lines and cable broadband cabling is underground here and my FM aerial is not the highest aerial on the house (the TV aerial is and that is the other side of the house), I must admit I just leave it all switched on and working 24/7 365 days per year, including when I go away.
Best

David

Buried pipes and cables are not immune from lightning strikes. The current from a lighting strike can travel considerable distances through the ground and into buried conductors.

'morning David, don’t underestimate what even a nearby strike can do.
Back in the days when I had two TV aerials, they took a direct hit; both blown off the mast, one in two pieces on the front lawn, the other on the back patio. The strike totalled pretty much everything in the house, I didn’t bother investigating if the FM tuner was zapped by a surge from the attic mounted FM antenna as that seemed irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.
My point is the closest nieghbour who’s antenna is attic mounted & aprx 30m from mine lost his TV & phones, a house on the opposite side of the road lost his phone & burglar alarm.
Thats why I pull out power plugs, all the antenna & phone/broadband wires.

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Yes I know all that, but nevertheless, living in a built up area and well down the hill, it’s a risk that I have taken for 35 years and so far got away with it!
Best
David