Powered monitors remote switch

[Bruthish]

So far the only time I have gotten that “harsh click” was when they were already on and I then switched my JBL monitor controller. They don’t click when I turn the Furman on and off. But got everything hooked up and it makes it so much easier. Thanks for the help!

 

[ecc83]

So wait. Explain. You shut down digital or analog gear and it would not fire up again?

That does not make sense to me. A sitting automobile without gaskets, rubber, oil needing parts being lubricated deteriorating makes sense. A computer though? They like being cold. As cold a possible...

The fact has to be faced that "everything dies". Electronic equipment has a finite lifespan but there is no concensus I am aware of that any particular mode of operation extends that?

The idea of continuois operation came about I think from ww2 days when the first computers were invented. It was said that 1000s of valves would be of no use beacuse of their MTB failure but since those early valves (like lamps) almost always failed heater OC they were kept on to remove the MECHANICAL stress as the heaters expanded and contracted. Post WW2 valves use "dull emmiters" and an open circuit heater is a very rare event*.

There is some evidence that transistors suffer if cycled close to max dissipation and cold and in fact live longer if kept hot. Bit impractical to keep your active monitors running at ~ 25% full whack all the time though? The component most likely to fail in any electronic gear is though the electrolytic capacitors. These have a service life reference to time and temperature. Most prosumer kit will use 85C capacitors and leaving it running so they are at say 20C above ambient is asking for trouble IMHO.

But perhaps modern technology is an answer? It is now possible to turn stuff on and off even if you are the other side of the world and see it working!

*It is actually quite difficult to blow a valve heater, especially a big jobby like the KT88. You need to hit it with several times 6V and they get frighteningly bright before they go!

Dave.

 

[Mickster]

Guys......put a quality line monitor on your ac power line.....one that records occurrences. Incoming commercial ac power has constant fluctuations in amperage and voltage and any number of line noise issues over time. Digital components are susceptible to all of these issues which can and do degrade life expectancy to some degree. AC power is far from clean or stable. We're all aware of the obvious damaging surge or power drop...........but less obvious changes and or "noises" happen all the time and many components are degraded by that over time.

Could that mean a component might last 98 years instead of 100? Sure........but it could also mean MUCH earlier failure.

All I'm saying is.......at least be sure to have some sort of quality ac power protection and conditioning if you want to leave your equipment on all the time.

 

[RFR]

yeah..I was only asking if I could use a remote switch for my monitors.

Awesome! Epic post of this thread!

 

[ecc83]

Guys......put a quality line monitor on your ac power line.....one that records occurrences. Incoming commercial ac power has constant fluctuations in amperage and voltage and any number of line noise issues over time. Digital components are susceptible to all of these issues which can and do degrade life expectancy to some degree. AC power is far from clean or stable. We're all aware of the obvious damaging surge or power drop...........but less obvious changes and or "noises" happen all the time and many components are degraded by that over time.

Could that mean a component might last 98 years instead of 100? Sure........but it could also mean MUCH earlier failure.

All I'm saying is.......at least be sure to have some sort of quality ac power protection and conditioning if you want to leave your equipment on all the time.

We are very fortunate in UK to have very clean, very stable mains supplies, at least in anything like even a small village because power is mainly fed from big Mother substations underground in armoured cable. We have very little overhead domestic supply.

I do not monitor incoming voltage* but frequency is held to very close limits, rarely straying beyond 49.9 to 50.1Hz. I checked it a moment ago and it was 50.01Hz! Now I am NO heavy electrical engineer but it seems to me that if frequency is held to such tight limits, voltage is probably pretty stable as well. The underground delivery means the supply is proofed against much RFI as well.

The result is that I think few studios, even the big ones use much in the way of mains "conditioning"? Most I think use a UPSU for key devices such as computers and storage arrays but, as I said, power outages are very rare here.

*Current draw of course depends upon load. Equipment these day should have on board regulation where that matters, it doesn't for instance for power amps that much. The EU EMG regs should ensure equipment is not prey to nor adds to RFI. Even fairly bread an butter kit such as guitar amps should be designed such that they are safe and reliable at top mains tolerance. +10% here giving 253V rms.

Dave.