Durability: Turn on and leave on? Turn off after a session? Or, really doesn't matter?

    Hi, New KPA user here. Very satisfied. In fact, "blown away" would be a better way to put things.


    Could anyone from Kemper tell me whether it is best to shut the KPA down after a couple hour session, though you will likely turn it on again later? Or is is better to simply leave it running, like a computer, saving it the "stress" of starting up all over again?


    This being German engineering, maybe the point is moot. But I have heard that after a number of years, computer components sort of deteriorate and die. Does leaving the KPA on or off add to its lifespan as a computer?


    Thanks. I know this is probably an esoteric, perhaps even unknowable, question. Thought I would ask, however.


    Thank you.


    Douglas Thompson
    Minneapolis-St. Paul Minnesota

    Obviously not an official answer, just one from a guy who has owned his since Feb of 2012... There have been times where I left mine on for days, no power related issues. Personally, I try to turn mine off at the end of the day, but I don't worry about turning it on and off every time I'm done using it. Hopefully someone from Kemper will chime in, but it's proven to be a very robust piece of gear in my opinion and use.

    I'd agree with not switching the unit off every few hours. Once a day would be enough. This will save you having to wait for booting every time you want to play some chords.


    A few time ago I had proposed to implement a suspended mode for the unit, but it seems few people found it useful :) This being missing, you can set the intensity of backlights to whatever value you want. I keep mine quite dimmed down in general, I personally find there's a lot of light coming from the default settings :)

    Thank you, musicians, for the kind welcomes!


    I appreciate your thoughts on this. Merely based upon what I know about computers, both from friends whose profession it is to know and work with hardware, as well as what I have read on occasions over the years, the practice of leaving it on for a day seems a logical one. Over the years I have read in two or three places, if I am remembering correctly, that the greatest "stress" put on computer circuitry is when we power it up--that first surge of voltage, I suppose.


    OKSTRAT, it is good to hear your experience of reliability over a couple years of use. One of the most attractive things--and reassuring to me--is that it is German engineering and German quality. In my long experience with German-made microphones, hardware, and, in recent years, software, it is top-shelf stuff. I have Neumann and Scheops mics, and utilize Sequoia and plugs from Algorithmix. It is all great.


    If anyone hears more about this topic, please do return and share what you learn or hear. Who knows, maybe we will at some point find our KPAs having a "Sleep Mode," just like our computers do???


    Thanks for chiming in, friends.


    Doug

    I shut it down, when I know I will be away for a while. I like some "lighting" in the house, but other than that I try to shut down all devices I don't use, e.g. I made it a rule in my office to shut down all PCs except the server, when we have our lunch break.

    90% of the game is half-mental.

    Quote from Ingolf

    You mean sleep mode?
    Yes, thinking of it it wuld be a great solution for the in-betweenies between switching off for the day and switching off for later re-use. :)


    :thumbup:


    As for me, I'd use it all the time, switching the unit off only when I have to move it :)


    But Paul may be onto something here...

    Welcome! I´m switching it on and off every time I play. Sometimes I turn it on 3 or 4 times a day and turn it off again. Didn´t experience any problems but I´d love to hear something from the officials!

    I would always default to leave an electronic device off when not in use if possible (or sleep mode as proposed by some of the guys here) Heat is the enemy of electronics, circuit boards, etc. (that and dust). I turn my Kemper on when I want to use it and back off, but a sleep mode could be very nice.

    Quote from timdabel

    I would always default to leave an electronic device off when not in use if possible (or sleep mode as proposed by some of the guys here) Heat is the enemy of electronics, circuit boards, etc. (that and dust). I turn my Kemper on when I want to use it and back off, but a sleep mode could be very nice.


    This.
    I'll admit that even on my Macbook Pro which has a very good sleep mode I rarely use it (because it boots so fast).
    Same as the Kemper. ;)

    I'm not sure I'd agree on this. Heat is an enemy when excessive. As long as it stays within the designed window it's ok.
    Also, electric devices best work at a regime temperature, which certainly is higher than when they are switched off.


    Continuous thermal stresses are worse than normal heating IMO.
    Also, I don't think current peaks and transients when you switch on and off the unit are healthy. Sure, devices are designed to stand this as well, but if/when I have to switch my unit on and off several times per day I leave it on.


    :)

    Quote from viabcroce

    I'm not sure I'd agree on this. Heat is an enemy when excessive. As long as it stays within the designed window it's ok.
    Also, electric devices best work at a regime temperature, which certainly is higher than when they are switched off.


    Continuous thermal stresses are worse than normal heating IMO.
    Also, I don't think current peaks and transients when you switch on and off the unit are healthy. Sure, devices are designed to stand this as well, but if/when I have to switch my unit on and off several times per day I leave it on.


    :)


    Since I'm not an engineer, I can't really argue (I would have to get my brother's opinion on that, he is the engineer of the family). But you are right that if the device is designed to handle a certain level of heat it should be fine. But, things are just things and they don't last forever. So I just try to be as nice as I can to them :)

    I hear you Tim, and this was my point!
    It's nice to leave/let our devices cuddle themselves in their warm dens without often blowing cold air, just to use a metaphor :)


    A switching-related transient is certainly more fatiguing for a device than a one-hour standing on passively.

    Quote from viabcroce

    I hear you Tim, and this was my point!
    It's nice to leave/let our devices cuddle themselves in their warm dens without often blowing cold air, just to use a metaphor :)


    A switching-related transient is certainly more fatiguing for a device than a one-hour standing on passively.


    Gianfranco - Good point, I agree that switching on and off is definitely more damaging than leaving the device on (especially well made German built devices). I tend to just use mine only once or twice every few days (I wish I had time to play it more but I've got 4 kids :) ) So switching it on and leaving it on would probably be worse in my case (ie, leave it on all day long just to use it for 30 minutes to an hour). Of course if you are switching in on and off multiple times per day, it probably is better to leave it on as you say.

    Yep. Computers for example are among those devices most easily kept on all time long. Some of them are never shut off. I myself switch my PC off only when I leave for a journey (disks stop spinning after 30' of inactivity).

    I've researched this issue several times for PC's, and there's never a clear answer, other than that of saving energy. As for me, I turn mine off when not using it for an extended period, such as overnight.

    Go for it now. The future is promised to no one. - Wayne Dyer