Alternate A/V reciever that stays cool.

[KRiTiKaL]

My Yamaha is about 130degrees out of the top while barely being on.. Also, way too much garbage. I am looking for an efficient movie system. Simple, has DTS, THX(not that neccessary) that stays cool. Can someone point out something similar? Good music output is a bonus. Thanks

[N. Abstentia]

Find a used Nakamichi AV-10 if you don't need the receiver to do component video swiching. It's older, but still sounds better than most any of today's sub $1000 receivers. Of course it won't have the latest bells & whistles (such as the component video switching and of course HDMI and DVI weren't even around then) but it's the most simple receiver I've ever used.

Plus it's fan cooled so it does not get hot.

[Woochifer]

If heat is your only concern, then you should go with a digital amp like the ones that Panasonic, JVC, and Sony make. They run cool to the touch and have no heat loss with the power supply. I would only question whether their sound quality measures up, and the reliability (in Sony's case).

[eisforelectronic]

Sunfire runs cool, but maybe a little pricey.

[RoyY51]

My NAD T763 has multiple small fans mounted to the bottom plate. Not only are they extremely quiet, but they keep the unit nice and cool. Not a lot of bells and whistles but it does have component switching as well as a wonderfully relaxed sound.

Happy Hunting!

[Lensman]

As Woochifer pointed out, class D amps run a lot cooler. Of the receivers he mentions, the Panasonic SA-XR55S is the one I've heard the most positive comments about.

In addition to class D amplification, you could also look at class T. Nothing beats a class T amp for running at cool temperatures. Class-T provides astounding power conversion efficiencies in the range of 80-90 percent and higher. This is significantly better than conventional solid state amps like yours, and often better than Class-D amplifiers. As an example, the Audio Research 300.2 class T monoblock amplifier produces 300 watts into 8 ohms, 600 watts into 4 ohms. Yet it uses only 50 watts of power when idling.

Class T can also provide stunning audio fidelity. It was due to the quality of the sound that Audio Research replaced their previous model 300 vaccuum tube monoblock (which idled at 480 watts) with class T. I auditioned the 300.2 about a year ago and it is the best amp I've ever heard. A lot of folks have also been going nuts over a cheap $30 battery-operated, stereo, class T amp called the Sonic Impact 5066 (Google "Sonic Impact T amp"). Many claim it produces sound quality on par with amps cost 10 times as much. At first I thought the claims were exaggerated. But over time, a huge sub-industry modding this little amp for audiophile use has sprung up and nicely, recased and tweaked versions of this amp costing upwards of $500 are being sold. This week, I received a Sonic Impact Super T stereo amp ($130), an "audiophile" version of the same amp. I've hooked it up using a Denon AVR-1802 as a preamp. I'm still evaluating it, but already know I'm keeping it. Even though it's only a 6 watt amp, the sound quality is MUCH better than that produced by the Denon.

The main caveat of class T amps on the low-price end is that have currently less power (no mass-market company's building them using the higher powered chips yet). But as long as you have reasonably efficient speakers (sensitivity of 87db or higher), J&R has a good price on the class T TEAC AG-L800 (http://www.jr.com/JRProductPage.process?Product_Id=3668123&JRSource=googlebase.datafeed.TEA+AGL800) which is 50 watts (into 6 ohms, so it'll be lower into 8).

[drseid]

If heat is your only concern, then you should go with a digital amp like the ones that Panasonic, JVC, and Sony make. They run cool to the touch and have no heat loss with the power supply. I would only question whether their sound quality measures up, and the reliability (in Sony's case).

Add me to the list of responders that concur here... Looks like digital is the way to go for you.

---Dave

[shokhead]

Keep the Yamaha,get a fan and dont worry about the heat as long as it has room to breath its fine.

[BackinHi_Fi]

Keep the Yamaha,get a fan and dont worry about the heat as long as it has room to breath its fine.

Concurring with shokhead, I own two different YAM AMPs and unfortunately running very hot is inherent to their design, If you are not experiencing power cut offs then I wouldn't worry, but if you seek for peace of mind perhaps your amp could benefit from this contraption. Get a brush less fan like the ones used in equipment/computer cabinets be sure it runs on 110v ac not 12v dc(I got one many years ago form radio shack), attach a power cord and connect it to one of the AMP's switched receptacles. That way it will power ON/OFF simultaneously with the AMP. Also add rubber feet to the four corners of the fan it will cut down on noise and vibration, then place it on the the top grate pointing towards the healthsynch and ready to go .Keep in mind that extra air flow means extra dust accumulation you should clean the interior a bit more often than normal, since dust is an enemy of electronics and a friend to overheating. :idea: If you are using this as a reason to upgrade, :ihih: then forget the fan call it helpless which = shop for new gear.

[kexodusc]

Concurring with shokhead, I own two different YAM AMPs and unfortunately running very hot is inherent to their design, If you are not experiencing power cut offs then I wouldn't worry, but if you seek for peace of mind perhaps your amp could benefit from this contraption. Get a brush less fan like the ones used in equipment/computer cabinets be sure it runs on 110v ac not 12v dc(I got one many years ago form radio shack), attach a power cord and connect it to one of the AMP's switched receptacles. That way it will power ON/OFF simultaneously with the AMP. Also add rubber feet to the four corners of the fan it will cut down on noise and vibration, then place it on the the top grate pointing towards the healthsynch and ready to go .Keep in mind that extra air flow means extra dust accumulation you should clean the interior a bit more often than normal, since dust is an enemy of electronics and a friend to overheating. :idea: If you are using this as a reason to upgrade, :ihih: then forget the fan call it helpless which = shop for new gear.

I've owned 3 Yammies, none of them ever ran hot, and they powered as many as 5 speakers of 89 dB sensitivity. They use heatsinks and convection cooling rather than noisey unreliable fans, but shouldn't run that hot. My old Marantz receivers had fans and they were no cooler. Make sure there's adequate airflow space and no dust build up.

And again - digital is cooler and may be the way to go for you...I like the Panny's in that camp.

[ericl]

If heat is your only concern, then you should go with a digital amp like the ones that Panasonic, JVC, and Sony make. They run cool to the touch and have no heat loss with the power supply. I would only question whether their sound quality measures up, and the reliability (in Sony's case).
I have one of the digital Panny's and it's a good little unit. You're not getting massive amounts of power, and the speaker terminals are infuriating(maybe some of the newer units are better). but the sound is good, has an average/decent amount of power, a low profile and a it runs cool. use the digital inputs.

[topspeed]

Panny all the way.

[BackinHi_Fi]

[QUOTE=kexodusc]I've owned 3 Yammies, none of them ever ran hot, and they powered as many as 5 speakers of 89 dB sensitivity. They use heatsinks and convection cooling rather than noisey unreliable fans, but shouldn't run that hot.

I am aware of the heath sync, I'm glad you have cool running amps, but the point I was trying make is that just becomes it seems hot it is not necessarily so according to the design of the specific unit what might seem hot for one amp it is normal running temperature for another. Both of my YAM's are fairly large amps and they have always ran fairly hot, my first one an A-1020 you could use to fry eggs on top (almost:) ) since the day I pulled it out of the box in 1986, by the way it is still in use in my bedroom's set up, but I've been thinking of setting it up in the kitchen and use it to make breakfast as well while I listen to music :ihih: . Jokes aside I used a couple of smaller YAM receivers in H/T set ups I put together for my parents and brothers they run at more conservative temps. Anyway the contraption I suggested was meant as an addition to help keep the amp a little bit cooler.:cool:

[jocko_nc]

Has no one else recommended this? Run a decent external 2 channel power amp on the main L and R channels. That will take a load from the receiver and will probably sound better.

jocko

[superpanavision70mm]

I use a receiver cooling fan for my Pioneer Elite along with some of my amps...they are great. They run very quiet and you can get them for about $20/each.

[Dusty Chalk]

Panny, Yammy.

How come people don't "baby-ify" the bigger models?

Krelly. My Krelly has welly. (Actually, I don't have a Krell.)