2. amps-preamps
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Amplifier Fan

I have a Rotel RB-1090 amplifier which is a dual monoblock rated at 380W per channel. It sounds wonderful, particularly at high volumes. The thing is, I admit I do listen to my music very loudly and have been known to go for hours on end at this high volume. This often forces the Rotel to heat up too much and engage it's protective shut down protection.

I bought a 14" air circulator from my local hardware store and put it right on top of the amp, blowing down into the vents. This solved the problem in spades.

However, the fan is pretty loud which can be extremely annoying during the silence between tracks and in softer musical passages.

Does anybody know of an ultra-quiet yet strong and effective fan? I'm open to any and all suggestions.

By the way, the amplifier is completely unobstructed and has very adequate ventilation. I also just had dedicated lines installed for all of my audio/video components which may help with this problem. But my thinking is that I need to use a fan regardless.
wdarwin
marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
Autospec,

What sence does it make to cool off the tube amp???
inpepinnovations1e75
395 posts
 
For those who think that taking air away from inside the amp is different than blowing air into the amp, the air that you are drawing away (induced air flow)is replaced by air going into the amp and this air isn't any cleaner than the air blown (forced air)directly into the amp. At any rate, you should simply vent the area surrounding the amp and avoid inducing or forcing air into the amp. This would apply to tubes also.
bear
141 posts
 
You want a "Whisper Fan" which is the brand name for quiet, slow fans from Rotron... designed for this sort of application.

As noted, your amp should be free of obstructions - not in a cabinet or other enclosure, and be able to freely circulate air by natural convection. It may even help to lift the amp up off the surface it is now on by a few inches or so...

doing this may eliminate the need for forced air cooling.

But, having said that, unless you are in a huge room or have very inefficient speakers, you are listening too loud if you are overheating a 380 watt amp. You may be clipping on peaks which will also cause an increase in heat.

Check your SPLs. Hearing is a valuable thing that once lost does not usually come back, ever.
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