Space required around an AV receiver

deshepherd · 20 Jan 2018 at 12:25

How much space is really needed around an AV receiver? I've just got an RXV583 and the user guide indicates that it ought to have 20-30cm space on all sides which seems excessive (and not really practical where I want to put it!). Also, similar question about clearance above a VM TiVo box as I may end up trading clearance above the receiver against clearance above the TiVo.

tom_nieto · 20 Jan 2018 at 12:54

They get hot. If you don’t leave space you risk the thermal cut out engaging and there are a few brands which suffer common electronics/component failure which I’m sure is accelerated by excessive heat.

TiVo is probably less important but an AV amp is one of the only components that I would avoid putting in a tight cupboard or stacking things on top.

brendy · 20 Jan 2018 at 13:08

Sides aren't so bad but the top needs venting, they get exceedingly hot compared to most other consumer electric devices.

lucid · 20 Jan 2018 at 13:35

It depends on how much air flow there is through the area. For example, I'll build a 19" rack for an install and put in an amp or power amp in the lowest part which will leave around 3" clearance to the left and right, but the underneath is completely exposed because I use ventilated shelves or a rack mounting kit. The back is open too. That'll run very happily.

Ditto this bespoke cabinet, solid doors are the front, and a mostly-solid rear panel, but ventilated side panel and shelves

The same amp sitting in a TV unit cabinet where it's basically an open-faced box with a solid walls and a couple of cable mouse holes at the back isn't going to be so happy.

Any amp manufacturer has to err on the side of caution

AyeAyeAhoy! · 20 Jan 2018 at 21:04

I have very little head room on mine, and it's in a cabinet with glass doors on the front..... !

Never had a problem with it. Been in there for years now, no drama

MissChief · 20 Jan 2018 at 21:18

I have mine on the bottom shelf of a glass TV cabinet. There's about 2cm clearance between the receiver and the glass shelf above it nut it's open at all sides so the heat doesn't get trapped. The glass gets warm but no more than that and the Receiver went through LOTR Blu-Ray extended editions without issue so about 3 1/2 hours.

jpaul · 21 Jan 2018 at 12:02

There were a number of posts in Gear thread about fan installations - if I was putting an Amp (which I always keep on >10years) in a closed cabinet I would checkout settled temp with an oven probe, since do not want expensive gear to have its lifespan shortened;
although, maybe, measured air temp would not reflect increased temp at power transistors due to lack of natural ventilation.

Armageus · 21 Jan 2018 at 12:08

Not had any issues with my Bluray player and Sky box being on top of my AV Receiver - however I have got some ~1 inch foam blocks to use as spacers to provide some room (and isolate vibration from the Bluray player) - sides and rear do have ~20cm of space all around though.