Hello? Anyone home?

No, I didn't steal it, honest. I bought it last fall for $150 and it ran my Polk SurroundBar 42" until the right channel quit a week ago. I have since reconfigured my system as detailed in my signature. I am not sure if it was running hot before I quit using the SurroundBar but it sure is now; almost too hot to hold your hand on the top. This was after running it all afternoon with FM in Stereo mode. The 1050 is in an open TV stand with more than 6" on either side and 2-1/4" clear above. Is this enough space? Should I be concerned about the temperature?

Regards,
Jim

PS: If anyone is home I will have lots more questions.

Hello - we're around.

I haven't run a 1050 in quite a few years and don't recall how hot the top of the cabinet tended to get, but the clearances around it seem reasonable. Is the HCA1000A directly below it? If so, the air entering the receiver could be hot because of the amp, which would tend to make the air leaving the top of the receiver hotter.

Thanks, gonk. The power amp is to one side of the 1050. With the power amp doing the heavy lifting in front and the 1050 putting out nothing but line level to it and nothing to the surrounds when in stereo mode, it seems odd that so much heat should be generated by the 1050. Not to mention inefficient.

I should point out that the HCA1000A just run the front SDA-1Bs. The 1050 powers the Monitor 10A surrounds which are rated at 6 ohms. The manual says that the impedance switch should be set at 8 ohms for 6 ohm speakers. I have done this.

Regards,
Jim

Even when internal amps are idle, I've found that receivers still tend to run hotter than processors - that's true of any manufacturer's receivers. The amps may not be driving a load, but they still are "on" to some degree. Also, lower impedance loads typically cause any amp to run a bit hotter. As a result, it's not especially surprising that the 1050 is still pretty darn toasty.

OK, then receivers are not the most energy efficient appliance you can buy at the mall. This is the first AVR that I have used with an external amp. I didn't know what to expect.

Thanks,

Jim

Correct. Class A/B amps are great heat sources, whether in a receiver or out.

So this winter, choosing whether to pay the heating bill or electric bill will be easier.

Jim

Well, maximum power consumption for the Model 1050 is 425 watts. That's about 100W higher than a plasma TV. As space heaters go, it's pretty underwhelming.