AVR-525 fan kicks on with adequate ventilation and 8 ohm speakers at low SPL levels.

Jeff Meininger · 03-23-2003, 05:48 PM

I used my HK AVR-525 for the first time today. The fan came on a LOT. I'm only using a 5.1 setup at the moment, and all speakers are 8 ohm. I was running at a volume level that my Onkyo SR500 had no problems with. The receiver is out in the open, sitting on a table. It is not particularly hot in the room.

So about the fan... do you other AVR525 owners experience a lot of fan activity even at low volumes with friendly speakers?

Thanks for your feedback!!

Adrian_S · 03-23-2003, 06:28 PM

Hi Jeff, I just got my HK AVR-325 (not 525) and running it in a 7.1 setup and 8 ohm load, and I too get a lot of fan activity. Of course, I get a lot new receiver smell too, which scared me at first, but I know this will subside. It sounds awesome but man is this a "hot" receiver (literally).

- Adrian

Mike Up · 03-23-2003, 09:11 PM

I went to CC to audition some speakers. The rep was using a HK AVR-325 earlier. Since I'm not fond of HK's characteristic, I switched and used an Onkyo SR700 for my audition.

I had the volume very loud in my speaker auditioning and heard a ventilation fan come on, thinking it was the store's ventilation being so loud. When I approached the receiver shelf, did I realize it was the AVR-325 that the salesman previously had on. Remember I had the volume way up and this fan could clearly be heard over the music. I just couldn't believe that they put in such a noisy fan system. I heard others complain but thought it would only be noticeable in a quiet room, not a loud room.

I've had fans in my receivers over the years and can say I had never heard them(during quite passages) with extremely loud levels on 5.1 surround sound.

The AVR-325 fan noise can be directly compared to a computer's "POWER SUPPLY FAN". VERY, very loud. Unfortunately, I had been in CC for some time and this receiver was not playing loud and was very well ventilated, as yours. The fan should not be coming on IMO.

I wouldn't had believed it, if I never heard it for myself!

MikeMcGrew · 03-24-2003, 12:33 AM

Could this fan be so active because these receivers are still fairly new? I mean, I don't really know. I wonder because I am considering a 525 myself. Are there a lot of complaints about the fan noise from olders of older (more broken in) 525's?

Adrian_S · 03-24-2003, 12:42 AM

Well, on my 325, I can't hear the fan even while the fan is venting - and I do listen to a lot of classical and piano music, along with movies...?

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Steven Simon · 03-24-2003, 08:03 AM

My 525's fan comes on once every 1.5 hours or so....

Oakley · 03-24-2003, 06:48 PM

I've had my 525 for about 2 months. Honestly I have never heard the fan come on. I have it in an enclosed entertainment center with about 4 inches of breathing room from the above shelf. Maybe I have'nt heard it because it is enclosed. I do agree that the receiver runs hot, but I have'nt had any problems so far.

Adil M · 03-24-2003, 10:08 PM

The fan comes on frequently. All the HK receivers at our store are well ventilated and the fan comes on every three hours w/ consistent use. We also hook up all 7 speakers. The fan annoys the shit out of me and it gets hot, but I swear they sound better then last years models which already sounded great. Also the fan is not very loud, but it's not quiet either especially when it turns on when there's no music playing.

03-24-2003, 11:42 PM

I bought an AVR225 for my bedroom system and absolutely love the sound quality. I like to take off the cover and see the build quality of an amp or receiver when I make a purchase. When I looked inside The HK I was a little shocked at the heat sinks , they appear to be the one weakness in construction, very thin. I had heard HK's run warm so I give it plenty of breathing room and though it gets warm I have'nt encountered any problems. I am amazed at the sound of my 225, especially considering I only paid $350.00 for it. I have two older Onkyo's that were $800 each and the HK sounds as good if not better. The Onkyo's have much thicker cast aluminum heat sinks though, which I would have liked to see in the HK. I can't understand why HK goes so cheap on the heat sinks , no wonder the 325 and above require fans.

Jeff Meininger · 03-25-2003, 07:39 PM

After about 30 to 45 minutes of operation, mine comes on for the first time, and then comes on about every 10 minutes from that point until you're finished listening.

I don't want to mess with returning the receiver, and other than the fan issue I like it. I think I'm going to rig up some wacky cooling mechanism with ultra-low-noise PC cooling fans to keep the loud H/K fan from ever coming on.

As a side note, I'm VERY suprised how big of a difference in tonal presentation there is between the H/K and the Onkyo. I mean, I expected different receivers to sound different, but I thought it was mostly audiophile nit-picking territory rather than something so plainly obvious. Interesting.

Thanks for all of your replies!