Sitting an amplifier on its side?

[admin_exported]

Hi, was rearranging my room and was just wondering if sitting a amplifier on its side could possibly damage it or reduce sound quality? Thanks for any help.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Wouldn't if i were you. The cooling of the amp is designed to work by convection with the amp in its usual orientation, and you could get overheating, cutting out and early failure.

 

[chebby]

It might mess up airflow and ventilation (especially if it has side vents.)

Amps have their ventilation designed on the assumption they will be used the right way up on a flat hard surface and with nothing on top of them.

 

[Frank Harvey]

It all depends on whether the heat has anywhere to escape efficiently. An amp is designed so that heat can rise up out of it. If it's on it's side, the casing may not have any facilities for this to happen at the side, plus, heat from one side of the amp (bottom) will be passing up past the rest of the circuitry, heating it more so.

The quality won't be affected. You could try it, but check to see if the amp gets hotter than normal at the top (side). If it does, I'd not recommend it.

 

[chebby]

Andrew wins 'snap' by seconds.

 

[Andrew Everard]

And he was typing with one finger while talking on the phone at the time...

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all the fast reply's guys, It has 2 large vents on the bottom and top so heat can still get out there, also has a small heat vent on the side (that will be the top when i flip it), Will try it and look out for it getting hot, again thanks for all the replies.

 

[chebby]

Roachie:Thanks for all the fast reply's guys, It has 2 large vents on the bottom and top so heat can still get out there, also has a small heat vent on the side (that will be the top when i flip it), Will try it and look out for it getting hot, again thanks for all the replies.

Please note Dave's point about heat from some components running over the others rather than convecting away vertically through the top panel vents.

I also have a feeling that you are doing this because of lack of space, which sort of implies it is going into a small gap restricting airflow even further. (If there was a big gap there would be no problem positioning it normally.)

 

[Andrew Everard]

Roachie:Thanks for all the fast reply's guys, It has 2 large vents on the bottom and top so heat can still get out there, also has a small heat vent on the side (that will be the top when i flip it), Will try it and look out for it getting hot, again thanks for all the replies.

All that being the case, I wouldn't risk it.

 

[Anonymous]

if you have to put it on its side, take the top cover off

 

[gpi]

Andrew Everard:Wouldn't if i were you. The cooling of the amp is designed to work by convection with the amp in its usual orientation, and you could get overheating, cutting out and early failure.

I keep telling my teen daughter this but she won't get up in the mornings any earlier.

 

[idc]

Will it even stay upright? My Rega Mira would have toppled back over due to the weight of the heatsinks. I would also say that stability and vibration will be a negative for this plan. Products tend to be designed specifically to be able to be placed on their side and provided with support, such as the DacMagic and Linn Sneaky.

 

[Andrew Everard]

dim_span:if you have to put it on its side, take the top cover off

Which of course turns unwise into dangerous...

 

[roger06]

Andrew Everard:The cooling of the amp is designed to work by convection with the amp in its usual orientation...

Andrew

You have the most wonderful way with words ! - that's almost poetic!

 

[PJPro]

roger06:
Andrew Everard:The cooling of the amp is designed to work by convection with the amp in its usual orientation...

Andrew

You have the most wonderful way with words ! - that's almost poetic!

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