I just purchased a brand new Rotel RB-1080 two channel amplifier. The amp
is rated at 200 watts per channel into 8 ohms. My question is this - one
side of the top of the amplifier is just a little bit warmer than the other
side (I used it for about an hour at a medium volume). If I was rating the
heat, one side would be a ten and the other side would be between 8 1/2 and
9. I probably wouldn't be asking this question, but somebody once told me
that if one side of the amp is hotter than the other side (in a two channel
amp), eventually the hotter side will not sound as clear as the cooler side.
Is this true when the difference in warmth is minimal as compared to a
greater difference in warmth (for instance one side is a 10, and the other
is a 4). Am I being too much of a perfectionist? Do all amps have
differences in warmth?

Thanks in advance,

Randy

"Randy & Michelle" wrote in message
t...
I just purchased a brand new Rotel RB-1080 two channel amplifier. The amp
is rated at 200 watts per channel into 8 ohms. My question is this - one
side of the top of the amplifier is just a little bit warmer than the
other
side (I used it for about an hour at a medium volume). If I was rating
the
heat, one side would be a ten and the other side would be between 8 1/2
and
9. I probably wouldn't be asking this question, but somebody once told me
that if one side of the amp is hotter than the other side (in a two
channel
amp), eventually the hotter side will not sound as clear as the cooler
side.
Is this true when the difference in warmth is minimal as compared to a
greater difference in warmth (for instance one side is a 10, and the other
is a 4). Am I being too much of a perfectionist? Do all amps have
differences in warmth?

Thanks in advance,

Randy

If the physical layout is symmetrical (including the transformer), the
temperature should be the same on both sides. But I don't know if it is
physically symmetrical. Do you have a schematic? Your rating system of
temperature is not precise enough to know how serious the problem is.

"Randy & Michelle" wrote in message
t...
I just purchased a brand new Rotel RB-1080 two channel amplifier. The amp
is rated at 200 watts per channel into 8 ohms. My question is this - one
side of the top of the amplifier is just a little bit warmer than the
other
side (I used it for about an hour at a medium volume). If I was rating
the
heat, one side would be a ten and the other side would be between 8 1/2
and
9. I probably wouldn't be asking this question, but somebody once told me
that if one side of the amp is hotter than the other side (in a two
channel
amp), eventually the hotter side will not sound as clear as the cooler
side.
Is this true when the difference in warmth is minimal as compared to a
greater difference in warmth (for instance one side is a 10, and the other
is a 4). Am I being too much of a perfectionist? Do all amps have
differences in warmth?

Thanks in advance,

Randy

If the physical layout is symmetrical (including the transformer), the
temperature should be the same on both sides. But I don't know if it is
physically symmetrical. Do you have a schematic? Your rating system of
temperature is not precise enough to know how serious the problem is.

"Randy & Michelle" wrote in message
t...
I just purchased a brand new Rotel RB-1080 two channel amplifier. The amp
is rated at 200 watts per channel into 8 ohms. My question is this - one
side of the top of the amplifier is just a little bit warmer than the
other
side (I used it for about an hour at a medium volume). If I was rating
the
heat, one side would be a ten and the other side would be between 8 1/2
and
9. I probably wouldn't be asking this question, but somebody once told me
that if one side of the amp is hotter than the other side (in a two
channel
amp), eventually the hotter side will not sound as clear as the cooler
side.
Is this true when the difference in warmth is minimal as compared to a
greater difference in warmth (for instance one side is a 10, and the other
is a 4). Am I being too much of a perfectionist? Do all amps have
differences in warmth?

Can you ACTUALLY hear a difference in the channels with
YOUR OWN ears, or are you just influenced by suggestions
from someone else?

Switch channels. Exchange the inputs and exchange the outputs.
Does it sound the same? Is the slight difference in temp the same?

Can you actually see/feel the heat sinks themselves, or are you
feeling the sheet-metal casework? If you can measure the heat
sinks directly that would be one thing, but the temperature on the
outside of the sheet-metal is unlikely to be a reliable indicator
of L/R temperature.

If you can hear a difference, return it and ask for repair/exchange.
If you can NOT hear a difference, regardless of the temp difference
forget about it. At least IMHO.

"Randy & Michelle" wrote in message
t...
I just purchased a brand new Rotel RB-1080 two channel amplifier. The amp
is rated at 200 watts per channel into 8 ohms. My question is this - one
side of the top of the amplifier is just a little bit warmer than the
other
side (I used it for about an hour at a medium volume). If I was rating
the
heat, one side would be a ten and the other side would be between 8 1/2
and
9. I probably wouldn't be asking this question, but somebody once told me
that if one side of the amp is hotter than the other side (in a two
channel
amp), eventually the hotter side will not sound as clear as the cooler
side.
Is this true when the difference in warmth is minimal as compared to a
greater difference in warmth (for instance one side is a 10, and the other
is a 4). Am I being too much of a perfectionist? Do all amps have
differences in warmth?

Can you ACTUALLY hear a difference in the channels with
YOUR OWN ears, or are you just influenced by suggestions
from someone else?

Switch channels. Exchange the inputs and exchange the outputs.
Does it sound the same? Is the slight difference in temp the same?

Can you actually see/feel the heat sinks themselves, or are you
feeling the sheet-metal casework? If you can measure the heat
sinks directly that would be one thing, but the temperature on the
outside of the sheet-metal is unlikely to be a reliable indicator
of L/R temperature.

If you can hear a difference, return it and ask for repair/exchange.
If you can NOT hear a difference, regardless of the temp difference
forget about it. At least IMHO.