I figured the STANDBY indicator would come on if that were the case, but you never know.
However, they run so cool even after playing for hours, so it's no surprise they would be even cooler when nothing is playing.
I've been playing my Salon2/AVP/ATI for the last 2 hrs in Direct Mode 2.2 mode. My SPL reads 100dBC Max, average abut 85-90dBC.
Room temp 25C/78F, AVP 32C/90F, ATI3005 35C/95F (tip of thermometer touching top metal of AVP/ATI), which is actually hotter than I thought because they barely felt warm. I wonder if my thermometer is messed up.
Is 35C/95F degrees "barely warm"?
Assuming the 100 dB max are short peaks, with average 85 to 90 dB, your amp would be pushing 5 to 7 watts say 6 watts. Compare to the AVP's rated power consumption of 2A, assuming at a power factor of 0.8, 120X2X0.8=192W, even if you assume in 2.2 direct mode most of the video circuits are turned off, it has got to be consuming at least 60 to 90W, so again, in your experiment with the ATI would have added about 2X6= 12W or a little bit more, to the "stop mode" consumption. Compare that to the AVP's consumption, I don't expect it would, or should run warmer than the prepro.
Your cheap thermometer should be quite accurate, probably more reliable than the infra red ones that varies a little with distance. The only problem is you cannot shoot right through the perforated enclosure onto the heat sink and some accessible hot spot that I did with my Infra red one. So whatever readings you obtained with the thermometer, if you were to shoot through with an Infra red one you quite likely would see 2 to 5C higher.
Your measured temperature of 35C is consistent with those I measured on the Adcom and Anthem 2 channel amp. Mines were around 31C on the top, 33.6 to 35C on the heat sinks, the Anthem being warmer, and it powered the L/R while the Adcom ran the center speaker. I did not play at the 85 db level, more than 70-75 average and 85 peak but that room was warm, at around 26C where the amps are. They are also sitting very close to the Kuro that produces tons of heat.
From what I can see, I can summarize my results as follow:
1. 2 ch power amps were expected to run cooler, and they did in my case. 32 to 33C when "ON", 2C higher when doing their job playing medium loud.
2. The MCH amp MM8003 ran warmer, similar to the prepro and AVR. 35 to 37C when just being "ON", 41 to 46 when doing its job at medium loud listening level.
3. The AVR-3805 ran warmer similar to the MM8003, would have been warmer though if it were sitting in the rack, but it was on a coffee table top.
Surveyor, yes all of the above are class A/B.
My two cents:
2 Channel power amps, even class A/B but not necessarily class A - generally have much more generous heat sinks and more room to breathe, so naturally they should run much cooler than MCH amps, prepros and AVRs, and last forever, like 20+ years. Bryston may be the only one I know that offers 20 year warranties but I am sure ATI and many other brands could have done the same, if they think that is a good marketing tactic.
AVRs/Prepros - Get a cheap PC fan, place it on top to suck if you want them to last. Or get an Onkyo if you prefer an internal fan, I absolutely do not.
