OK, so I have been using a Crown XLS 800D in one HT for eight months or so and it has run cold as ice and without incident. The fans were really loud so I turned them off.

Anyway, I liked the Crown amp so much I recently purchased another one of the same make and model for the basement. Since I did not have any thermal issues with the first unit, I turned the fans in the new unit off too.

Apparently, this new amp wants more cold air as it shut off twice during its very first playing session at moderate levels.

I was driving a single set of 8 Ohm 4312s at the time. One of the speakers is 60 feet away and I am using thin speaker cable, however. The amp was mildly warm to the touch which surprised me. My first Crown amp is NEVER warm to the touch irrespective of the power I apply.

Anyway my questions:

1. Is the thin speaker wire in the basement application a reason that the new amp might run hotter than the same make and model amp runs in the TV room?

2. Is it possible that two Crown amps of the same make and model would run at different operating temperatures both driving a single set of 8 ohm load speakers in a home setting?

3. I'm sure I can stop the thermal shut down of the new amp if I turn on the fans but they are noisy; can I use a less noisy pancake fan or is there another potential solution to thermal meltdown?