Cooling fans for tube amp


Just read a thread from 2005 about rack cooling fans. I'm having a custom built wood cabinet made with casters for my stack that includes an Audio Research D-90 that can get very warm after an hour or so.

Any new recommendations on what fan to use and how to set-up? Most computer fans don't have standard wall plug connectors.

I was thinking about a 4" diameter fan that will plug into my "Switched" power output off the SP-12 pre amp so it goes on auto whenever I power up. Should it "push" or "pull" the air? Mount on the back of the cabinet with a cut-out for airflow?

I may just run a power strip off the pre-amp's switched output to power one to two fans plus the subwoofer so they all only run when I power up the pre-amp and amp.

Also thinking of putting heat resistant tape/insulation on the underside of the wooden shelf directly above the amp.

Sound OK?

Or something better work w/o a major engineering project?
jamesk58

Showing 2 responses by undertow

Radio shack sells Fans that you can mount easily, they are not noisey, and you can add a standard plug to them pretty easily, I did this a long time ago when I had a receiver in a cabinet which would turn on with the switched outlet on the receiver like you are saying. I would mount one probably sucking the Air out of the cabinet, so your not shooting the air at the amps, but pulling it out of the cabinet and shooting it out the back or something would probably be more effective, removing the hot air. Computers are set up this way as well.