Venting Your Home Theater Equipment

Any thoughts on what’s the number one problem with home theater components? If you didn’t say heat build up, don’t be surprised because few seem to realize just how problematic inadequate venting can be. Not only can this lead to a serious degradation in the performance of the component, but it can also affect its longevity. Manufacturers “assume” their product will be used on a shelf all by itself with plenty of air moving around it, but in the real world components are often grouped together or placed inside of cabinets bereft of ventilation. And when you consider today’s modern 7.1 channel surround amplifiers, or devices like DVR/Tuners that run 24/7, the heat being generated can be significant. These components can cook anything mounted directly above and below it. And remember this: products with built-in fans are dispersing heat to everything around it.