clean_tones

Thanks to all of you who responded to my request for help. I thought I would share with you what solution I took and how it turned out. I really do appreciate your comments. I got the receiver fixed. It had a bad ground wire which is what was causing it to shut down. When I got the receiver home, I disconnected one pair of 4 ohm speaker (KG2s) to give the receiver a break but it still ran very hot, but at least it didn't shut itself down. This receiver just runs too hot to make me feel comfortable for long-term use, so I put a Z-Fan on top of the unit to cool it down. At first I was skeptical, it didn't seem like it was pushing enough air around to make a difference, but it really did cool the receiver down to a practically no-heat-at-all level from a hand-burning experience previously. I also replaced one pair of KG2s (my Surrounds) with Fortes, which complemented my Forte II Mains nicely. The net result is that everything is running cool, sounding great, and I had to fork over the not insignificant cost of the Z-Fan ($249) and the Fortes off of eBay. The listening experience for music (SACD and CD), movies, and video games is unbelievable. When I listen to a SACD I really appreciate the Klipsch because the SACD format on Pure Direct doesn't feed the sub-woofer but the Fortes and the Academy Center have enough bass to push a truly nice sound. Thanks again.

Thanks for your response. I got the repaired receiver back (bad ground) but it stills run very hot (you can lay your palm on the hottest section, but it's not a pleasant experience), even though I didn't connect one pair of the KG2s (4 ohm). Therefore, I just ordered a Z-Fan to sit on top of the receiver and pull air through it to cool it off. If it stays cool after I get the fan, I will hook up the pair of KG2s that is now dormant and see what happens. The good news is that it doesn't turn itself off, so presumably the very hot temperature is still within Yamaha's spec for auto shutdown, but I'm not comfortable letting the capacitors cook under that kind of heat. Does anyone have a recommendation for an external amp for the mains if I have to go that route, one that won't degrade the fidelity of the system? Or, to my original question, what similar 8 ohm speakers could I get to replace a pair of KG2s? I'm now looking for a pair of Forte or Forte IIs to act as my Surround speakers but that seems like overkill for that chore. Please share comments on any of these points if you would be so kind. By the way, I am not complaining about the Yamaha receiver. It is absolutely awesome -- just hot! George

I'm trying to avoid adding another amp unless that's the only way. Thanks.

I don't rattle the windows, but it's loud enough to enjoy the movie and dialogue. Usually, it's around -20db. There is a problem (ground wire) in the receiver that is being fixed now, which is one reason why it shuts down. But it still runs too hot. I'm thinking the best bet is going to more efficient speakers. What 8 ohm Klipsch speaker would you use to swap out the KG2s for the four surrounds? Preferably with a similar cabinet size and ones that would blend with what I already have.

Thanks for your response. I can configure the impedance settings in the receiver for 6 or 8 ohms, but not 4 as far as I know. I have read elsewhere that you shouldn't select a non-8 ohm setting since it's supposedly for UL purposes and degrades the fidelity of the speaker. I don't know if this true, but if Yamaha suggests only one pair of 4-ohm speakers at a time, I'm inclined to go with that or add fans to keep the heat down.

I really would appreciate some help and advice. For years, I had a pair of Forte IIs and a pair of KG2s. When I upgraded my home setup, I got the Yamaha RX-Z9 as my receiver, and I decided to stay with classic Klipsch speakers. So I picked up more Klipsch speakers on eBay from the same era and this is what I have now: 1 - Academy (Center) (Wow! This cost a King's ransom.) 2 - Forte IIs (Main) 2 - KG2s (Surround) 2 - KG2s (Rear Surround) 2 - KG .5s (Presence) 1 - Miller & Kreisel VX-7 Mark II (Sub) The sound was perfect for me. Great for movies, and great for pure music when playing SACDs or just using Yamaha's simulated nine channel output. I have no doubt you could spend a boatload more money and improve on this system, but I love it. Unfortunately, the receiver gets hot. REAL HOT! I know this receiver is known for the heat it generates, but it kept shutting down. It got so hot, you could hardly touch one section of the top panel. I have very adequate room around the receiver, but no external fans. The shutdown time got shorter and shorter, and I finally brought it in for service because it's hard watching a movie over a four night stretch. Turns out, I have a ground problem which is being fixed. But I still think using the four 4-ohm speakers (KG2s) is not a good long-term solution, as I just found out that Yamaha only recommends a maximum of two 4-ohm speakers hooked up to this receiver. I suspect I was generating more heat than people refer to when they talk about this receiver's heat generation. Please offer any help you think is appropriate, but here are the options I've considered: Swap out all four KG2s for smaller 8-ohm speakers. Are the KG .5s big enough for the purpose of acting as Surrounds and Rear Surrounds? Is there another Klipsch choice available with the same feel? Keep the KG2s for Rear Surrounds, and swap out the Surround KG2s with Forte IIs? Add a fan (hopefully super quiet like the Z-Fan) to cool down what I have and keep the heat from damaging the components if I keep the KG2s? And while we're at it -- would you upgrade the sub and/or add another one? The Klipsch have decent bass so I don't rely just on the sub for bass. Any advice would be very appreciated. Thanks.