My aurora 16 is getting really hot!!!

[WilliamFF]

I could fry eggs on mine !

I think that's how it is supposed to work though ? Doesen't it say in the manual that it may \ will run very hot ?

I have one rackspace clearing both over an under

Allthough it may be burning hot, I have never had a glitch with mine. Works like a charm.

W

[funka]

Thank you WilliamFF, that's good to hear it. I even sometimes cook on my aurora16...

Ok, that was just to be sure mine has not a problem, even if, yes, they say in the manual that the unit runs warm. And they also advice to keep one free rack space above and below...That's what I'am gonna do...and it should be ok.

I only have mine recently, but for the moment, a big step up from my previous RME ADI 8 DS, mainly for the stereo imaging, and 16 channels!

[jkamata]

heres from Mercenary:

The second test is what we affectionately call a "rack n' bake". Converters are very susceptible to heat failure. Lynx recommends that you leave at least 1RU of space around the converter to provide adequate ventilation and heat dissipation. For the purposes of our test, we stuck it in an 18RU shock mounted road case filled with as much tube equipment as possible. The Aurora 16 was sandwiched between a Pendulum Audio Quartet II and a DW Fearn VT-2. Nice and toasty. Typical heat tests run for 24 hours, however this test turned into four days. Wouldn't you know the little guy not only survived, it went right into audio testing and had no problems.

but i keep 1 unit above and below for mine too

[Billster]

Originally Posted by funka

Hi all,

Just to know if other aurora16 users are facing the same thing. My aurora16 is really HOT after 2 or 3 hours powered on...Is that normal?

Thank you for giving me your experience with that...How many free 1U spaces do you leave arround it in your rack?

Apart from the heat issue, how is your opinion on these converters soundwise ?

Bill

[WilliamFF]

Apart from the heat issue, how is your opinion on these converters soundwise ?

I find them very nice. Espescially the DA part.

I actually passed up a PRISM ADA8, and went with the Auroras instead. Allthough there was a difference, I didn't find the difference big enough to justify the huge leap in $$.

Lynx even got a new version out now, with alternate trim settings

W

[True North]

I have an Aurora 8 and a 16. The 16 runs hotter than hell. It's not warm, it's hot. Oddly enough it is not hot on the top of the unit, it's hot at the bottom of the unit. Given that hear rises I found that odd.


Billster, these are great convertors. I don't suscribe to the fact that most decent convertors have a discernable 'sound' per se. As far as I can tell it is clean and transparent just like a good convertor should be.

[TanTan]

mine is getting very hot either, and i mean *HOT*

but they are great !

[funka]

Yes, HOT, but clean converters. That's also what I expect from good converters, being as neutral as possible. IMO, aurora16 delivers that neutrality.

Doing a D/A/D loop and switching back and forth between digital reference and the D/A/D looped sound, I was not able to discern any difference!

With the same test, I was able to hear a difference with my previous RME ADI 8 DS. The stereo imaging mainly, that was norrowed going thru the RME, and not with the Lynx.

[AdamJay]

open it up some time
you'll see a giant transformer

that's why it gets so hot.

[funka]

Yeah, I've seen it while installing the ADAT card.
So, that's the transformer than cause the unit to be that hot?

[Solunaris]

My apogee AD16X get's really hot too.

[Luke_martin]

I have two Apogee AD-16X´s and one DA-16X, as well as Big Ben in a portable SKB rack, sitting on the top of each other with no space between the units and during the whole day sessions I can smell the rack melting! They run really hot and I mean HOT! Buddy of mine has a Genex converter and I´ve seen him drying his socks on the top of it once!

-Cheers

[Jim Williams]

Sounds like they underdesigned the heat sinks in there. The transformer shouldn't get hot, if it does, it's not long of this earth. Probably the regulators are mounted to the bottom and creating the heat. The converter chips get warm, not hot.

If I invested that much, I'd add $10 more and pop a fan under it.

I'd also probably remove the top cover as well.

Jim Williams
Audio Upgrades

[Dave Peck]

Originally Posted by Jim Williams

If I invested that much, I'd add $10 more and pop a fan under it.

I'd also probably remove the top cover as well.

Jim Williams
Audio Upgrades

That would surely cool it, but a lot of digital gear needs to have the cover in place to comply with FCC and/or CE emissions requirements. Without the cover on, there's a chance it will be radiating lots of HF junk that could get picked up by other gear. Probably safer to just leave some rack space & keep the cover on.

DP

[Sizzleboy]

Originally Posted by True North

I have an Aurora 8 and a 16. The 16 runs hotter than hell. It's not warm, it's hot. Oddly enough it is not hot on the top of the unit, it's hot at the bottom of the unit. Given that hear rises I found that odd.

Poindexter mode on....

Heat does not rise. Hot air rises (pushing glasses up by tape covered center bridge).

poindexter mode off....

[mindbend]

Mine runs smoking hot too! I am half way tempted to put a fan somewhere to draw the heat away from it. I keep an empty space on either side of it and it still makes the equipment below it hot too! Yikes tutt

[sickhouse]

Like my mentor always said... if it runs hot, it's worthy. Our Neve heated the building in the winter.

[rhythminmind]

Yeah I was surprised at the heat coming off these guys. We have had a handful of these unit's burning 24/7 for some time now no problems yet.

[dude24man]

Mine keeps my control room heated in the winter. I can't even touch the feakin thing. Sound killer though. Arty

Dms Recording Studio - Full Service Recording Studio

[raal]

wow, something must be wrong with all your guys' units. mine runs really cold. i can't even tell when it's on! oh wait. maybe it's not.

ok, we've established they run hot (alot hotter than apogee 16X). i do keep a rack space above and below it but i think i'll take mr.williams' advice and get a fan too. have had no problems with it either BTW.

[CorkyTart]

Mine is hot as hell too. I've left it on for a day with no problems. I keep a space above and below...

[fooman]

I barely ever turn mine off. Only when I power down for a few days or turn off the PC.

It's only really hot after extended use.
Like everyone else, I have a rack space above and below empty.

[living sounds]

You can check the temperature in the remote control software, mine's usually around 55°C.

[drundall]

Good thread.

[Svens]

In Wintertime, I can leave the door open and still enjoy comfortable warmth from my Aurora 16 converter. Bought one for my barn also .

No seriously, mine turns hot as hell also, but never had problems.

[jwh1192]

i put a rackmounted fan behind it and it helps for sure .... would love not to burn mine out as i like the sound very much

cheers

[MKR]

Its weird this thread popped up, i havent been on here for a few days.

I plugged my aurora 16 (which arrived yesterday) in for the first time today, and was so worried about the heat it was kicking out, i actually emailed Lynx to check it was ok!! I could smell the heat it was creating.

Got a quick question though. i have just upgraded from a RME hammerfall and multiface. I loaded up a few tracks i had been working on, ITB mixes, pushing the stereo out of cubase hard(too hard really,limited at 0db though), but with the RME, it never sounded overdriven, and they suddenly sounded overdriven and distorted through the lynx.

I had the stereo out of cubase, connected to two channels of the RME and then the same for the lynx, which would then come out of the convertors, into two channels of a small desk(using for monitoring at the moment until i wire up my Dangerous monitor ST next week.)

Anyone know why this is happening? i had to pull the master fader in cubase down by maybe 6 - 8 db, before it sounded ok, but like i say, it didnt need this when using the RME.

Could it be because the digital ins of the Aurora can't handle the input, where as the rme multiface was connected straight to an analogue desk? But surely if cubase master is hard limited just below 0db, digital in's should be ok?

cheers

[rolo95]

can anyone post a pic of the aurora with the top cover removed ?


i think 2 mods can be done on those hot "grills"

1st mod can be removing the internal transformer that heats much as somebody reported here

and wire it externally so all the heat will dissipate outside the box
also we need to know how that transformed is wired...
it can be mounted soldered on a PCB board with related PS stuff...
or can be just the transformer with wires coming in and out...

If it where SOldered the mod will have a higher grade of dificulty
and can be only be performed by members that have a very good grade of soldering PCB work chops.... otherwise we can ruin the PCB

2. if the transfomer is not mounted on a PCB the mod will be easier but anyway you must have a good chops on soldering to make the snake of wire that run from the aurora to the transformer and back

Anyway if some one can take some pics of the guts of the beast and put them in here will be very nice
and then we can see how to tackle the heat problem

another route will be to add a fan or 2 inside but that can introduce some noise in the audio path , if so we need to add some filtering to the fans

Will see if we got the pics
GReets
Rolo.

[andygomez]

I have a very quiet fan ( the kind that comes with those clearsonic booths) blowing at them from behind the rack they are one rack space apart and I have grilled rack space plates in between each. this keeps them relatively "cooler"