Nova - Heat control

Long shot but I found that my Nova got hot due to UPnP server being enabled, which for some reason caused the unit to warm up loads. Worth a try?

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I use my Nova as a streamer preamp into a separate power amp and mostly it runs cool. But sometimes the left side of the case gets really hot (about 43 deg C) even when no music is playing. The only way to cool it down is to turn it off for a while and then it may be another week or two before it gets that hot again. I don’t have server mode turned on. My best guess so far is that it gets hot if I have a upnp play queue stopped, presumably because the streamer and DAC sections are primed to restart playing the music.

Best

David

My Nova just overheated, start of the 3rd album. I was driving it loud, like 70-90 with the setting at factory 85%…I just bought Audioquest type 5 cables…10’…

Ahh…yes…

I just switched. I’ll let it cool and see how that works. But, mine is sitting on a heavy wood shelf and I have saws and drills! So it’s going to be ventilated…unless I decide to swap it with…lol

Many AQ speaker cables are constructed in ways making them problematic for Naim units, such as being internally bi-wired, although Unitis are less picky. The AQ Type 5 has “Balanced Star-Quad Geometry” according to the AQ website. According to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_quad_cable, this results in high capacitance. As AQ does not publish electrical specs, it is difficult to tell if it is suitable cable. I would try with a non-fancy one and see if the overheating goes away

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Surely the title of the thread should be How to prevent a Supernova?

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What do you use?

Oh wow this is weird, I have absolutely thrashed Novas during demos at a dealers and not once noticed case temperature issues. Perhaps you have elevated ambient temperatures compared to the UK?

Btw my SuperUniti seems to get warm if left at idle, I.e. no music playing compared to when giving it some, but never what I would describe as ‘Hot to touch’.

Naim NACA5, it’s the safest bet but I have a classic amp which is more critical re. speaker cables. The Unitis are more tolerant but there are still cables that are a poor fit.

Hmm. plus these are 3.05m.

The required length is a function of the electrical parameters of the specific cable and those are not known for AQ. There are definitely AQ cables that do the opposite of what fits Naim amps. Dunno about the Type 5. But as you are having issues, ruling them out at least makes sense

No…changed my mind on the used ones.

At the moment, I raised the Nova in addition to switching off the server mode. I’m on the last song from “Kind of Blue” after allowing the unit(i) :rofl: to cool. It’s not very warm at the moment. Running much cooler. I am running much lower volume also tho…about 44…

The issue may well have been a combination of the high volume, the server mode, and the speaker cable. Changing any one may get it back into the temperature envelope, but if you want to kick it again in the future, I’d still try with a different cable

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I’m going to get a Naim cable. Along with a Powerline. My reasoning is, whatever I do to upgrade they will be used.

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70 to 90 is seriously LOUD! Unless are you using very inefficient speakers that are hard to drive that’s going to be damaging your hearing on any system I’ve listened to.
A separate power amp or integrated amp decoupled from the source might be a better fit for your needs if the problem persists.

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He has Focal Chora 816, at 89.5dB sensitivity. Yes, it’s loud :slight_smile:

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Pardon me?

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Lol…yes. Yes it was. Seriously loud. I have a sound meter ap, it was peaking the ap said at 88db. I think it was wrong…

Abbey Road. Come Together…about 4 notes…wow…then Dark Side of the Moon Qobuz Hi Res…whew…