I didn't realize when I moved from an Onkyo to Denon A/V receiver that the Denon would run so much hotter. In my entertainment center, the temps got way too high for comfort (and the likely life expectancy of my expensive receiver). This thing really works well. I set it to 'smart mode' via the easy instructions, and it does what it needs to; turns on when needed, and adjusts the fan appropriately. In my situation, the fan goes to 1/2 speed to keep the receiver nice and cool when playing 9.2.2 Dolby Atmos encoded movies. The cabinet stays at room temperature. If you manually set the fan to high speed, it is quite loud for this type of device, but I have not had it go above 1/2 speed in smart mode where it is barely noticeable. I also have some Crown amps going for the subs which have also fans, and they are likely contributing to the very low fan noise (which disappears with any type of speaker output). I can't hear them unless I put my ear close to the entertainment center, but my wife can at completely silent points in movies. You do need an open back for this particular unit to vent out of, and some way to get air from the bottom of your receiver. I cut some holes in my receiver's shelf to improve the air flow.
Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!]