It works out that the "shutdown" was partially my fault and partially my inexperience with a zone2. This is my first time having a zone2 and not just B speakers, and I had somehow got myself on Zone 2, so all my button mashes were for an input/output that wasn't connected. Also, the "set-up" it was doing was due to my NAS spinning up, I gather it has some handshaking to do before it starts playing.
On the more fun side. I finally received the SPL meter, and to report back at a -7db receiver setting I seem to be at 92 db all-channel stereo and 87 in stereo (-7 is about the loudest I would normally crank it to). At 0db I'm at 101db in all-ch-st and 97 in stereo. So using JohnK's equations I'm bouncing off of 30w, which matches the expectation. (And thanks again John.)
And I'm with you Alan, I'm dying to get my *very* old H/K A402 fixed (one channel died), but I fear it won't sound as good as my memory says it will.
So with that I'll end this self-indulgent thread. Lesson learned was that I should have listened and bought more power - but I did come in right under the minimum required, so I can hold off until the next generation of receivers gizmos. (I do love the network features of the 1602 though!)
