Overall failures
mantis
Posts: 17,194
in Electronics
Hello everyone,
So right now I'm in the market for a new AVR for my family room system. I didn't need to get a new one, the one I had was perfectly fine, sounded good, did everything I needed it to do but yet I wanted a change.
Denon and Marantz came out with new models and I got to install a few of them now and I have been very impressed.
I basically decided the Denon AVRx4800H was the right choice for the money, value, features , power etc as compared to the Marantz equal model, it's $1000 less. The issue is they are not available to me at the moment. They are not in stock where we purchase them from. So I have a temp receiver in my system until I can get one or move to something else.
A Tech / business owner I have been friends with for 30 years just got a Anthem 1140 and loves it BUT it has some video switching issues. It's the new 8k model and he had to program his control system to switch to a un used input first , then go to the actually input he wants to use. Overall he still feels it's one of if not the best overall AVR not he market today and he just has to live with it's flaws until possibly they fix it with a firmware update.
I started looking back into Anthem and they are a bit pricey for what you get compared to most other brands. First off the 740 and 1140 are 5 channel A B amps rated at 140 wats per channel. They drop to around 105 wats all 5 channels driven. Then for the 2 or 4 channels left, they are Class D amps rated at 60 watts. Strange design but ok for Atmos use , I'm sure it's totally fine. For Surround use ok It's still probably fine. I'm a huge fan of equal power to all speakers so the dynamic ability of each channel is fair. I have in the past used different power output amps for different channels and I didn't like the overall experience.
Then I could go the extreme other way and pick up a Denon AVRx3800H which is basically the same as the 4800H with 1 zone less, I could care less , less power by 15 watts which probably isn't an issue especially in my room and doesn't have the front cover with the controls behind it which seems to be my biggest hang up. I think the reason I really like the front panel control of the 4800 vs the 3800 is the fact I don't have to get the remote to make quick minor changes. YES you can break out the remote OR just a computer to make adjustments but I can't seem to let that minor thing go.
I also heard the 3800H is having some video issues as well. I have not installed one but have the Marantz Cinema 50 and didn't have any video switching issues with it. But I only spend a day with it as I upgrade a system with using it as a preamp in preamp mode and it was wonderful. Denon and Marantz share video boards.
So failure today in products seems to be a huge issue. It happens more and more with the video side constantly having different needs. You would think with HDMI and what it is suppose to do, this shouldn't be an issue but it is.
So right now I'm in the market for a new AVR for my family room system. I didn't need to get a new one, the one I had was perfectly fine, sounded good, did everything I needed it to do but yet I wanted a change.
Denon and Marantz came out with new models and I got to install a few of them now and I have been very impressed.
I basically decided the Denon AVRx4800H was the right choice for the money, value, features , power etc as compared to the Marantz equal model, it's $1000 less. The issue is they are not available to me at the moment. They are not in stock where we purchase them from. So I have a temp receiver in my system until I can get one or move to something else.
A Tech / business owner I have been friends with for 30 years just got a Anthem 1140 and loves it BUT it has some video switching issues. It's the new 8k model and he had to program his control system to switch to a un used input first , then go to the actually input he wants to use. Overall he still feels it's one of if not the best overall AVR not he market today and he just has to live with it's flaws until possibly they fix it with a firmware update.
I started looking back into Anthem and they are a bit pricey for what you get compared to most other brands. First off the 740 and 1140 are 5 channel A B amps rated at 140 wats per channel. They drop to around 105 wats all 5 channels driven. Then for the 2 or 4 channels left, they are Class D amps rated at 60 watts. Strange design but ok for Atmos use , I'm sure it's totally fine. For Surround use ok It's still probably fine. I'm a huge fan of equal power to all speakers so the dynamic ability of each channel is fair. I have in the past used different power output amps for different channels and I didn't like the overall experience.
Then I could go the extreme other way and pick up a Denon AVRx3800H which is basically the same as the 4800H with 1 zone less, I could care less , less power by 15 watts which probably isn't an issue especially in my room and doesn't have the front cover with the controls behind it which seems to be my biggest hang up. I think the reason I really like the front panel control of the 4800 vs the 3800 is the fact I don't have to get the remote to make quick minor changes. YES you can break out the remote OR just a computer to make adjustments but I can't seem to let that minor thing go.
I also heard the 3800H is having some video issues as well. I have not installed one but have the Marantz Cinema 50 and didn't have any video switching issues with it. But I only spend a day with it as I upgrade a system with using it as a preamp in preamp mode and it was wonderful. Denon and Marantz share video boards.
So failure today in products seems to be a huge issue. It happens more and more with the video side constantly having different needs. You would think with HDMI and what it is suppose to do, this shouldn't be an issue but it is.
Dan
My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
Comments
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Do yourself a favor & check out the Yamaha AVENTAGE line of AVR's. None of the issues as your beloved Denon, Marantz, Anthem lines. People in the know... know!"2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up.
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Knock on wood, had my avwntage 3070 for 5 years and it has been rock solid, knock on wood- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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Yes indeed...I purchased my flagship AVENTAGE 3010 over 10 years ago & it's still going strong. Yamaha knows how to build electronics that last."2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up.
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Mt Arcam AVR20 is performing like a champ! It did that going through several of them to find one that worked.
The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD
“When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson -
I haven't had a big name brand receiver or AV preamp fail on me and require repair since the mid-1980s. That includes Onkyo, Yamaha, Denon, Rotel, Parasound Halo, Marantz and Pioneer Elite.
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Knock on wood, had my avwntage 3070 for 5 years and it has been rock solid, knock on wood
Same with my RX-A2070.Yamaha RX-A2070, Musical Fidelity M6si integrated amp, Benchmark Dac1, Bluesound NODE 2i, Audiolab 6000CDT CD Transport, Parasound Zphono USB Phono Preamp, Fluance RT85, Ortofon 2M Bronze, Polk L600's, L400, L900's, RC80i's, SVS 3000 Micro, Audioquest Interconnects and Digital Cables, Nordost Silver Shadow Digital Cable, Cullen Gold and Crossover Series Power Cables, Douglas Connection Alpha 12AWG OCC Speaker Cables, Douglas Connection Alpha Analog Interconnect Cables, Douglas Connection Alpha 11 OCC Custom Power Cable, Signal Power Cable, Furman PL-8C 15 Power Conditioner, Sony 65" 900F, Sony UBP-X700, Fios, Apple TV 4K, Audioquest Chocolate HDMI Cables. -
I'll have to give them a serious look.pearsall001 wrote: »Do yourself a favor & check out the Yamaha AVENTAGE line of AVR's. None of the issues as your beloved Denon, Marantz, Anthem lines. People in the know... know!
Dan
My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time. -
I'll have to give them a serious look.pearsall001 wrote: »Do yourself a favor & check out the Yamaha AVENTAGE line of AVR's. None of the issues as your beloved Denon, Marantz, Anthem lines. People in the know... know!
Definitely give Yamaha a look. If I were in the market now I would consider the RX- A6A or A4A AVENTAGE. The flagship A8A to me wouldn't be worth the extra coin. Good luck on your new AVR purchase. I know it can be complicated as heck now with all the newest technology you have to muddle thru.
All brands you mentioned are top notch...it all comes down to personal preference."2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up. -
Hello Phil,
Thanks for the heads up. I'm trying to maybe go in a different direction this time. So the Yamaha stuff I'd like to re visit. I've been checking them out, features, power etc. And I'm leaning towards a non flagship AVR this time. As you know, I have been a flagship kinda guy most of my Audio video life. I always felt that not going flagship was a way to give up things that are offered with a given brand.
Today, with more mid level AVR's having all the features you could ever need, at least my needs are med at such a lower level AVR. I feel all kinds of ways not going flagship but these things are built to actually be able to be a clean preamp which was NOT the case many years ago. Even some flagship models where not good preamps IMO. So now with the speaker upgrades I'm considering, I'm gonna get something more step down from Flagship unless I grab the Marantz Cinema 40 which currently will be the Flagship but isn't really the actual flagship of last model year replacement. Marantz has been a bit confusing this year but I will tell you, they did a hell of a job.
I'm taking my time and gonna select something that fits perfectly.Dan
My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time. -
I’ve owned probably 20 or so receivers over the years, the only failures were user error. owned several Yamahas - all used - and they never failed…Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es
Game Room 5.1.4: Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra
Bedroom 2.1 Harmon Kardon HK3490; Bluesounds Node N130; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer -
I’ve owned probably 20 or so receivers over the years, the only failures were user error. owned several Yamahas - all used - and they never failed…
I was still using one (Yamaha) I bought from Paul until 2021, it still worked well when it was put back into the box. -
That’s awesome Ivan! And the only two I had a problem with? I phucked with the wires while they were on…like a dumbarss…I’m not saying failures don’t happen. We all know electronics fail…but in my experience it’s not very common, especially once the piece hasn’t failed for a couple years. Maybe a good reason to buy used?!?Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es
Game Room 5.1.4: Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra
Bedroom 2.1 Harmon Kardon HK3490; Bluesounds Node N130; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer -
I’ve had two Denons, 2 Marantz (one processor and one slimline receiver), a high end Onkyo when they were still around, and one of the earlier Aventage Yahamas. Never had any issue with the exception of a HDMI board on the Onkyo. As far as user experience goes, I always loved the Marantz units. Demon’s were right there as well which is to be expected. Can’t really go wrong with Yamaha either though
So that is to say, it’s a good time to need a new receiver. If I was buying today, I’d go Marantz even with the premium price. They just perform so well and the new design language is just beautiful2 Channel in my home attic/bar/man cave
2 Channel Focal Kanta 3 I Modwright SWL9.0 Anniversary Pre I Modwright PH9.0X I Modwright KWA-150SE I VPI Prime Signature w/ Soundsmith Zephyr MIMC I Lumin U2 Mini I North Star Designs Intenso DAC I Audience OHNO ICs/Audience Furutech FP-S55N and FP-S032N Power Cables/Acoustic Zen Satori I Isotek Sirius
