Help, maybe my reciever is going bad?

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MIDIQ

600 Club - QQ All-Star
Since 2002/2003
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Nov 2, 2003
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Hi all, i have a Denon 3310cl reciever and have started to hear some distortion from the left rear speaker, mostly on string sections, higher violins. I just got Hugo Montenegro Rocket man, Mammy blue sacd from DV, and i find it fairly noticable on track 20, Zingaro, on the strings at about 1 min and 40 seconds for about 15 seconds. I played the stereo sacd layer and it was there also. I don't know if it is my reciever going bad, or maybe the master tape had a little distotion. It is no big deal if the master had a little distortion , i am definitely not complaning, it is great to get these old quads at all, and it is fairly minor. I am just worried it might be my reciever. I did change the right rear and the left rear. If someone who has this sacd could take quick listen to that spot and let me know if they hear any distortion, i would appreciate it. Thanks all.
 
Hi all, i have a Denon 3310cl reciever and have started to hear some distortion from the left rear speaker, mostly on string sections, higher violins. I just got Hugo Montenegro Rocket man, Mammy blue sacd from DV, and i find it fairly noticable on track 20, Zingaro, on the strings at about 1 min and 40 seconds for about 15 seconds. I played the stereo sacd layer and it was there also. I don't know if it is my reciever going bad, or maybe the master tape had a little distotion. It is no big deal if the master had a little distortion , i am definitely not complaning, it is great to get these old quads at all, and it is fairly minor. I am just worried it might be my reciever. I did change the right rear and the left rear. If someone who has this sacd could take quick listen to that spot and let me know if they hear any distortion, i would appreciate it. Thanks all.


What you could do is when you hear this "distortion"...remove that disc and put in a disc(s) that you know sounds excellent and has activity in the left rear speaker...that way you can isolate the problem....from what you are saying it's sounds like a disc issue if it's just a specific section of the song...a receiver problem wouldn't be that specific...it would involve other areas of the song and other songs...there is also the SACD player to consider...you could send Adam(fredblue)a PM and ask him to check on it...I'm sure he's familiar with that disc:)
 
Thanks for the reply. I have been noticing the distortion on a couple of other discs, in the last month, but it was even more noticeable on this disc. Probably a sign my receiver is going bad. But i would hate to buy a new receiver if that isn't the problem . Thanks.
 
I heard some crackling coming from my left rear speaker too while watching a loud bit in a movie several years ago which was years after I plugged everything in and hadn't touched it since.

First thought was, "Dang, speaker gone kaput" but after some fiddling, it was the cable connection for the left rear speaker at the receiver end. I undid it, pulled it out, put it back in, did it back up, and that fixed it. No idea how it happened but it appears that some vibration over the years might have wiggled the cable just a teeny bit out of the receiver and that was causing the crackling.

Based on this, I'd recommend carefully removing the cable at both ends, maybe giving it a wipe with your t-shirt, and then putting it back in.

Hope that helps.
 
Thanks for the reply. I will try that tonite when i get home. I did swap the rear speakers, but never thought to check the wire at the receiver.
 
Another thing to consider that actually happened to me. I had the internal volume control turned down extremely low on the disc player. This required me to turn up the preamp level very high to get a realistic volume. I eventually adjusted the gain on the disk player as well trying to get more volume. When playing I would occasionally hear distortion because the preamp and/or output stage in the disk player was being overdriven. It all went away once I discovered the problem and readjusted the levels.

I actually didn't even know the disc player had an integrated volume control. I had never used it. I can only assume someone in the house at some point wanted to lower the system volume. They didn't understand how it worked and lowered the disc player volume, and there it stayed, unknown to me, for months. All the while I thought the preamp was in its death throws until I swapped out the disk player and noticed the huge volume difference. Then I thought the disc player must be the culprit. Upon discussing a repair of the unit with a customer service rep, he suggested I double check that the volume control was at 100%. Of course my reaction was, "What volume control?"
 
What you could do is when you hear this "distortion"...remove that disc and put in a disc(s) that you know sounds excellent and has activity in the left rear speaker...that way you can isolate the problem....from what you are saying it's sounds like a disc issue if it's just a specific section of the song...a receiver problem wouldn't be that specific...it would involve other areas of the song and other songs...there is also the SACD player to consider...you could send Adam(fredblue)a PM and ask him to check on it...I'm sure he's familiar with that disc:)

I have tried other discs, and most of the time everything sounds fine. Then a few days later i notice some slight distortion, so minor it is hard to hear it, mostly when strings are coming from the rear. But it is definitely distorting on that Hugo Montenegro mammy blue sacd, probably my receiver. I will try another hdmi cord on the sacd player also. Thanks.
 
Another thing to consider that actually happened to me. I had the internal volume control turned down extremely low on the disc player. This required me to turn up the preamp level very high to get a realistic volume. I eventually adjusted the gain on the disk player as well trying to get more volume. When playing I would occasionally hear distortion because the preamp and/or output stage in the disk player was being overdriven. It all went away once I discovered the problem and readjusted the levels.

I actually didn't even know the disc player had an integrated volume control. I had never used it. I can only assume someone in the house at some point wanted to lower the system volume. They didn't understand how it worked and lowered the disc player volume, and there it stayed, unknown to me, for months. All the while I thought the preamp was in its death throws until I swapped out the disk player and noticed the huge volume difference. Then I thought the disc player must be the culprit. Upon discussing a repair of the unit with a customer service rep, he suggested I double check that the volume control was at 100%. Of course my reaction was, "What volume control?"

I will check the volume on the disc player. I don't think it has one, never looked though. But i don't have to turn up the volume any more on this than anything else plugged into it, but i will check. Thanks.
 
First, swap the rear speakers.

If the distortion stayed in the same speaker, it's a problem in the speaker. (May only be a connection problem vs. driver failure too.)

Still in the same channel (so the other speaker now) after moving them?

OK, #2 now reverse the speaker leads for those rears on the back of your amplifier(s).

If the distortion now now switched channels, it's the speaker cable/connector.

If it still stayed in the same channel... then yeah, sounds like the amp.

OK, that's the back end. There might be one more thing to check if you use analog connections to the surround amp from your input source.
If a digital connection, there's nothing to check there.

If analog, swap the inputs for the rear channels.
If the distortion moves to the other channel, it's either the input cable or an output on the source.
If it doesn't switch channels then yeah, it's the amp.

But if it did, now swap the cables for the rears on the back of the source.
If the distortion swaps back, then it's the cable on the input with a bad channel instead of the source device.

Hope I worded all that correctly...
Good luck!
 
First, swap the rear speakers.

If the distortion stayed in the same speaker, it's a problem in the speaker. (May only be a connection problem vs. driver failure too.)

Still in the same channel (so the other speaker now) after moving them?

OK, #2 now reverse the speaker leads for those rears on the back of your amplifier(s).

If the distortion now now switched channels, it's the speaker cable/connector.

If it still stayed in the same channel... then yeah, sounds like the amp.

OK, that's the back end. There might be one more thing to check if you use analog connections to the surround amp from your input source.
If a digital connection, there's nothing to check there.

If analog, swap the inputs for the rear channels.
If the distortion moves to the other channel, it's either the input cable or an output on the source.
If it doesn't switch channels then yeah, it's the amp.

But if it did, now swap the cables for the rears on the back of the source.
If the distortion swaps back, then it's the cable on the input with a bad channel instead of the source device.

Hope I worded all that correctly...
Good luck!

I tried swapping the rear speakers, but it was also in the speaker i swapped from the rear right. I will try reversing the wires on back of the amp. Thanks.
 
Thanks for the reply. I have been noticing the distortion on a couple of other discs, in the last month, but it was even more noticeable on this disc. Probably a sign my receiver is going bad. But i would hate to buy a new receiver if that isn't the problem . Thanks.

I lost my AVR when my center channel went south on me with all sorts of noise and distortion. Then I once had a Marantz that would pick up CB radio signals. As far as fixing then? My unit was older and it was not viable. Cheaper to go new, but look for deals. I'll never shell out big $ again for an amp.
 
I lost my AVR when my center channel went south on me with all sorts of noise and distortion. Then I once had a Marantz that would pick up CB radio signals. As far as fixing then? My unit was older and it was not viable. Cheaper to go new, but look for deals. I'll never shell out big $ again for an amp.

If it turns out to be the receiver, i will buy a new receiver. My last Denon receiver had a slight buzz in it and sent it to Denon repair, got it back and not any better at all, so i sent it back to them, got it back again and again still had a buzz in it. I gave up fixing it and bought an fairly expensive Sony receiver, and it didn't compair to the Denon sound so i returned the Sony and bought another Denon. So unless the problem is really obvious, i think iwill just buy a new receiver. I haven't had very good luck with my Denon receivers, i just can't get one last more than 5 years or less. My first Denon lasted forever. So i think imight try an Onkyo this time.
 
If it turns out to be the receiver, i will buy a new receiver. My last Denon receiver had a slight buzz in it and sent it to Denon repair, got it back and not any better at all, so i sent it back to them, got it back again and again still had a buzz in it. I gave up fixing it and bought an fairly expensive Sony receiver, and it didn't compair to the Denon sound so i returned the Sony and bought another Denon. So unless the problem is really obvious, i think iwill just buy a new receiver. I haven't had very good luck with my Denon receivers, i just can't get one last more than 5 years or less. My first Denon lasted forever. So i think imight try an Onkyo this time.

The older receivers used to last forever...I remember having a Harmon Kardon and a Yamaha that was built like a tank and I never had a problem with either one...I got another receiver to just upgrade the technology...the Denon I have now had a problem after 4 years and 5 months...luckily I had a 5 year extended warranty...I was allowed to take it to a local shop and they put a new board in it...never had an issue again...and that was 4 years ago...I have an Onkyo that now resides in my bedroom...I just didn't like the sound...I've been tempted to buy a new receiver but I hate to go thru that "dance" again...if I get into the 4k movement...that might be an excuse to try again...but it will probably be another Denon...I just like them:)
 
The older receivers used to last forever...I remember having a Harmon Kardon and a Yamaha that was built like a tank and I never had a problem with either one...I got another receiver to just upgrade the technology...the Denon I have now had a problem after 4 years and 5 months...luckily I had a 5 year extended warranty...I was allowed to take it to a local shop and they put a new board in it...never had an issue again...and that was 4 years ago...I have an Onkyo that now resides in my bedroom...I just didn't like the sound...I've been tempted to buy a new receiver but I hate to go thru that "dance" again...if I get into the 4k movement...that might be an excuse to try again...but it will probably be another Denon...I just like them:)

Hi, thanks for the info on the Onkyo. I really love the sound of the Denon recievers too, totally happy with the sound, just not so sure of their durability. And my experience with their repair department, hasn't very good either. But maybe i can get an extended warranty on it. Thanks.
 
I have tried other discs, and most of the time everything sounds fine. Then a few days later i notice some slight distortion, so minor it is hard to hear it, mostly when strings are coming from the rear. But it is definitely distorting on that Hugo Montenegro mammy blue sacd, probably my receiver. I will try another hdmi cord on the sacd player also. Thanks.


You sure it's not the recording itself?
 
You sure it's not the recording itself?

I am not positive if it is the recording, i was hoping someone else who owns that sacd would reply here. But i really think it is my receiver, i seem to be noticing it on more surround discs, not real bad yet, barely noticeable at this point but it does seem to be happening more. This sacd it is quite noticeable. Thanks.
 
Last night i changed wires and speakers all around, still got the distortion. I even got out my old analog sacd player and made the front speakers the rear, still had distortion in the front acting as rears. So it is not the speakers or wires, must be the receiver or maybe that sacd, but it really sounds like it is the receiver.
 
Last night i changed wires and speakers all around, still got the distortion. I even got out my old analog sacd player and made the front speakers the rear, still had distortion in the front acting as rears. So it is not the speakers or wires, must be the receiver or maybe that sacd, but it really sounds like it is the receiver.

Dang, that's no good. Just thinking out loud but have you had a look in the offending speaker cable port on the back of your receiver with a torch? There could possibly be some dust or tiny bit of grit that's worked it's way in there. Not sure whether you should try blowing out the ports with air as that might force it in further. Having a look with a torch could be a good idea though for peace of mind at least to prevent you buying a new receiver unnecessarily. Hope that helps.
 
If it's the AVR don't get why it would be especially bad for one disc, but hard to notice on any others.

Rocket Man/Mammy Blues are two 1970s recordings, is the distortion there on *all* tracks on *both* albums? Or just that short moment on one track?

Here's the stereo version
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AX8EnTgtBZ8

The part you seem to be pinpointing is where the string section plays staccato in low and high registers, starting at 1:40. It's somewhat harsh on the recording itself, especially during the louder, higher half. You might be mistaking that recording quality for distortion in your AVR.
 
Dang, that's no good. Just thinking out loud but have you had a look in the offending speaker cable port on the back of your receiver with a torch? There could possibly be some dust or tiny bit of grit that's worked it's way in there. Not sure whether you should try blowing out the ports with air as that might force it in further. Having a look with a torch could be a good idea though for peace of mind at least to prevent you buying a new receiver unnecessarily. Hope that helps.

Thanks, i'll try that. But all the speaker wires shouldn't have got dusty at the same time, but with electronics you just never now. I once had a sqeal coming from my guitar amp and thought for sure it was going bad, and for some reason, i can't remember why, i changed the cord to the guitar and found out it was the cord making a squeaing noise. I didn't know a cord could do that. So you just nevr know what it could be. Thanks.
 
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