Denon AVR 3300 Zapped!

Jeff Norton · 01-09-2003, 07:07 PM

I have owned a Denon 3300 for about two and a half years. The other night the sound started dropping in and out, the receiver could not lock on to any signal from any source. After about two days of this, I took it to the dealer. After about three weeks they finally looked at it. The tech told me the main board and the dsp board would have to be replaced. He estimated at least $500.00 in parts plus labor. In short it would cost well over half of what I paid for the unit. He asked if it had been hit by lightning. I told him I did not think so. There were no storms that evening and no visible signs of damage, and everything else in the system is fine. I asked the guy if it could have been caused by overheating, he said almost certainly not. I now have a 35lb paper weight.

I now need a new receiver. I really liked my 3300, accept for the not working part. I am looking at the 3803, but I am obviously skeptical about going with Denon again. I was wondering what other receivers in the $1200.00 range would be worth looking into. Or, I probably could be talked into the 3803.

Any info would be great.

Thanks

Jeff

Jason GT · 01-09-2003, 09:48 PM

Try writing Denon.

It's worth a try at least. Suck up to them about how wonderful their receiver is and how much you like their products, and that you trust and would recommend the Denon name.

Then tell them you're extremely disappointed that a product that you Really Love (tm) requires expensive repairs less than six months out of warranty, and hope that they're willing to stand behind their Wonderful Products (tm).

If it takes you half an hour to draft a letter, you'll be making yerself $1000/hr

Like I said, it's worth a try at least.

Michael Mohrmann · 01-09-2003, 10:00 PM

Jeff,

I am sorry to hear about your misfortune. When electronics last this long it is usually something catastrophic that causes its demise. I wonder if the tech tested the power supply. Do you know?

I would agree with Jason that writing Denon might be of some benefit. Ask them if there have been other Denon 3300s that have exhibited the same problem. Also ask whether the current patch of Denon receivers have similar issues, because while you might want to purchase another Denon receiver, you don't want to do so if it too is going to have problems.

Michael

RichB · 02-26-2003, 05:09 PM

A very similar thing happened to my 3300. I was told that it was "beyond repair" due to a power surge. Can anyone recommend a replacement with the same or better features for around the same price range?

Vincent_S · 02-27-2003, 03:35 PM

Boy, when they give a 2 year warranty they really mean it.

**HTF Ads**

Doug Brewster · 02-27-2003, 06:46 PM

Though I would usually recommend Harman Kardon (try the 525), I don't believe this is typical of what to expect from Denon. The 3803 is the "bigger and better" replacement for that unit. Denon is a good company and makes good products. If you liked the 3300, you would probably love the 3803.

Re: the power surge... Maybe, but the truth is, they don't know what happened. They just want to be able to give you an answer, so that is a possible (maybe even likely) explanation. Doesn't make it work any better to know why. Suffice it to say, this is not a normal Denon behavior... That's true regardless of the number of people here who might try to convince you otherwise. They are reliable.

Doug

Doug

JohnSer · 02-27-2003, 08:28 PM

Before trashing it, check yor X.1 inputs to see if the amp is still useable. Not locking onto a digital signal does sound like a dsp issue. If you can get the analog inputs to work, could serve some use.

JohnS

Jerry Klawiter · 02-27-2003, 08:56 PM

I did just see a Denon AVR-3300 at audiogon if your strapped for cash now. Extra parts?
<$300

GregoriusM · 02-28-2003, 05:36 AM

2 /12 years? Yikes!

Mine is the same age and the low speed on the fan is not working. It sounds as if a switch is clicking, clicking, clicking for about a minute or so, and then the high speed portion of the fan comes on, and it has been coming on quite often these days.

Usually the fan never came on when just watching a movie on TV in stereo mode at low to moderate volumes. I had to have all 5 channels cranked on something like Mission Impossible to turn the fan on and even then it hardly ever came on in high speed.

And the receiver is open above and around all four sides in my stereo rack, so ventilation has never been a problem.

Anyway, although I hate taking it in (no sound for how long? arrrrrgghhhh!!!), it looks like I will have to.

Thank goodness I purchased an extra one year warranty. But, maybe it is time to trade up to a 3803. I was hoping that I could wait until the 3804 came out, whenever that would be.

Well, I'd best take it in soon just in case your problem actually is an overheating problem caused by the fan not turning on properly and the same is about to happen to mine. I can't really afford to upgrade right now and am plenty happy with my 3300 otherwise.

Hmmmmmmmmm.........

Greg

JohnSer · 02-28-2003, 04:18 PM

Jeff, if you determine it has no useful life for you, and Denon is not going to help, drop me an email. Might be something I would want to tinker with.

JohnS

GregoriusM · 06-07-2003, 03:02 AM

Well, they ordered a new fan, a posistor (I had no idea something like that existed) and a transistor. They did a bit of soldering and bingo!!!!......... same thing happens, only the fan is louder!

They'll probably have to send it into Denon. Thank goodness they gave me a loaner. I need my tunes. Also, thank goodness the company I deal with tacks on a one year extra warranty on all of the products they sell, since this came at almost the same 2 1/2 year point.

Here's hoping they can fix it. If not, a new 3803 for my troubles would be quite nice!

Chuck Kent · 06-07-2003, 09:30 AM

Greg: If the 3803 is the route you go, for what little consolation this may bring, Denon no longer uses fans on any of their units except for the 5803...