Onkyo receiver audio issues (1 Viewer)

I have an Onkyo TR-636. I guess it's getting a little long in the tooth as only the first HDMI-in port is functioning which is pretty annoying. When I play a movie, I get 5.1 audio without issue. 7.1 isn't working (yeah I made sure I was playing a movie that supports it), Finally, when I play a concert bluray and turn it up only slightly louder than I would be listening to a movie, the whole damned receiver shuts down. I think I have a going-bad amp situation... Thoughts?


The good news is that I'm planning to replace the whole thing in the next few months with a pre/pro setup. I managed to scrounge some cash together to pickup a new Emotiva XPA-7 sooner than later. I guess I'll get it and hook it up to see if my audio issues go away...

636 will be under warranty. Provided you bought it from an authorized reseller.

Ugh, I misspoke. It's not the TR-636 but the TXSR606S. Bought it from Crutchfield in 2008...

I take it, when I get my amp, I just connect these ports to their corresponding ports on the back of the amp with rca cables and this will bypass using the in-receiver amp altogether?

charleyp1 said:

Ugh, I misspoke. It's not the TR-636 but the TXSR606S. Bought it from Crutchfield in 2008...

I take it, when I get my amp, I just connect these ports to their corresponding ports on the back of the amp with rca cables and this will bypass using the in-receiver amp altogether?

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No.

That is a MCH input for (what were concurrent at the time it was new) DVD players capable of DVD-A/SACD playback.

The 706, had you bought one of those instead, had preouts.

Ahh, I'm screwed then. My receiver has no preouts... An Amp won't save me from purchasing a new receiver or pre/pro... Now I understand your comment on my other thread!

It looks like there is someone on eBay selling replacement HDMI boards for my particular model. I wonder if I should invest the $110 to replace the board? They are offering a $25 credit if you ship them your old bad board. So, $80 at the end of the day. I'm kind of leaning to the 'no' on this given the amp seems to be dying as well. The whole receiver was $400 new. Seems like it might not be worth it. Thoughts?

Like I alluded to earlier. I doubt "the amps are dying".

If the HDMI board is failing, that is likely the reason for audio issues. The new boards(or repaired boards) also fix the known Texas Instruments DSP problem.

Most of the issue with the HDMI, wasn't the HDMI. It was the DSP chip. The chips aren't bad...the solder holding it down is.

Lots of stuff made that year span had solder problems. Onkyo was the most known in AVR. Remember all the laptops with overheating/blowing up batteries?

Same problem. Solder.

You can Google...

"Onkyo 807 no sound"

There is a YouTube video showing a guy using lights to heat up the various DSP chips on the board to reset the solder. The 606 board is arranged different.

But, if all you lost on HDMI was audio...it is the DSP. If you lost both, it was the ports.

Anyway...the DVD MCH input bypasses all that.

If you are planning a bedroom 5.1 setup...sure, spend the $80. I'd put that $80 toward a newer(with warranty) $200 AVR though.

Yeah I lost, completely, ports 2-4. I think I will skip the repair and use it as an amp for my heights before it gets the catapult, as you suggested.


5.1 in the bedroom isn't likely in the cards, unfortunately. I think my wife would like to get the TV out of there altogether...

So I think I'll hook up my old 606 using the MCH ports, like you suggested, Sam. I assume I will take the pre-out on my new Pioneer SC-95 and plug it into the corresponding MCH port on the old Onkyo 606 via RCA cable? I'm going to test it with my surrounds and rear surrounds. i.e. Pre-Out Surrounds to MCH Surounds, Pre-Out Rear-Surrounds to MCH Rear-Surrounds? I think you also suggested turning the Onkyo sound to -5dB or something as a baseline audio level for the surrounds. Is that correct?


I've noticed that when I play a concert Blu-Ray through the new Pioneer, put it on a surround setting and then crank it up, it's too much even for the SC-95 which will shut off around -15dB. It seems to be just fine in stereo mode though. I didn't really expect that, but I guess that's why people buy seperate amps!

The MCH on the Onkyo only applies to its corresponding speaker terminal.

So surround left pre out could go to front left on the Onkyo...as long as front left speaker terminal goes to surround left...