Denon AVR-591 help: KEEPS BLOWING (1 Viewer)

[RaddyHokie]

I've been looking around trying to find help with this system and found this site, so figured id give it a shot. Im having some big issues with my denon unit. I did a lot of research before i bought this and figured it would be the best bet for how much i wanted to spend.


I live in a college APARTMENT and we tend to have a lot of parties. the first denon unit i had blew at our first party, and i think it was because it was not set up correctly. this thing went up to about 15 dBs and wasnt loud at all. i took it back and got a brand new unit and ran it with high quality monster speaker wire and went through the manual to do advance setup. it made a HUGE different and it gets super loud at even 0 dBs, but apparently it is still not enough. both of the rear speakers are blown now.


my question is, is this htib the right stereo for our purpose? yes, this system is clearly used for music, but we do have it hooked up to a 46'' LCD so we use it for movies and sports as well. i would LIKE a system that is fit best for both uses. the speakers are mounted high on the wall, but i feel the position may be off. the front and rears are directly across from one another, almost in a box shape. i find when people come over they are more concentrated in the kitchen, which is maybe about 10 feet from the "living area." there are no walls separating the living area and the kitchen, it is an open apartment.

this system is capable of going to 7.1, so i had the idea of maybe getting a power amp and running the other 2 speakers to the kitchen in hopes of creating more sound without blowing it, but i also feel this may overload the amp. does anyone have any suggestions? this unit was purchased at best buy and i do have a 2 year protection plan on it, bought it for this unit after i blew the first one. i just dont want to keep blowing it and returning it if its not going to work the way we need it to. the speakers may not be strong enough for the volume we keep it at, which is anywhere between 3 and 5 dBs.

 

[Jason Charlton]

What speakers are you using with this receiver? Although the receiver is rated to power 6 ohm speakers, if your speakers have an impedance of 4 or less, that could be a source of the problem.


Speaker specs have more of an effect of the system's "loudness" than anything else. Their "sensitivity" (which is measured in dB) is a much better indicator of how loud they'll go. Something with a sensitivity in the mid to upper 90's is good, higher is better.


If you're running low-impedance, low sensitivity speakers that could be your problem.


Oh, and next time, save the $$ and get cheap speaker wire from monoprice or home depot. The expensive Monster stuff doesn't really improve performance at all. Better to put your money towards better speakers than anything else.

 

[RaddyHokie]

they are the speakers that came with the unit. i dont see anywhere on the specs site about the ohm. they are boston speakers.


my roommate works at best buy so i got that monster cable for cheap, thats why i got it.

 

[Jason Charlton]

No doubt the speakers are the weakest part of the system (they typically are for HTiB systems).


According to the spec sheet for the system, they are 8 ohm speakers, but no sensitivity is listed.


Just so we're clear - what exactly is the "blown" component? Each time I read your post, I get confused if the speakers are the broken component, or if it's the rear channels of the amp itself...


If it's the speakers that are the problem, then yeah - you're simply driving them too hard. You should consider investing in some decent speakers. Start a thread in the speakers forum for lots of good suggestions.

 

[RaddyHokie]

i can run the speakers at a low volume like when i am watching tv, but when i put music on and crank it up the speakers are busted. i dont know if its the rear channel or the speakers themselves. i think its the speakers because instead of bass that comes out it just pops. its both of the rears too.

 

[RaddyHokie]

also, im fine with buying speakers and an amp separate, but can i still run the denon receiver?

 

[CB750]

Eric


I have read your exchange with Jason and quite frankly I am confused with what you have. In on place you say you have a Denon receiver, and Boston speakers. Then you say you have a Denon HTib with the speakers that came with the unit. You have to realize that with all that confusion its hard to help you, as it is hard to figure if you have a receiver problem, speaker problem or both.


Since you have a two year service contract with Best Buy, and your roommate works there perhaps you should dump your problem on The Geeks and let them sort it out for you.

 

[Jason Charlton]

It took a bit of digging, but from what I can tell, Eric has a Denon HTiB system that includes a 5.1 set of Boston Acoustics speakers (and I can find no detailed information on the speakers from either Denon or BA).


The fact that the speakers came with the system indicate they are compatible, however Eric's listening habits are (understandably) putting a strain on the speakers, which as we know, are not the most robust part of any HTiB.


Eric, amp = receiver in my example. Yes - you should be able to continue using the Denon receiver, as long as you use 8-ohm speakers. Sometimes you can get away with 6 ohm speakers, but considering your desire for ear-bleeding volume levels, better to play it safe and stick with 8-ohms.


External amplifiers can be used with receivers that have a set of "pre-outs" for each of the main channels - your reciever does not have these outputs, so external amplification is not an option unless you start your system from scratch.


Most likely, your best bet will be to start shopping for new speakers. Make sure they're 8 ohm and look for high efficiency (sensitivity > 90 dB). Strongly suggest you also get a subwoofer to ease the strain on both your main speakers and the receiver. Within the receiver setup - set your mains to "small" or set the crossover to somewhere in the neighborhood of 80-120 Hz. For "impact" bass - consider a subwoofer from a reputable Internet direct company like SVS or Elemental Designs. Don't bother with subwoofers made by traditional "speaker" manufacturers - it's rare for a good speaker maker to also make good subwoofers. Besides, the overall value of going Internet-direct is light years beyond anything store-bought.


For really good advice, start a thread in the speakers section. Provide a budget and mention that loudness is your primary goal and you'll get some solid recommendations from some really knowledgeable people.


Good luck.

 

[RaddyHokie]

yea, the speakers that came with the HTIB are boston acoustic. i think im just gonna take the unit back and hopefully get a receiver and speakers seperate.

 

[LittlemanRob]

Small rear speakers are not really designed to play music at high levels for extended periods of time. If I'm running loud music through my receiver I turn off the surround mode and just use my large front speakers and sub. Your surround speakers will last longer.