Well my Denon AVR-S960H has popping (1 Viewer)

[Mike Up]

......after turn on when relay clicks in. Only happens after sitting a couple of hours. Turning on an off and on immediately produces no pops. It's only after it sits for a couple of hours it does this. I obviously disconnected all equipment and subwoofer, did a reset and still pops after sitting a couple of hours. Just started doing this.

I read on the internet that the AVR-x4700h has done this and it was related to a bad capacitor. I chatted with Denon and am awaiting approval for warranty claim.

My question is when this is approved, will I have to pay shipping to Denon? How much can this be? If it's that expensive, I'll have to rethink how I'm going to do this.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Mike Up]

Receiver went to a somewhat local warranty repair center. Not sure If it will get fixed.

In the mean time, the Onkyo TX-NR6100 went on sale for $479 from an authorized service center. So I jumped on it even though I hated the similar TX-NR6050 I had before the Denon, hoping for better.

Well the Onkyo doesn't have the Subwoofer output dynamics quality issue that the TX-NR6050 had. Either it was defective or a unit that actually is inferior to the TX-NR6100 as it was a model built exclusively for Costco.

What I like the best about the Onkyo over the Denon is the music apps built in. They aren't dependent on another app and a phone/tablet like the stupid HEOS is. Also Tidal offers near full functionality on Onkyo where HEOS on Denon offered very limited Tidal functionality. This is a big deal to me as I prioritize music over theater.

Also Onkyo has separate Zone 2 or Biamp speaker connections + 7.1 speaker connections. Denon had to share rear surround speaker connections with Zone 2.

Also Onkyo has 3 HDMI inputs that are 8K60p uncompressed compatible where Denon only had 1.

Onkyo down sides are the remaining 3 HDMI inputs are only 2.0b unlike the Denon and other current receivers and is not HDR10+ compatible. So for HDR10+ content, HDMI inputs 1 - 3 must be used.

Other issue is the same on all Onkyo and Integra receivers up to their multi-thousand dollar 11.2 channel models. That is that with a 7.1 speaker setup, when a DD/DD+ 5.1 signal is used, the surround channels will be played through the "Back" surround speakers instead of the side surround channel speakers as they should. This is all Onkyo, Pioneer Elite and Integra Receivers. Onkyo corp feels this is a good thing obviously. This likely won't affect on most content as I use Dolby Surround but will affect DVD Concert Videos in DD5.1 that I play straight.

The Onkyo is a more full featured receiver than Denon IMO, but I do like the Denon menu and functional designs better other than crappy HEOS.


I'm still thinking about keeping the Onkyo when the Denon comes back because of better built in music apps and more 8K inputs. Plus it seems like a higher end receiver. I really like the Denon AVR-S960H but it's obviously not prefect and I do feel Denon is way overpriced for the performance and features you get. I do have 3 Denon Receivers, an AVR-3803, an AVR-2312ci, and now the AVR-S960H. The Onkyo TX-NR6100 is my second Onkyo receiver as I didn't like the TX-NR6050 for so many reasons.

 

[Mike Up]

Some disappointments with the Onkyo TX-NR6100, the built in music apps are 16 bit 44.1khz only, no hi res.

Then the built in music server apps Chromecast and DTS Play Fi, will not play Tidal in Hi Res even using Critical Listening Mode on DTS play Fi. Its advertised to play hi res audio which it can't.

Then on top of that big disappoitment, the Chromecast and DTS Play Fi server apps can only play in Stereo or Multichannel Stereo, no surround sound or Direct or Pure. Huge disappointment on that.

Since the music apps were what was keeping me with the Onkyo, I may return it over that, the really bad Onkyo support I've experienced, and once again the weird DD5.1 surround channels being played out of the back surround speakers. Also this receiver, unlike Denon and Yamaha similar power/price receivers, onky has HDMI 2.0b on HDMI inputs 4 - 6. Denon and Yamaha use HDMI 2.1 even if those other 3 HDMI Inputs arent 8K compatible. Since Onkyo uses HDMI 2.0b, inputs 4 - 6 aren't compatible with HDR10+ and only is reference in the marketing sheet, not even the poorly written online manual. For that matter the Manual states that HDMI inputs 1 - 3 are not compatible with 8K60p uncompressed and must use DSC video compression unlike the Denon this was suppose to replace. Onkyo states this is the latest manual so they downgraded the 8K60p uncompressed capability it had over a year ago. Maybe through an update?

So this Onkyo is being returned and either I'll go back to my Denon AVR-S960h or upgrade to the Denon AVR-X2800h. I did order the 2800h already on special for 43% off of MSRP.

I really wanted the Onkyo to work out for the great price it was.

Also, you can not use THX surround modes on Dolby Atmos which is what most of my collection is, weird as you can use THX on DD+ 7.1. Another disappointment with this receiver.

 

[Mike Up]

I returned the TX-NR6100 and now have a Denon AVR-X2800H.

 

[Mike Up]

Wow, just realized my Denon AVR-S960h wasn't the fault of the problem.

Well it turned out to be my kid's Nintendo Switch dock causing this problem, only when the Nintendo is in it and charging it makes a very loud static pop when the receiver is turned on. I made a lot of hassle for myself by not isolating this as well as I thought.

Learned a lot with these new receivers but the X2800h looks like a keeper.