Denon AVR-X4700 AVR Review (Updated)

[oldtexasdog]

Reinstalling the app didn't help.
Resetting the AVR didn't help.
I've also noticed it is currently not limited to 96khz playback files, noticed the same behaviour of random cut off tracks with 44khz 24 bit files as well. So the problem might be with the 24 bit quality in general.

Is anybody able to replicate the same issue with playback in either heos or tidal connect?

Seeing as a bunch of my favorite albums seem to share the 24bit quality I'm getting slightly frustrated. Heos has always been rather finicky with streaming :v

*edit*
Tested it on a family members x6700h and the same issue happens here. So it doesn't seem limited to my unit.

Maybe a stupid question but have you tried a new HDMI cable?

 

[LunaTempesta]

Maybe a stupid question but have you tried a new HDMI cable?

Hello, the issue got fixed a good while back already.
A few days after my post there was another update on the Heos app and the firmware as well. Haven't had issues since.

 

[WaynesterUK]

Sorry to appear a bit dense I’m not very technical

My new Silver Marantz CD60 is arriving in 2 days, I will have it connected to my Denon AVR-X4700 receiver, do I connect the CD60 from its analogue outs, or from the coaxial or optical for best sound?
(Distance is 40cm from back of CD60 to the 4700)

https://www.marantz.com/on/demandware.static/-/Library-Sites-marantz_europe_shared/default/dwc7af0398/archive-downloads/Marantz_CD60_Infosheet_EU.pdf

https://www.denon.com/on/demandware.static/-/Library-Sites-denon_europe_shared/default/dwb07353a0/downloads/avc-x4700h-info-sheet-en.pdf

 

[WaynesterUK]

Anybody know which DAC or year of manufacture my Denon 4700 is ? Do I have the original DAC or the inferior newer one that’s cheaper

 

[peng]

Anybody know which DAC or year of manufacture my Denon 4700 is ? Do I have the original DAC or the inferior newer one that’s cheaper

I should be one that was made before switching to the TI IC.

If you want 100% certainty you can contact Denon as they can tell the manufacturing date based on the serial number. So if they tell you the unit was made before around April or May 2021, then you know it has the AKM IC.

Hint: don’t ask them directly about the dac ic, just ask for the manufacturing date. Ask Marantz as well just ti double check their answers.

 

[Sal1950]

Anybody know which DAC or year of manufacture my Denon 4700 is ? Do I have the original DAC or the inferior newer one that’s cheaper

The DAC change wasn't done because of any difference in pricing but because the AKM factory in Japan burned to the ground.
Ended up the TI DAC measured nearly the same sounded the same.

My new Silver Marantz CD60 is arriving in 2 days, I will have it connected to my Denon AVR-X4700 receiver, do I connect the CD60 from its analogue outs, or from the coaxial or optical for best sound?

Try having a friend hook them up both ways without telling you which is which when your listening..
Bet you $5 you can't hear a difference
But better to do a digital connection. If you use the analog and want to use Audyssey DRC (you should) a analog connection will still have to got thru a ADC and DAC conversion in the receiver anyway.

 

[ban25]

Anybody know which DAC or year of manufacture my Denon 4700 is ? Do I have the original DAC or the inferior newer one that’s cheaper

It's a V2 based on that serial number. Relatively early one as they started with 70001.

This is a good thing because it means you have a fixed HDMI 2.1 board. The original version requires an outboard adapter box which is no longer offered by D+M.

 

[WaynesterUK]

It's a V2 based on that serial number. Relatively early one as they started with 70001.

This is a good thing because it means you have a fixed HDMI 2.1 board. The original version requires an outboard adapter box which is no longer offered by D+M.

Didn’t know this… I have the outboard adaptor box as I asked Denon to send me one when I bought this 4700 unit last year… looks like I didn’t know if what your saying is 100% accurate

 

[peng]

It's a V2 based on that serial number. Relatively early one as they started with 70001.

This is a good thing because it means you have a fixed HDMI 2.1 board. The original version requires an outboard adapter box which is no longer offered by D+M.

The serial number shows it was earlier than one that has the 6th digit "7" so I would say it was an older unit that has the AKM IC. It was never a 100% certainty about going by the SN but that seems to be the consensus on ASR at the time.

 

[ban25]

The serial number shows it was earlier than one that has the 6th digit "7" so I would say it was an older unit that has the AKM IC. It was never a 100% certainty about going by the SN but that seems to be the consensus on ASR at the time.

You're right, I was looking at the wrong number on the bar code.

 

[dlaloum]

Sorry to appear a bit dense I’m not very technical

My new Silver Marantz CD60 is arriving in 2 days, I will have it connected to my Denon AVR-X4700 receiver, do I connect the CD60 from its analogue outs, or from the coaxial or optical for best sound?
(Distance is 40cm from back of CD60 to the 4700)

https://www.marantz.com/on/demandware.static/-/Library-Sites-marantz_europe_shared/default/dwc7af0398/archive-downloads/Marantz_CD60_Infosheet_EU.pdf

https://www.denon.com/on/demandware.static/-/Library-Sites-denon_europe_shared/default/dwb07353a0/downloads/avc-x4700h-info-sheet-en.pdf

Unless you intend to listen in "direct" mode (no processing whatsoever) - the DSP in the Denon will be used. And that means the signal is needed in the digital domain.
If you connect in Analogue mode - your signal will pass through the CD player DAC, then through the AVR ADC (converting back to digital) then get processed by the DSP, then finally get fed to the AVR DAC before going to the amps.

Connecting digitally, removes one DAC and one ADC stage from that chain, and regardless of how good the DAC is, removing the two steps can only improve things!

Connect digitally!

Whether Coax or Optical gives the best results varies from component to component, but I would not expect them to be substantively different (they shouldn't be, but you never know until they are compared on a lab bench! - there have been cases where one or the other suffered more from Jitter - as an example)

 

[WaynesterUK]

Unless you intend to listen in "direct" mode (no processing whatsoever) - the DSP in the Denon will be used. And that means the signal is needed in the digital domain.
If you connect in Analogue mode - your signal will pass through the CD player DAC, then through the AVR ADC (converting back to digital) then get processed by the DSP, then finally get fed to the AVR DAC before going to the amps.

Connecting digitally, removes one DAC and one ADC stage from that chain, and regardless of how good the DAC is, removing the two steps can only improve things!

Connect digitally!

Whether Coax or Optical gives the best results varies from component to component, but I would not expect them to be substantively different (they shouldn't be, but you never know until they are compared on a lab bench! - there have been cases where one or the other suffered more from Jitter - as an example)

Thanks, I've ordered a QED Coaxial 75ohm cable anyway and i already have a pair of QED RCA cables to use

 

[peng]

Sorry to appear a bit dense I’m not very technical

My new Silver Marantz CD60 is arriving in 2 days, I will have it connected to my Denon AVR-X4700 receiver, do I connect the CD60 from its analogue outs, or from the coaxial or optical for best sound?
(Distance is 40cm from back of CD60 to the 4700)

https://www.marantz.com/on/demandware.static/-/Library-Sites-marantz_europe_shared/default/dwc7af0398/archive-downloads/Marantz_CD60_Infosheet_EU.pdf

https://www.denon.com/on/demandware.static/-/Library-Sites-denon_europe_shared/default/dwb07353a0/downloads/avc-x4700h-info-sheet-en.pdf

If you want the best "sound" in terms of minimum distortions, noise etc., and without using DSP such as room EQ/correction, then you should connect the CD60 analog outputs to the Denon's analog inputs, and use direct or pure direct mode.

If you want to use room EQ/correction and/or other processing, then you should use the coax or optical outputs of the CD60, for reasons dlaloum explained.

Lots of people, including me, would not bother with preserving the signal in the analog domain, because at the level of the CD60, AVR-X4700H, room EQ/correction is a bigger factor on perceived sound quality than what Marantz marketing have you believe on their products such as the CD60, but if you, obviously, are sold on those info, then go ahead and do the best in connecting them.

 

[WaynesterUK]

If you want the best "sound" in terms of minimum distortions, noise etc., and without using DSP such as room EQ/correction, then you should connect the CD60 analog outputs to the Denon's analog inputs, and use direct or pure direct mode.

If you want to use room EQ/correction and/or other processing, then you should use the coax or optical outputs of the CD60, for reasons dlaloum explained.

Lots of people, including me, would not bother with preserving the signal in the analog domain, because at the level of the CD60, AVR-X4700H, room EQ/correction is a bigger factor on perceived sound quality than what Marantz marketing have you believe on their products such as the CD60, but if you, obviously, are sold on those info, then go ahead and do the best in connecting them.

I’m obviously going to be playing CD’s through my system below, I’ll experiment with analogue RCA and digital coaxial, but also I’d like to just plug a pair of headphones straight into the CD60 itself, is the CD60 powerful enough to run my collection of headphones based on ohmages?

EQUIPMENT

Denon AVR-X4700 AV Receiver
Van Damme Hi Fi Speaker Cables
Monitor Audio Bronze 500 Floorstanders
(For Main front speakers)
Monitor Audio Bronze C150 Centre Speaker
Monitor Audio Bronze 100’s on rear brackets
(For rear surrounds)
Monitor Audio Bronze AMS Dolby Atmos Speakers
BK Electronics XXLS400 FF Subwoofer

HEADPHONES

Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro X Closed Back
48 ohms

Audio Technica M50x Over Ear Type
38 ohms

AKG K371 Closed Back Type
32 ohms

Sony MDR-7506 Over Ear Type
63 ohms

Sennheiser HD599SE Open Ear Type
50 ohms

 

[peng]

is the CD60 powerful enough to run my collection of headphones based on ohmages?

According to the specs of the CD60:
Headphone output: 28 mW/32 Ω/ohms (variable maximum)

So it should have no problem driving those headphones.

 

[WaynesterUK]

According to the specs of the CD60:
Headphone output: 28 mW/32 Ω/ohms (variable maximum)

So it should have no problem driving those headphones.

I think I read the CD60 has 3 different gain options for headphones? low medium and high setting ? So it might drive all of mine with ease?

 

[WaynesterUK]

Actually it’s in the manual yeah

 

[peng]

I think I read the CD60 has 3 different gain options for headphones? low medium and high setting ? So it might drive all of mine with ease?

Your headphones impedances are not that high so any of the gain setting should work, but I would use the lowest one if loud enough.

 

[WaynesterUK]

Your headphones impedances are not that high so any of the gain setting should work, but I would use the lowest one if loud enough.

It’s arrived, looking forward to listening later

 

[Sal1950]

Thanks, I've ordered a QED Coaxial 75ohm cable

That's the perfect choice for your needs. Enjoy.
BTW, very nice, clean looking set-up, bet it sounds most excellent!