Sorry to hear that has been your experience!
Wish you the best of luck. In my experience online I've heard mostly good things about the United Radio service center in New York. The claims are its "the place to go".
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Denon AVR-X4700 AVR Review (Updated)
- Thread starter amirm
- Start date
Yeah I saw some people online talking them up, plus the CSR I spoke to was super friendly and helpful. I decided despite being in AZ (and hence closer to pretty much ALL the other ASC's) I'd send it to United. The other places in LA area weren't nearly as helpful and all want money up front to just look at it. United will look at it for nothing and charges flat $200 to fix + parts. They seemed like the best after calling like 8 of them that were closer.
Kool, If your like me my Hi Fi gear is very close to my heart and I get upset when crap goes wrong.
Once again Good Luck.
$200 is what I would consider as a medium/major category repair for labor fees. When I provided in-warranty and out-of-warranty service in the 1990s to audio, video, car electronics and personal electronics gear I never used the minor, medium or major fee structure because it gets abused and does not fairly charge the customers as well some techs and business owners charge a major if the time seems even close to a to a major repair. I charged by the hour for out-of-warranty service based on what I was repairing. $45-$55 per hour for average audio gear and walkmans etc and most personal electronics, $75 per hour for more sophisticated gear and for DATs, camcorders and other gear that represents more than several years of training and experience that in reality only a master tech can manage properly and have proper good success from the repair I would charge $95+ per hour. If I was very experienced on specific models which I often was because I was a warranty service depot and had huge amounts of the same models coming in for repair and that made me a strong expert in those models I would bill by the hour even if the repair required less time that I charged for because the first several+ repairs with the same fault required many+ hours to troubleshoot, diagnose, repair and complete the confirmation of repair. Many repairs I charged less than my actual time because it was a teen wanting the repair and they worked part time or saved their pennies or it was a old person or a good steady customer. There where freebies too and emergency repairs for people that had very good reasons to request a priority service. So to charge a flat rate for all gear is to me not a good practice. OH and I charged up front $25 for processing the unit for repair and that was even if the customer declined the estimate which was included in the $25 fee.
rvsixer
Addicted to Fun and Learning
Got it, thanks. I only ask as I also have lots of experience in the electronics return/reliability/manufacturing areas, and have seen very wide variances so thought you might have Denon/Marantz specific knowledge.
My new AVR is my first Denon product, hope it lasts as long as my other two (HK and Yamaha both purchased as refurbs, both well over a decade old when I owned them, then both passed on to others and still working).
Most of today's Denon warranty repairs are a board swap. If it requires more than that it's usually classified as non-repairable. If you get a tech that can correctly diagnose and repair faulty parts on existing boards that's a higher skill level than is typically available. The video card of Denon AVR's has a history of high failure rates and can easily be on backorder.
I owned Denon in the Nippon Columbia era as well as present day Marantz gear.
20 years ago, Denon made it much easier to have repairs done by a local retailer with a repair shop and now they have moved to regional depots, though surprisingly there are none in Silicon Valley (California).
What I have appreciated about D&M are very well documented service manuals. When Arcam had its service website open to the public, you would see all sorts of crazy errata that should have been caught early in development and D&M is much more straightforward. While the service depot approach is tougher for the consumer, I imagine it is easier for SU to maintain quality that way.
When Classe did their marketing video after being acquired, they made a big deal about the level of documentation needed under the D&M umbrella.
Yes, I've seen some of the really dense pin count flat packs on those new AV receivers and in the DVD players etc. I was able to remove and replace them with a expensive hot air tool flatpack removal and installation device that I bought as new but it was touch and go and I was stressed out doing it but all in all it was a success and the final appearance was a masterpiece each time. After I became really really good at soldering and PCB rework I took a high level PACE Soldering Certification course and became certified to international standard. One time I was accused by Sony of Canada of charging for a repair and not replacing a big very dense flat pack and when I told them to analyze the PCB via a proper microscope they complimented my work and apologized. In the 90s and such getting a new replacement PCB for in-warranty service was near impossible and required weeks to months for manufacturer approval and so we did everything at component level repair.
I tied many many thousands of tiny little hook size fishing flies for 12 years, did all my own sewing of my cadet and scouting uniforms and my civilian clothing as a child and teen, used different soldering irons a lot as a teen, worked on many motorcycles and car engines and chassis(s) and worked in a shop that sold and repaired motorcycles, chainsaws, outboard engines, tractors, mowers and snowmobiles so when I decided to specialize in and learn about mechatronics service I had a major leg up on most electronic techs that never did any of these sorts of things previously. Component level electronic service came to me very very fast, I worked double hours with a agreement not to be paid overtime because I loved the work and before I even had access to the apprentice training for electron flow principles, semiconductor devices, digital fundamentals and RF theory I was able to perform many repairs just by using deduction and common sense and had a very strong ability to use mechanical reasoning and conceptual visualization to get through so much stuff. I was the guy in high school that won the awards for drafting, metal shop and also for power mechanics every year at the year's end. I did the apprenticeship method for electronics and it was superb if not really really challenging because I was not as involved in the mathematics and physics study in high school as I was in the hands on stuff. But a math teacher did state he thought I would be very good at applied mathematics. On and on I blab...lol. I have worked as a HVAC engineer's coordinator, with a team of 15 various engineers as their electronics lab technician and QA-QC and service tech, and have advised for engineers and supported the necessary work required for drafting electrical system assembled in oil and gas heavy duty equipment manufacturing and 15 years a mechatronics tech and a bunch of years as a electrical assembler for manufacturing oil and gas heavy duty equipment and drilling equipment and loved all of it. I do find I am happiest and work best when I am at the hands on shop level as a technical person. The desk jobs where a bit mundane and I needed more activity. I applied for and was interviewed by a guy in Scotland and given a offer of employment by a major oil and gas player to travel and be their in house mechatronics/electromechanical tech and service/advise for servicing big trucks that where all going to driverless automated operation in the oil sands but I retired immediately after the offer. I have lotsa time and so I am blabbing and am avoiding studying the international and local news because it's really getting on my fricking nerves and some of it brings me to tears and so for self preservation reasons I must be here instead....Lol. ! So Cheers! I hope I have not gone overboard and frustrate the MODs with my rambling.
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ban25
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Never heard anyone in south bay refer to it as Silicon Valley (despite the TV show). Maybe that's more of a San Jose thing.
We haven't seen the Service Manuals for the current generation. Hopefully they stick to what's worked in the past and open those up to end-users!
Yes, there has been a distinct absence of service manuals from the major manufacturers for a few years....
Yes, it's very frustrating. I can't imagine approaching a device now with the sophistication and integration never mind the density of circuitry without a service manual.
So, got a call from United Radio last week about my X4700H repair. The repair is not cheap, I forget exact number but I think it was around $425. However, not only are they fixing the Protection/Audyssey Setup problem, but I also asked them to put in the new HDMI board that supports 4K/120Hz (figured, since it was there). So now I'll have a bit of a unicorn X4700H ... fixed video board, and AKM DAC's Expecting a call sometime this week or early next, they said about 7-10 days for parts and as soon as they get them, they'll fix it.
Expecting a call sometime this week or early next, they said about 7-10 days for parts and as soon as they get them, they'll fix it.Good luck. I hope it works when you get it back. If it was me I would be tempted to put the $425 toward a new Denon 4800 on sale.
ban25
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Agreed. I think repairing an out-of-date and out-of-warranty AVR like that would be a waste of money. Even if they do replace the HDMI board as promised, it will only have a single port capable of 4K120, which is a wash if you are using eARC into your TV....
I suppose if one has endless money, they will 'spend-save' in the way you and the previous poster recommended. I just dropped a grand on other stereo stuff last month.
The 4700H (esp. with the better video board) has all the features I want or need. I don't want a 3800, and even at $2229 for the 4800H, that's still $1800 more than $425. I mean, I HAVE the money to buy it, but I don't want to spend that much at this time. Slow days at my company lately (shrug).
Also I don't even have 1 input device that needs 8K or 4K/120 yet. Just a PS4 and a Shield. I want to get an new Xbox though.
Also, my TV is only ARC, not eARC.
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Well if I doesn't work I'll get the money for the repair back, I assume. And United Radio are supposed to be the best, that's why I sent it cross-country.
Denon in general selects it's service depots carefully and with intention to be able.
This is the funniest post I have seen all day. For years, Denon pushed customers to Panurgyoem.com for repairs and the horror stories from customers are legendary. If I was ever quizzed on which company had the worst warranty service record it would be Denon.
Really. I am in Canada and the Denon Canada acceptance process took a couple of months and proof of education, business license proof and a complete listing of all other service accounts for reference etc.
What year was that? When Sound United took over they shut down most 3rd party repair access to Denon parts in the USA and started having Denon Reps push warranty repairs to Panurgyoem.com. Before that it was possible for repair shops to access parts. Sound United was a step backward for customer warranty service.
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