Denon AVR-X4700H HDMI and Multichannel audio testing

[Obelisk]

Have had a Denon AVR-X4700H (as a preamp) for a bit over a week now and have the following observations.

HDMI video mode testing through the AVR-X4700H 8K input (display is a Samsung 75" Q70, Capable of 4K 60Hz, 2560x1440 120Hz, VRR - no eARC):

• 2560 x 1440 (1440P) input is only supported at 60Hz, even tested with the "8K input" configured to either Standard, Enhanced or 8K Enhanced.
• Using a Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER WINDFORCE OC 8G video card as the HDMI input, intrusive electrical noise came through the AVR into the amplifiers even when volume at minimum
  • When running games on the 2080 Super, there was unacceptable noise from the video card into the audio system (AVR volume setting had no impact on the noise)
  • This noise was not encountered from the same PC's motherboard analog sound output jacks
  • This issue was not encountered with HDMI came from a laptop

• Testing with an XBOX One S and XBOX One X:
  • 4k HDR Blurays with 7.1, ATMOS, etc. work fine
  • No option for 1440P resolution, at either 60Hz or 120Hz (Both available when connected directly to Q70)
    
  • 1920x1080 120Hz does work with the AVR
  • Variable Refresh Rate is unavailable (Available when connected directly to Q70)

Due to AVR-X4700H's singular HDMI 2.1 input, your display will need to do any HDMI 2.1 source switching and output uncompressed audio to the AVR via eARC. (I mention this due to XBOX, Playstation, PC, etc.)

Multichannel audio testing:

• Network audio streamed from Plex DLNA server
• Successfully streamed the following over the network (Used HEOS on tablet to select tracks)
  • 2-channel 24-bit/192kHz FLAC, displays "192kHz" status
  • 2-channel DSD 64 / 2.8MHz, displayed "DSD 2.8" status
  • 2-channel DSD 128 / 5.6MHz, displayed "DSD 5.6" status
  • 5.1 channel "DTS Coherent Acoustics". AVR display indicates "DTS", surround audio is heard and the appropriate channel indicators illuminate

As expected, no luck streaming multichannel FLAC or DSD files over the network (It is the year 2020 isn't it?)

HDMI testing with an RTX 2080 Super video card was problematic due to previously mentioned electrical noise. Used laptop with Intel UHD 620 graphics for HDMI.

• All equipment was connected to the same AC power bar, however only the power amplifiers and PC use a grounded plug.

Successfully streamed multichannel PCM audio from foobar2000 over HDMI (Component: WASAPI shared output)
Some sample music files here: 2L High Resolution Music Samples

• 2-channel 24-bit/96kHz FLAC (PCM ripped from DVD-Video PCM "DAD" discs)
• 2-channel 24-bit/192kHz FLAC
• 2-channel 24-bit/176.4Khz PCM converted from any DSD format
• 5.1-channel 24-bit/176.4Khz PCM converted from DSD 64 (2.8 MHz)
  • As the AVR-X4700H's maximum sample rate input is 192kHz, the closest "natural" PCM rate is 176kHz.
• 5.1-channel 24/88k from DVD-Audio files (Ripped with DVD-Audio Explorer)
• 4-channel 24/96k from DVD-Audio files (Ripped with DVD-Audio Explorer)

From the PC, successfully played sample video files found at: TheDigitalTheater.com - Dolby, DTS, IMAX, THK Trailers

• DTS 5.1 Auro 3D (Demo)
• Dolby TrueHD 7.1 ATMOS
• DTS-HD MA 7.1
• DTS:X / DTS 5.1
• DTS-HD MA 5.1 IMAX

It is disappointing to confirm that there is only DTS network streamed multichannel audio. However, the good news is that 7.1-channel 24-bit/192kHz PCM does seem to work well over HDMI. With the foobar2000 conversion to PCM, playing multichannel DSD is great.

Not sure what to say about testing with the RTX 2080 Super video card. Other equipment, such as directly connecting the Samsung Q70 and PC, doesn't exhibit this issue. During my testing I did not think to connect the PC to the Samsung Q70 and use ARC to the AVR for audio. I will contemplate if this test is worth the effort.

(Edited to improve formatting)

 

[XpanD]

I've run across the HDMI noise as well on my Marantz SR6013, using a 1070. Seems to run in the family. The internal amplifiers are quiet here, but hooking up any externals brings in the noise. (on all channels, from what I remember)

I have been able to run a separate subwoofer amp, but had to use a Rane BB22 unbalanced/balanced converter to cut out most of the noise.

 

[Obelisk]

I have opened a ticket with Denon regarding the lack of 1440P and Variable Refresh Rate options with an XBOX.

No 1440p resolution option:

No VRR option. (The darker boxes show currently unavailable settings: VRR, 3D, Dolby Vision)

 

[Obelisk]

I've run across the HDMI noise as well on my Marantz SR6013, using a 1070. Seems to run in the family. The internal amplifiers are quiet here, but hooking up any externals brings in the noise. (on all channels, from what I remember)

I have been able to run a separate subwoofer amp, but had to use a Rane BB22 unbalanced/balanced converter to cut out most of the noise.

It's interesting to see the that the Denon AVR power plug doesn't have a ground pin. I am wondering if it would help to use the AVR Phono ground connector to bond the AVR to the PC chassis? Or would something blow up?

 

[Timbo2]

You could try a DisplayPort to HDMI adapter for one of the other ports on the card and see if that helps. I don't believe they will any resolution higher than 4K@60Hz however.

 

[Obelisk]

A response from Denon Technical Support regarding 1440P and VRR:

"The receiver does not support the 1440p resolution.

The X4700H supports VRR pass through as it's a spec of the 2.1 board. More than likely, the Samsung's EDID is not negotiating properly with the Xbox One X when going through an HDMI repeating device like an AVR. Have him connect the Xbox directly to the TV and see if VRR passes through properly. Here's what he can do if EDID negotiation is the issue.

1) Report the issue to the TV manufacturer and see if they will alter the way the EDID is presented to the other devices via a firmware update. Some manufacturers are willing to do this and some are not.

2) Install an EDID management device in between the AVR and TV. These devices copy the TV's EDID and use the same data for consistency. Some popular examples of EDID management devices are the Atlona UHD Sync and Key Digital HDFIX22.

3) Connect the source to the TV directly and use ARC/eARC (Audio Return Channel / Enhanced Audio Return Channel) from the TV so that the audio track will feed from the TV back to the AVR via the already connected HDMI cable."

 

[starmike]

Good afternoon. I just got a Denon 4700 and love it. I was disappointed that the multichannel streams from my Foorbar2000 server wouldn't play directly on the 4700. The only thing I can get to play the streams is VLC on the nVidia Shield attached to the 4700, but it doesn't do gapless playback. I wrote to Denon and haven't gotten a response yet. I'm this close to writing an app for AppleTV that does it because the other alternative is to build a small PC and hook it up to the 4700 just to run Foobar on it. Are there any alternatives? Thanks.

EDIT: I should mention that my foobar2000 server is running on my gaming rig in another room. Is there a foobar setting to stream in a format that works for the 4700 over a network? I can't run a 30 ft. HDMI cable over to it. I did try telling foobar to stream over DSD and PCM and neither worked with the 4700.

 

[Chrispy]

Good afternoon. I just got a Denon 4700 and love it. I was disappointed that the multichannel streams from my Foorbar2000 server wouldn't play directly on the 4700. The only thing I can get to play the streams is VLC on the nVidia Shield attached to the 4700, but it doesn't do gapless playback. I wrote to Denon and haven't gotten a response yet. I'm this close to writing an app for AppleTV that does it because the other alternative is to build a small PC and hook it up to the 4700 just to run Foobar on it. Are there any alternatives? Thanks.

EDIT: I should mention that my foobar2000 server is running on my gaming rig in another room. Is there a foobar setting to stream in a format that works for the 4700 over a network? I can't run a 30 ft. HDMI cable over to it. I did try telling foobar to stream over DSD and PCM and neither worked with the 4700.

Wouldn't surprise me that the 4700 is not capable of multich DLNA streams (nor via direct USB connection). When I stream multich via foobar I go direct to my bluray player which can, whereas my Denon (altho a bit older, a 4520) can't do multich via usb or dlna.....

 

[starmike]

Yeah, my Oppo 93 can do it, but even that has issues on some multichannel streams. Not all of them. My Samsung 4K player can't play any multichannel streams. It's frustrating that this tech has been around for so many years and we're still having issues with it. What Blu-Ray player do you use, Chrispy?

 

[Chrispy]

Yeah, my Oppo 93 can do it, but even that has issues on some multichannel streams. Not all of them. My Samsung 4K player can't play any multichannel streams. It's frustrating that this tech has been around for so many years and we're still having issues with it. What Blu-Ray player do you use, Chrispy?

I have an Oppo 203 and a few Sony S5100s and an S6700 in various systems....they all work fine when I stream from foobar in multich. Not that I have that much multich ripped, as most of it is on SACD and bluray....ripped files are mostly dvd based. What types of multich do you have?

 

[starmike]

Lots of SACDs ripped (they're all my own). Weird things happen like the Oppo will skip three tracks of "Dark Side of the Moon", but play tracks 4 and 5. Some albums won't play at all. I could pop in the disc but I'm trying to make everything I have server-based. After all, streaming should be no different from a disc or a server - they're the same bits, just using a different transport. The multichannel FLAC albums all work on the Oppo, so if I wanted to, I could re-rip my SACDs to multichannel FLAC, but I shouldn't have to. None of the multichannel FLAC albums I bought work on the Denon using HEOS. I get "unsupported format" which just doesn't make sense because the device is fully capable of supporting that.

 

[Chrispy]

Lots of SACDs ripped (they're all my own). Weird things happen like the Oppo will skip three tracks of "Dark Side of the Moon", but play tracks 4 and 5. Some albums won't play at all. I could pop in the disc but I'm trying to make everything I have server-based. After all, streaming should be no different from a disc or a server - they're the same bits, just using a different transport. The multichannel FLAC albums all work on the Oppo, so if I wanted to, I could re-rip my SACDs to multichannel FLAC, but I shouldn't have to.

My rips are flac, your SACDs are dsd/dsf? Never had hardware suitable for ripping SACDs with myself. I think the Denons are limited to feeding multich content via hdmi mostly, somewhat optical/coax digital.

 

[starmike]

Yeah, they're DSD, but even multiflac doesn't work with the 4700 directly.

 

[Chrispy]

Yeah, they're DSD, but even multiflac doesn't work with the 4700 directly.

Not even via hdmi?

 

[starmike]

Like I said, I hadn't tried HDMI because the server's in another room.