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Denon AVR-X6700 vs X6500 for 5.1 system(no gaming) -- my X5200 lost left front channel

MarcT

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I understand that the 6700 will allow me to turn off the front L/R amplifiers(I use a separate amp for those channels), but other than that, is there any strong reason to get the 6700? My X5200 seems to have lost its front left channel and to send it in for repairs will cost me upwards of $600 and I'd possibly be without an AVR for a month or more. Either one of them would allow me to run 4K Blu-ray video from my Oppo over HDMI through the AVR instead of directly to the TV as I now have to do with my 5200.

What about SINAD of the DAC and amp sections? It seems that the X700 series have improved SINAD over older Denon AVRs, but will it make any audible difference in moderate sound level listening?

Thoughts?
 

Golfx

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Audible difference likely not. But, then there is the nagging doubt that other stuff will start going wrong too or that the service center will not find the root cause of your problem. And you would have to wait weeks for the repaired unit to return.

If you buy new looks like you get the “fixed” HDMI 2.1 connections,11.2 channels, HEOS and Auro 3D included. The new Audyssey control will be compatible as well. So I guess in summary you get a good deal of “future proofing” and then there is the whole new thing too.
 

peng

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I understand that the 6700 will allow me to turn off the front L/R amplifiers(I use a separate amp for those channels), but other than that, is there any strong reason to get the 6700? My X5200 seems to have lost its front left channel and to send it in for repairs will cost me upwards of $600 and I'd possibly be without an AVR for a month or more. Either one of them would allow me to run 4K Blu-ray video from my Oppo over HDMI through the AVR instead of directly to the TV as I now have to do with my 5200.

What about SINAD of the DAC and amp sections? It seems that the X700 series have improved SINAD over older Denon AVRs, but will it make any audible difference in moderate sound level listening?

Thoughts?

Is the 5200's left channel pre out still working though? If it is, I would just grab an amp and continue to use it until the supply chain issues are over and hopefully the 6800, or even the 4800 would have all the HDMI 2.1 related bugs fixed and the better DAC IC, either the AK4458 or equivalent back in use. If you can't wait, then I would suggest getting one that has the features you need at the lowest price you can get.
 
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MarcT

MarcT

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Is the 5200's left channel pre out still working though? If it is, I would just grab an amp and continue to use it until the supply chain issues are over and hopefully the 6800, or even the 4800 would have all the HDMI 2.1 related bugs fixed and the better DAC IC, either the AK4458 or equivalent back in use. If you can't wait, then I would suggest getting one that has the features you need at the lowest price you can get.
Thanks much. I do already use a separate amp for the front channels. So, either the left channel pre-out is not working or there is a problem in the home theater bypass feature of my preamp. I did connect the speakers directly to the 5200 and still no audio from the left channel. However, I later realized that I still had the interconnects from the 5200 to the preamp connected. Do you think that, if there is a problem in the preamp's home theater bypass function's left channel, it would "feed" back into the 5200 and cause a loss of sound even when the speakers are connected directly to the 5200?
 

peng

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Thanks much. I do already use a separate amp for the front channels. So, either the left channel pre-out is not working or there is a problem in the home theater bypass feature of my preamp. I did connect the speakers directly to the 5200 and still no audio from the left channel. However, I later realized that I still had the interconnects from the 5200 to the preamp connected. Do you think that, if there is a problem in the preamp's home theater bypass function's left channel, it would "feed" back into the 5200 and cause a loss of sound even when the speakers are connected directly to the 5200?

Why not just remove the preamp from the equation temporarily? If there is still no sound from the left then switch the left/right power amp input to see if the problem switches from left/right accordingly. If it does then the AVR's left preamp is the problem. In that case, you probably should do a system reset to factory default and see what happens. If other switching the power amp left/right input, the left channel still has no sound but the right channel has sound, then the power amp is the problem.
 
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MarcT

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Thanks, yes I need to disconnect the interconnects from the AVR and again connect the speakers directly to the AVR. But that is a big hassle because it's pretty difficult to get back behind my audio equipment in my setup.

I already did the reset on the 5200, to no avail.

I already know the power amp is not the problem because the left speaker has audio when using just the preamp into my power amp.

If I confirm that the problem is in the 5200, would you spend $600 or more to send it off for repairs and possibly be without it for a month or more, knowing that even if they fixed it, something else could soon fail in the 5200? Or move on to a newer AVR?
 

peng

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Thanks, yes I need to disconnect the interconnects from the AVR and again connect the speakers directly to the AVR. But that is a big hassle because it's pretty difficult to get back behind my audio equipment in my setup.

I already did the reset on the 5200, to no avail.

I already know the power amp is not the problem because the left speaker has audio when using just the preamp into my power amp.

If I confirm that the problem is in the 5200, would you spend $600 or more to send it off for repairs and possibly be without it for a month or more, knowing that even if they fixed it, something else could soon fail in the 5200? Or move on to a newer AVR?

But you asked about the possibility of the HT bypass being a probably cause, so what I suggested to take your two channel preamp out of the loop is a way to confirm that. Since you are sure the power amp is not the problem, then you can quickly remove the HT bypass right channel input at your preamp and plug the left channel input (the one from the 5200's FL preout) into the preamp's HT bypass right channel input instead, and if there is no sound from the FR speaker then you know for sure the 5200's preout is the problem.

If that is the case, no I would not spend $600 to repair the 5200. Prices of all AVRs have gone up significantly since Covid, that's why I think it is good to make 100% sure the 5200's pre out has in fact failed. I don't know what would be a good replacement for the 5200 right now, may be the RX-A6A, or one of those new Onkyo that comes with Dirac Live?
 

Golfx

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Hi PENG. Is your reason for not recommending the Denon is the possibility that Sound United had to switch DACs and other parts? Just curious.
 

peng

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Hi PENG. Is your reason for not recommending the Denon is the possibility that Sound United had to switch DACs and other parts? Just curious.

That's just part of it. I think it is really not a good tine to buy right now. If I were force to get something I may consider a temporary downgrade to conserve cash. Good thing I kept my AV8801. I think the current high prices will not sustain, not for electronic toys that are non essential for most people.
 
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MarcT

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But you asked about the possibility of the HT bypass being a probably cause, so what I suggested to take your two channel preamp out of the loop is a way to confirm that. Since you are sure the power amp is not the problem, then you can quickly remove the HT bypass right channel input at your preamp and plug the left channel input (the one from the 5200's FL preout) into the preamp's HT bypass right channel input instead, and if there is no sound from the FR speaker then you know for sure the 5200's preout is the problem.

If that is the case, no I would not spend $600 to repair the 5200. Prices of all AVRs have gone up significantly since Covid, that's why I think it is good to make 100% sure the 5200's pre out has in fact failed. I don't know what would be a good replacement for the 5200 right now, may be the RX-A6A, or one of those new Onkyo that comes with Dirac Live?
So, I did this and there is some sound from the right speaker, but only when I turn the volume up very high. It's like the level is very attenuated and also the sound is not quite right. It's not a problem with the left channel volume level in the 5200 setup because I made sure that the front L and R channels were both set to the same level in the manual setup.

The problem is not only with the left channel pre-out but also in the left channel amp because there is no audio when I connect the left speaker directly to the 5200 speaker output.

I thought about the RX-A6A, based on the recent positive review over at audioholics. I've also considered the Onkyo RZ50 and Denon 4700, as well as the 6700.
 
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MarcT

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So, we know that the current Denon AVRs measure the best among AVRs, but how close are the Denon X500 series, in comparison? There is a used, like new AVR-X6500 near me for a good price. Would I be missing anything of consequence by going with the 6500? It would cost me around half the price of a new 6700. I don't game at all.
 

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So, we know that the current Denon AVRs measure the best among AVRs, but how close are the Denon X500 series, in comparison? There is a used, like new AVR-X6500 near me for a good price. Would I be missing anything of consequence by going with the 6500? It would cost me around half the price of a new 6700. I don't game at all.
Unfortunately we really don't know anything about how "current" Denon AVRs measure as the dac chips and internal design have been significantly changed since Amir's tests.

Sorry Amir but we really need a further round of retests for these AVRs. The current reviews could be giving false information to consumers and helping a manufacturer to sell poor performing products; this is in direct contradiction to ASR's stated aims.

So, it could be that the 6500 actually performs better for audio (if you don't need 4k 120Hz).
 
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MarcT

MarcT

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Unfortunately we really don't know anything about how "current" Denon AVRs measure as the dac chips and internal design have been significantly changed since Amir's tests.

Sorry Amir but we really need a further round of retests for these AVRs. The current reviews could be giving false information to consumers and helping a manufacturer to sell poor performing products; this is in direct contradiction to ASR's stated aims.

So, it could be that the 6500 actually performs better for audio (if you don't need 4k 120Hz).
Thanks so much. I don't game at all, so my understanding is that I would not need 4k 120Hz. I missed out on an excellent condition 6700 (that was an early build) over on avs forum for $2,000. But I can get this 6500 for quite a bit less than that. The seller says that the HDMI board was just replaced by Denon because of a glitchy HDMI 4 input.
 

peng

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So, it could be that the 6500 actually performs better for audio (if you don't need 4k 120Hz).
I think that is highly possible based on the very similar 3600 that the 6500 would measured good on the preamp/DAC, but the amp section won't likely measured as good based on the 8500, 6700 and 8015 (Marantz). Someone needs to send a 4500 or 6500 to Amir if we want to know for sure.
 
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MarcT

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So, after reviewing Denon specs, it looks like, in order to equal the power of my 5200, I will need to go with a 6500 or 6700. The wpc ratings are the same for 5200, 6500, and 6700, as is the 750 watt power consumption and the 31 pound weight. I understand that a 4700 or 3700 probably have enough power, but I just want to stick with the same or higher level model in the Denon line.
 
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