Denon AVR-X6800H now released.

[peng]

Luckily, I'm getting this through Best Buy with Total Tech support. If that issue is happening, I'll just return it. I have 60 days to return it.

I hope you don't have the issue, I watched a few video and was impressed with the apparent build quality. The Cinema 30 is likely better build yet but fot $1,000 more, I would take the Denon too.

 

[tjcinnamon]

I hope you don't have the issue, I watched a few video and was impressed with the apparent build quality. The Cinema 30 is likely better build yet but fot $1,000 more, I would take the Denon too.

I’ve had good luck with Denon and bad with Marantz (ironically with an HDMI board on the 7012).

I’ll let you know if I have the bug or not. Hopefully it presents itself right away.

 

[Tanquen]

I’ve had good luck with Denon and bad with Marantz (ironically with an HDMI board on the 7012).

I’ll let you know if I have the bug or not. Hopefully it presents itself right away.

The video blacking out until power cycle can go a day or two without issue. I see it a lot as I use the Apple 4k TV everyday and have it set to match the refresh of the video so it's changing every time you go in and out of the menus and start a new video.

The eARC is there right away if you use something with high bandwidth audio. Apps in the TV have less data in the compressed audio but it still shows up every 5 or ten minutes. When the PC is passing the audio and it is set to muti channel or Atmos them it's every minute or so. If I set the PC to stereo only, then it's more like the apps in the TV and it will take a few minutes to hear the audio drop.

Here is a video with Atoms cutting out. It will do it every minute or so.

 

[tjcinnamon]

The video blacking out until power cycle can go a day or two without issue. I see it a lot as I use the Apple 4k TV everyday and have it set to match the refresh of the video so it's changing every time you go in and out of the menus and start a new video.

The eARC is there right away if you use something with high bandwidth audio. Apps in the TV have less data in the compressed audio but it still shows up every 5 or ten minutes. When the PC is passing the audio and it is set to muti channel or Atmos them it's every minute or so. If I set the PC to stereo only, then it's more like the apps in the TV and it will take a few minutes to hear the audio drop.

Here is a video with Atoms cutting out. It will do it every minute or so.

Can you modify the Dirac timings after calibration?

 

[-Matt-]

Can you modify the Dirac timings after calibration?

Sorry, no experience with Dirac here.

I’m getting my x6800 this weekend. I’m coming from a x4700. The reason I’m getting it is for front wides and Dirac. I can run it side by side with MQX. I’m very pleased with MQX and am hoping ART will be available eventually.

What TV will you be using it with?
Apparently Samsung and LG are the brands that are most likely to have compatibility problems with devices that contain ESS DACs.

I really hope it works well for you. Please report back here and let us know how it goes as it would be great to have a second datapoint for user experience. On paper the X6800 looks like it has a great feature set.

 

[tjcinnamon]

Sorry, no experience with Dirac here.




What TV will you be using it with?
Apparently Samsung and LG are the brands that are most likely to have compatibility problems with devices that contain ESS DACs.

I really hope it works well for you. Please report back here and let us know how it goes as it would be great to have a second datapoint for user experience. On paper the X6800 looks like it has a great feature set.

LG C2, so fingers crossed!

If it can't modify Dirac timings, It's likely going back. I need to have the L/R exact timings no matter what it "thinks" it should put.

 

[-Matt-]

Actually, now that I think about it...

I may have seen it mentioned that with Dirac you have to set the timings manually (i.e. speaker delays). Or you may be able to copy over the ones automatically detected by Audyssey. I think the crossovers are also handled through the AVR menus. Dirac mostly just calculates the filters to use in place of the Audyssey generated ones. Take these comments with a pinch of salt as I'm going from memory, and things could also be different for this newest generation of AVR.

Just checking... You are aware that you have to pay separately for the Dirac license? ...and they may not have such generous return terms for the license? In fact I think they (Dirac) can be a bit difficult about it.

 

[tjcinnamon]

Actually, now that I think about it...

I may have seen it mentioned that with Dirac you have to set the timings manually (i.e. speaker delays). Or you may be able to copy over the ones automatically detected by Audyssey. I think the crossovers were also handled through the AVR menus. Dirac mostly just calculates the filters to use in place of the Audyssey generated ones. Take these comments with a pinch of salt as I'm going from memory, and things could also be different for this newest generation of AVR.

Just checking... You are aware that you have to pay separately for the Dirac license? ...and they may not have such generous return terms for the license? In fact I think they can be a bit difficult about it.

I owned it before for me NAD and they will set them. However, on the NAD and I couldn't change them after the fact.

If I can't change the timings that's the only way I'd return Dirac. I should get a response somewhere before I installed it. If I get the video black out error that's one sure fire way the 6800 is going back.

 

[-Matt-]

Oh, I see.

So it makes sense that some recalculation has to be done if you change the timings.

The questions are:
1) Do you have to re-measure (I wouldn't have thought so).
2) How long does recalculation take (is it local on the AVR or done in the cloud?)

How did it go on the Nad? Were you forced to run the measurements again each time you changed speaker distances?

 

[Joost80]

Not sure. They are using a new HDMI board and chip set. They removed QMS support and that was to help with black screens when devices are changing refresh rates. But they had issues getting it to work so removed support but the stuck blackouts happen when switching inputs, as they do with most HDMI AVRs like my old X6500H but with the X6800H it randomly will not come back until you power the AVR off and back on.

The eARC it seems to also be new to the 800 series as folks with X4800H AVRs have been dealing with it for almost a year. Someone on AVS posted that Denon support finally says they know about it and may have a fix in a future firmware.

All I know is, I'm not the only one, swapping cables don't help, and reconnecting the X6500H fixes both issues. My Denon support person has been giving me the runaround saying nothing can be the AVRs fault and then telling me to send it in for service and will not respond to requests about known issues.

So you have no info on what Denon support has told others about the 800 series and eARC audio issues?

I provided the information in my previous reply.
Here is the full link to the information on EDID Issues and possible resolutions.

https://support.denon.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/14793

Kind regards,

I use earc on my 4800h. PC > LG C1>Denon. Multichannel lossless, no problems. Atmos, no problems. Tried it shortly with my 4k Pana player. No problems.

 

[Tanquen]

I use earc on my 4800h. PC > LG C1>Denon. Multichannel lossless, no problems. Atmos, no problems. Tried it shortly with my 4k Pana player. No problems.

I now have the G3 and did have the C9. Seems odd if the issues really are only with a G3/C3 and a Denon 800 series AVR but my X6500H is fine with both TVs.

 

[-Matt-]

I'm pretty sure the X4800 uses TI DACs whilst the X6800 uses ESS ones. Not sure if the HDMI board is the same.

If the digital sound part (the ESS DAC has to resync) it could very well send out an error status which also causes the image processing circuits to be blanked.

Interesting that some people report that the frequency of dropouts can depend on which other devices are plugged to the tv. This could point towards the TV giving floating voltage on its outputs or ground loops as possible reasons for the dropouts.

 

[dlaloum]

I’m getting my x6800 this weekend. I’m coming from a x4700. The reason I’m getting it is for front wides and Dirac. I can run it side by side with MQX. I’m very pleased with MQX and am hoping ART will be available eventually.

on the 6800, which decoders support the wides? (It used to be that it was limited to DTS.... a few generations back)

 

[tjcinnamon]

on the 6800, which decoders support the wides? (It used to be that it was limited to DTS.... a few generations back)

From what I’m reading it should be able to support wides with the DSU 1.7 and 1.8….

I’m hoping an owner can chime in for sure.

 

[tjcinnamon]

on the 6800, which decoders support the wides? (It used to be that it was limited to DTS.... a few generations back)

per an owner on AVS the front wides work with Dolby Upmixing with versions above 1.7

 

[dlaloum]

per an owner on AVS the front wides work with Dolby Upmixing with versions above 1.7

Excellent! - Now that is a excellent feature that might swing things its way with people like me!

 

[-Matt-]

Can confirm that on the X6700 and X8500 the front wides work with both "Dolby Audio - Dolby Surround" and "DTS NEURAL:X". (And also with "Multi Ch Stereo" of course). They aren't used in Auro modes. I'd expect that to be the same on the X6800.

 

[tjcinnamon]

Excellent! - Now that is an excellent feature that might swing things its way with people like me!

I have it hooked up. I’ll try it tomorrow or if this game is a blow out, possibly tonight.

 

[dlaloum]

Can confirm that on the X6700 and X8500 the front wides work with both "Dolby Audio - Dolby Surround" and "DTS NEURAL:X". (And also with "Multi Ch Stereo" of course). They aren't used in Auro modes. I'd expect that to be the same on the X6800.

That would be a bit of a shame, as the Auro mixer is highly regarded.... and should theoretically be capable of using many more speakers!

 

[patoulol]

I just ordered mine!