Denon X4800H random fluttering relay sound when turning on

[PHD]

Hi

After only 2 weeks of usage, now, when I turn the X4800H on, the main PSU relay makes a loose spring or flutter noise randomly.


In this video the spring sound only happens at the 2nd turn-on attempt:

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

Here it happens on the first turn-on attempt:

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

Looks like some other users have reported the same issue:

https://www.reddit.com/r/hometheater/comments/187itct/denon_x4800h_power_on_sound

My dealer is checking the issue with Denon and should report back. Is anyone else having this issue here? Does it sound like a faulty to dying relay or is it normal? Should I insist on getting it replaced/serviced?

Thanks

 

[Doodski]

Hi

After only 2 weeks of usage, now, when I turn the X4800H on, the main PSU relay makes a loose spring or flutter noise randomly.


In this video the spring sound only happens at the 2nd turn-on attempt:

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

Here it happens on the first turn-on attempt:

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

Looks like some other users have reported the same issue:

https://www.reddit.com/r/hometheater/comments/187itct/denon_x4800h_power_on_sound

https://imgur.com/a/denon

My dealer is checking the issue with Denon and should report back. Is anyone else having this issue here? Does it sound like a faulty to dying relay or is it normal? Should I insist on getting it replaced/serviced?

Thanks

Get it replaced or serviced at a Denon depot.

 

[Doodski]

After you get this unit serviced at a Denon service depot let us know what the service record indicates as the cause of the fault. This is a interesting one in that multiple people have the same or similar fault/complaint.

 

[PHD]

Get it replaced or serviced at a Denon depot.

Local Denon service told me that a ticket was opened and I should wait for Denon's decision/response. They cannot take the unit for service w/o a service request from Denon... I'll wait and see...

 

[amper42]

If it's really only 2 weeks since purchase I would ask for a full refund on that lemon.

 

[PHD]

If it's really only 2 weeks since purchase I would ask for a full refund on that lemon.

Two weeks exactly since the unit was delivered (ordered 4 weeks ago). The issue started yesterday. There are similar reports by another user across the internet but Denon's initial response is to claim it's normal. They agree to replace the unit only if the user gets really persistent and won't accept the random noise as "normal"... The local dealer said that he is also awaiting Denon's service response... There really isn't much I can do here but wait.

 

[amper42]

If you ask for a refund from the dealer within the return period they have to accept it. Amazon offers a 30 day refund period. Any reputable dealer should match that.

Amazon.com

 

[PHD]

If you ask for a refund from the dealer within the return period they have to accept it. Amazon offers a 30 day refund period. Any reputable dealer should match that.

Amazon.com

I'm afraid this doesn't apply in my country. The return period is exactly 14 days and I'm on day 16 now. The dealer cannot accept returns w/o getting a clearance from his Denon supplier. The supplier is waiting for Denon service to repay and advise how to proceed. If Denon agrees to replace the unit it will get replaced. If they decide to service it then I'll have to consider other options...

 

[EWL5]

Disappointing to hear from units "made in Japan"!

 

[PHD]

It's been a week already and still, Denon hasn't made a decision to weather approve or disapprove an MRA for my X4800H. The dealer communicated the issue with his direct contact at the Sound-United main lab in Holland and he told me that they are still investigating the issue.

I even provided them with every possible proof that something was wrong.

In this audio clip. you can hear the normal cluck sound followed by the problematic click sound which I edited together:

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

I even included the waveform that clearly depicts a difference.

If that's not enough, I think I may have found another issue with my X4800H: I'm unable to run a REW+Umik-1 sweep for the subwoofers. I either get 97% clipping distortion at the bginning while I cannot even hear anything, and if I lower the volume, I get high noise floor error. The sound the "check levels" works ok. This doesn't happen with my older X4400H and the issue clears with the X4800H if I set the frequency rage to start from 25Hz instead of 16Hz default.

I'm becomming realy desperate here...

Is the AVR to blame to the REW issue?

Thanks

 

[amper42]

It sounds like Denon will not approve the fix? I don't know how it works in your country but a good dealer in the USA would find a way to make you happy even if Denon drags its feet. Especially, when the issue is discovered within 2 weeks of purchase.

 

[PHD]

I'm afraid US and EU rules don't apply in my country. You can return goods and ger your money back only within 14 days provided that they are in the original shrinkwrap package and have never been used. If the goods are faulty, the retailer can either get them serviced within a period of up to 3 months waiting time. Or replaced but only if the dealer approves the RMA. Dealers will do that only after they make sure the they get fully embraced by the manufacturer...

 

[amper42]

It's amazing that anyone buys anything new or technically advanced with those return policies in place. If you can't return a product you don't like or is malfunctioning because you opened it why buy anything? Amazon returns in the USA make up a huge percentage of UPS shipping business. I guess we are spoiled with consumer protection. Consumerism would drop in half with no ability to return faulty or unwanted goods in the USA. Then the rest of the world would go into recession.

 

[peng]

It's been a week already and still, Denon hasn't made a decision to weather approve or disapprove an MRA for my X4800H. The dealer communicated the issue with his direct contact at the Sound-United main lab in Holland and he told me that they are still investigating the issue.

I even provided them with every possible proof that something was wrong.

In this audio clip. you can hear the normal cluck sound followed by the problematic click sound which I edited together:

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

I even included the waveform that clearly depicts a difference.



View attachment 388362


If that's not enough, I think I may have found another issue with my X4800H: I'm unable to run a REW+Umik-1 sweep for the subwoofers. I either get 97% clipping distortion at the bginning while I cannot even hear anything, and if I lower the volume, I get high noise floor error. The sound the "check levels" works ok. This doesn't happen with my older X4400H and the issue clears with the X4800H if I set the frequency rage to start from 25Hz instead of 16Hz default.

I'm becomming realy desperate here...

Is the AVR to blame to the REW issue?

Thanks

Hard to say, but you can try:
- Make sure your REW version is a stable one that is bug free, not beta version.

- uninstall and re-install REW.

- Factory reset the avr

 

[PHD]

Just a quick update: The dealer has approved to send my X4800H to the local service lab. It will be inspected and if they decide that it is faulty, it will be sent to Denon's service lab to be serviced or, replaced if Denon approves the MRA. This may take up to 4 weeks. Meanwhile, I'm back using my good old X4400H.

I did contact Denon service but they told me that there is nothing they can do and that I need to follow the local policies in my country. So all I have left to do is pay that it will get replaced...

You should appreciate the consumer protection rules you have in your country because there aren't any in my country...

 

[PHD]

OK.

The AVR was sent back to the main D&M service lab in Holland and was tested by Denon. Today I got a notification that this flutter noise which some think is normal, isn't normal.

Denon didn't say much but acknowledged that something was wrong with the unit and ordered it's replacement. I'm now waiting for the replacement unit to arrive at the dealer warehouse and then be delivered to me.

This was the old one, which is now being refurbished at Denon and will soon find a new owner. Denon didn't give a detailed explanation of what was wrong with the AVR, but the dealer assumed it was a faulty relay.

 

[PHD]

Un freaking believable! 5 days after receiving my replacement unit and setting it up, which worked great for 4 days in a row, I'm now experiencing the very same flutter noise issue. I've contacted Denon consumer service again. This time I'll insist on getting a unit from a different manufacturing date (mine was December 2022, both of them).

I'm really frustrated and regret ever getting this lemon... The local dealer doesn't have any newer units. All his stock is from 2022. To get a newer rev unit I may have to await until a new stick arrives which could take months...

 

[Timmy]

mine was December 2022, both of them

So about 20 months old at the time of purchase ...

By the way: How can you tell the month of production of your device? From the stickers on the box?

 

[PHD]

Serial number 4 letter followed by 4 digits such as DBYJ1222... Meaning December 22nd

The units has just arrived at the dealer 2 months ago and they are all from the same month. This was probably the very first batch. The local dealer won't have a new batch until the current one goes out of stock, so now I need Denon to send a new unit from a more recent manufacturing date if they even agree to that. I have a feeling they're going to say that the noise is normal like they did before with another consumer who eventually returned the unit. I'll wait and see...

 

[Timmy]

Serial number 4 letter followed by 4 digits such as DBYJ1222... Meaning October 22nd

October 22nd? Wouldn’t December 2022 make a lot more sense?

Regarding replacement: Any chance that switching to AVR-X4800H would make things easier?