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JBL SDR-35 AVR Review
- Thread starter amirm
- Start date
I always felt that the SDP-55/58 are the more interesting units from JBL Synthesis, compared to the SDR-35/38, hence I own a SDP-55.
I was not aware of the problems that the internal amps can cause and that Amir shows in the review. It is the inflexibility of the internal amplifiers which is a design decision that I never understood. The internal amp channels cannot be freely assigned to any channel. For some channels it even appears to be fixed. So if you want to drive your mains with a bigger external amp you can do so, but you cannot assign the now free channel to drive you ceiling speakers, e.g.. And you cannot deactivate the internal amp.
So my recommendation would be to go for the SDP-55/58 instead, if you want a JBL Sythesis with 16 channel processing.
The often quoted Denons, Marantz, Yamaha, Onkyo, Integra and so on all do not offer 16 channels, nor do they offer Dirac with Bass Management, nor Dante. If these features are must haves for your next pre/pro or AV receiver, choices are very limited.
I was not aware of the problems that the internal amps can cause and that Amir shows in the review. It is the inflexibility of the internal amplifiers which is a design decision that I never understood. The internal amp channels cannot be freely assigned to any channel. For some channels it even appears to be fixed. So if you want to drive your mains with a bigger external amp you can do so, but you cannot assign the now free channel to drive you ceiling speakers, e.g.. And you cannot deactivate the internal amp.
So my recommendation would be to go for the SDP-55/58 instead, if you want a JBL Sythesis with 16 channel processing.
The often quoted Denons, Marantz, Yamaha, Onkyo, Integra and so on all do not offer 16 channels, nor do they offer Dirac with Bass Management, nor Dante. If these features are must haves for your next pre/pro or AV receiver, choices are very limited.
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restorer-john
Grand Contributor
The strange thing about this, is that @amirm has come across this issue before, several times.
He describes the transformer 'wailing' or 'squealing' or words to that effect. Generally, in amplifier load testing, the only parts that will make phyiscal noise are the heatsinks (due to coupled devices) themselves, sometimes the rectifiers and very rarely the transformers. And, that noise only happens when very high currents are flowing due to connected loads. Without a load, no current.
He says the amplifier's transformer was 'squealing' with NO loads connected. I can drive any power amp with no loads connected (except tube amps) to any level and they are utterly silent. Connect a load and all bets are off, they will make noise- you will even hear the sine in the heatsink vanes.
OP
- Thread Starter
- #44
Hi there. Unfortunately I don't have any Dante adapters. The ones I tested in the past were loaners.
OP
- Thread Starter
- #45
I was quickly guessing as to the source of the noise. I did not try to pinpoint it.
It would be interesting if Amir also finds the Dante bug that I have on my SDP-55. Over at AVSForum, there are users that use Dante and report to not have problems, but some (like me) still have them, even after applying a Dante hardware fix.
On my unit, there can be audible artifacts as soon as Dante is enabled and at least one receiving Dante device is connected via Dante Controller. The artifact sounds like a static noise, just like when listening to vinyl records. But I think it actually is a dropout problem. A Swiss user that has confirmed the problem measured appr. 70ms with no signal when the problem appears on his unit. While Harman support has been focusing on the Dante transfer (they even had the service center send me an JBL Sythesis SDA-7120 Dante equipped power amplifier to see if it only occurs with 3rd party devices) before, my testing indicates that it is in fact a SDP-55 internal problem. The artifacts are also present through the XLR analog outputs of my SDP-55, as soon as Dante is activated and there is Dante traffic.
Harman support has been able to replicate the problem and they are working on the issue.
OP
- Thread Starter
- #47
Sadly it is more the rule than exception in AVRs. There is some progress in having an amp disconnect, e.g. Denon. Hopefully the rest of the industry listens as well.
OP
- Thread Starter
- #48
Oh, are you saying that their software can emulate an audio interface in Windows?
Audinate offers the Dante Virtual Soundcard (DVS) for $50. I used this to visualize the artifacts.
Yes, it can!
OP
- Thread Starter
- #52
Cool. So what am I testing for?
D
Deleted member 50971
Guest
I have a lot more respect for what you do after seeing all those measurements, and realizing that it took you two days. Thank you for what you do, and this is really valuable to me and I’m sure many of us, because I’m in the market for an AVP. I’m holding out for one that has a stable platform, and has good hygiene as I’ve heard you say before. There’s just no way that I’m spending this kind of money, to have these bugs and poor performance. Someone is going to take the lead in mid priced AVR/AVP and right now Anthem looks like the one, if they would only put an XLR input into their gear I would be even happier.
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Yes, as the name suggests the Dante Virtual Souncard DVS once loaded presents as another audio interface so one could route that into your existing analysis tools keeping all in the digital domain.
See https://www.audinate.com/products/software/dante-virtual-soundcard noting that there is a $15 US 30 day trial version. You will also need the (free) Dante Controller to set up the audio routes between source SDP-35 and sink Virtual soundcard but I think you must have this already from previous Dante interface tests.
As stated above the Dante Virtual Soundcard is the way many live events are recorded on PC or MAC as a matter of routine taking multiple channels from the mixing console for later mix down. Similarly previous events multiple channel recordings are played back into the mixing console for system sound checks prior to the performers showing up. The Dante environment is now very established and stable in the pro world
The Amp Protection Sensitivity level can be changed in system menu; it defaults to high.
SDP 75 is rebadged Altitude 32 with some scaled down functionality and added JBL/HK speaker specific settings.
D
Deleted member 50971
Guest
There are so many of us, I can just feel it lol… Waiting for a good mid priced AVP that’s bug free and breaks the SINAD of 100. It doesn’t make sense to buy an AVR for me because I have all outboard amplification, and it has to be XLR.
The Anthem AVM 70 looks like the one to buy for under $4000. I know there’s the Trinnov but I’m not paying that kind of money.
Someone is going to break out of the pack, and I would like if Marantz would get their act together and dump those hdam’s. Because they have a very stable platform, and I’ve used one for years and it just works day in and day out. But I know what’s going to happen if they upgrade, the price is going to go from $5000 to $7500. I never upgraded to 4K, I have the last line of plasma TV’s that Panasonic made, and I never did Dolby Atmos yet. It’s almost time, but I can be patient.
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9.x.6 is kind of standard today for smaller rooms. You add channels by 4 - e.g. 11.x.8, once you start to add rows in your HT. I prefer 9.x.7 with extra Center Height added. So you actually need at least 18 channels to connect minimum 2 Subs or 20 with 9.4.7.
7.2.4 is considered bare minimum.
Don’t look at your living room, visualize somebody with 6 seater cinema. This is what those product are mostly used.
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