O-NOORUS D4 budget stereo amp review

[Lushpeg]

Hi @Alexander Lin, any news re firmware? Thanks!

 

[Alexander Lin]

Instructions for D4 firmware upgrade

Instructions for D4 firmware upgrade O-NOORUS D4 firmware_V1.3 Download If you encounter problems during the upgrade, roll back to the previous version, O-NOORUS D4 firmware_V1.1 1. Prepare a USB flash drive, a USB flash drive extension cable, and a USB flash drive with a FAT32 file system...

www.o-noorus.com

This is the file download and operation steps.

 

[Lushpeg]

Great news, thank you @Alexander Lin!
Is there some change log, what has been updated or fixed, please advise?

 

[nickb2b]

Couple of notes from my upgrade experience:

• Upgrade did not work until I made sure the firmware file was the only file on the USB drive (I used a 500MB drive formatted as FAT32)
• Upgrade was quick, took less than a minute
• Had to power off and back on before I saw the new Bluetooth name show up on my phone - pairing seemed to be a lot faster than on the old firmware

Fixes I confirmed:

• Input Cycling: The device would occasionally jump back one input as I was stepping through the inputs - Can no longer reproduce
• Volume Level Mismatch: Large difference in volume level between Bypass and Tone settings - Levels are now very close, good enough for my ears

Not working:

• HDMI Audio: On the prior firmware I had to power cycle my TV and the device in order for HDMI ARC audio to work - Now I can't get it to work no matter what I do. Will continue testing different options in my TV menu, but my previous workaround no longer works. Unfortunately this was the biggest issue I was hoping to have fixed, so it's a step back for me. Will report back if I get this to work. Note: TV is a new Panasonic 65" mini led, purchased new 6 months ago.

Finally, just wanted to say thank you to Alexander for providing support/updates on this forum. Even with the early teething pains, I really like the product.

 

[Guddu]

Not working:

• HDMI Audio: On the prior firmware I had to power cycle my TV and the device in order for HDMI ARC audio to work - Now I can't get it to work no matter what I do. Will continue testing different options in my TV menu, but my previous workaround no longer works. Unfortunately this was the biggest issue I was hoping to have fixed, so it's a step back for me. Will report back if I get this to work.

Edit: TV is a new Panasonic 65" mini led, purchased new 6 months ago.

Do you have eARC enabled on TV?

 

[nickb2b]

Do you have eARC enabled on TV?

eARC is turned off and audio output is set to Auto, same combo that worked on the prior firmware. I've tried PCM and Passthrough but can't get it to work. Also tried power cycling the TV and amp in different order, but still no joy. Hopefully others that had the same issue will chime in with their results.

 

[Alexander Lin]

eARC is turned off and audio output is set to Auto, same combo that worked on the prior firmware. I've tried PCM and Passthrough but can't get it to work. Also tried power cycling the TV and amp in different order, but still no joy. Hopefully others that had the same issue will chime in with their results.

If you encounter any problems, you can roll back to the previous version.

Instructions for D4 firmware upgrade

Instructions for D4 firmware upgrade O-NOORUS D4 firmware_V1.3 Download If you encounter problems during the upgrade, roll back to the previous version, O-NOORUS D4 firmware_V1.1 1. Prepare a USB flash drive, a USB flash drive extension cable, and a USB flash drive with a FAT32 file system...

www.o-noorus.com

 

[nickb2b]

@Alexander Lin Thanks for posting the old firmware, I reverted and ARC is working again. Is there anyway to get a version of the updated firmware that contains all fixes except for the HDMI optimizations? I could live with the power cycling workaround for now, but would love to have the other fixes for input, volume matching, and the eq/dsp changes you mentioned awhile ago.

 

[Lushpeg]

Hi @Alexander Lin, please fix the HDMI ARC functionality of your new firmware. This is the primary connection most people use and the reason we bought this amp. Thank you

 

[nickb2b]

Agreed with the above poster. This is pretty basic functionality here @Alexander Lin . Can you give us a target date for a fix?

 

[nickb2b]

Not sure if this will help @Alexander Lin but here are the results of my ARC testing for the three firmware versions:

• V1.0
  • HDMI ARC working but volume as displayed on the TV defaults to 100 (I can reduce volume from the TV remote if I'm quick, but not optimal for late night viewing)
  • Must power on D4 first, then power on TV
• V1.1
  • HDMI ARC working but volume is not adjustable from the TV remote, only mute works
  • Can only adjust volume from the amp
  • Must power on D4 first, then power on TV
• V1.2
  • HDMI ARC does not work at all

With my setup, ARC support degraded with each firmware release. The only firmware I can use where ARC works is V1.0 (but then I'm missing the other fixes that make this unit easier to use.

 

[Alexander Lin]

Not sure if this will help @Alexander Lin but here are the results of my ARC testing for the three firmware versions:

• V1.0
  • HDMI ARC working but volume as displayed on the TV defaults to 100 (I can reduce volume from the TV remote if I'm quick, but not optimal for late night viewing)
  • Must power on D4 first, then power on TV
• V1.1
  • HDMI ARC working but volume is not adjustable from the TV remote, only mute works
  • Can only adjust volume from the amp
  • Must power on D4 first, then power on TV
• V1.2
  • HDMI ARC does not work at all

With my setup, ARC support degraded with each firmware release. The only firmware I can use where ARC works is V1.0 (but then I'm missing the other fixes that make this unit easier to use.

Instructions for D4 firmware upgrade

Instructions for D4 firmware upgrade O-NOORUS D4 firmware_V1.3 Download If you encounter problems during the upgrade, roll back to the previous version, O-NOORUS D4 firmware_V1.1 1. Prepare a USB flash drive, a USB flash drive extension cable, and a USB flash drive with a FAT32 file system...

www.o-noorus.com

There's a new firmware update.
Also, setting the D4 volume to a low level will prevent it from being affected by the maximum volume during ARC initialization; this is a phenomenon that occurs on some TV models.

 

[sabih]

@Alexander Lin can you please specify what modifications are done in D4 ii to get SINAD of 90. So that I can modify my D4 (old).
Thanks

 

[nickb2b]

Instructions for D4 firmware upgrade

Instructions for D4 firmware upgrade O-NOORUS D4 firmware_V1.3 Download If you encounter problems during the upgrade, roll back to the previous version, O-NOORUS D4 firmware_V1.1 1. Prepare a USB flash drive, a USB flash drive extension cable, and a USB flash drive with a FAT32 file system...

www.o-noorus.com

There's a new firmware update.
Also, setting the D4 volume to a low level will prevent it from being affected by the maximum volume during ARC initialization; this is a phenomenon that occurs on some TV models.

I can confirm that V1.3 fixes the ARC issues I was having. I can also now switch inputs to listen to another source, and when switching back to HDMI it regains ARC audio without having to do the power off/on dance. Great job with this update @Alexander Lin!

One thing to note, the Bluetooth name shows up as O-Noorus BT5.3B (without the D4 in the name).

 

[Alexander Lin]

@Alexander Lin can you please specify what modifications are done in D4 ii to get SINAD of 90. So that I can modify my D4 (old).
Thanks

The power supply filtering has been improved, and the audio path has been fully balanced.

O-NOORUS D4 II TPA3255 PFFB stereo amplifier with HDMI ARC Bluetooth U

Description: Versatile Connectivity: D4 offers a comprehensive range of input options, including HDMI ARC, Bluetooth, USB, U disk, optical fiber, coaxial, and RCA, ensuring compatibility with diverse audio sources and user preferences. High-Fidelity Audio: Utilizing the ES9023P DAC for most...

www.o-noorus.com

 

[ICIETDIYEUR]

Well done Alexander