Onkyo TX-RZ30

[valerianf]

I wonder if the RZ30 has a fix for this 2 RZ70 fixture:
The power stage that is locked for ever in a 20W protection mode without any indicator.
The clicking noise that happens during each sound format change coming from the source.
Does somebody has a RZ30?

 

[ban25]

What are advantages of RZ30 over RZ50? I just bought the RZ50 a few days ago for $900, but I'll get the RZ30 or something else if that would be better.

1. Extra independent sub out for aligning 2 subwoofers in the room
2. Newer HDMI board with all ports running at 40 Gbps

You give up 2 channels in exchange for an all around newer receiver.

 

[EWL5]

I wonder if the RZ30 has a fix for this 2 RZ70 fixture:
The power stage that is locked for ever in a 20W protection mode without any indicator.
The clicking noise that happens during each sound format change coming from the source.
Does somebody has a RZ30?

Very little feedback from RZ30 owners. AVR is too new and the arguably better and cheaper street price RZ50 (for most people at least) makes the RZ30 a less compelling purchase, I'm afraid!

 

[billiethebob]

Only advantages I'm aware of are 2 discrete sub-outs and a newer HDMI board.

Do you think it's worth it for the new HDMI board? Are they having any specific issues the RZ50 board on the newest ones? I had issues with my Denon 960 which I got around by connecting my peripherals to my TV and using ARC from TV to receiver.

 

[EWL5]

Do you think it's worth it for the new HDMI board? Are they having any specific issues the RZ50 board on the newest ones? I had issues with my Denon 960 which I got around by connecting my peripherals to my TV and using ARC from TV to receiver.

Here's the little I know:

RZ50
- SW bug that forces folks to tweak back and forth in Dirac to get the proper gain (not sure if new firmware has fixed this or if bug affects AccuEQ)
- latest firmware that enabled DLBM/DLBC suffers from an "off by one" coding error. Dirac was made aware by folks in AVS.
- unknown if latest firmware has fixed the "limp mode" made famous by Amir's reviews

No one knows if the RZ30 suffers from any of the above due to non-existent feedback (even at AVS) but one can only speculate since the latest RZ50 firmware came out at a similar time as the RZ30 debut.

The newer HDMI board is nice but there's some talk that it didn't get the heat sinks that the RZ70 did!

 

[Timcognito]

What are advantages of RZ30 over RZ50? I just bought the RZ50 a few days ago for $900, but I'll get the RZ30 or something else if that would be better.

Read this whole thread, better less annoying power protection, two sub management, better hdmi board, less power

 

[kojotty]

Hi. Any users of RZ30? Probably stupid question, but what is "normal" or "loud" your sound listening values lets say for music (spotify)? Yeah, i know it depends, but it's 40 and 55 and up for me. So why there is a 0-30 interval and step by 0.5 is a mystery to me. Or i am doing something wrong?

 

[b**tlover]

https://www.avsforum.com/threads/onkyo-tx-rz30-9-2-channel-thx-certified-av-receiver-review-keeps-pace-with-every-upgrade.3315938/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR1uhaC9jk8_U8bwQNfUnnjlmsQYQ4yun45voL2HE_nnIjiARmhE0ah_lmY_aem_51SF7eFGRbfoZCn5FsVOsw

 

[MbphotoX]

this circlejerk is absolutely fascinating..

Nobody in the real world has EVER reported any issues with the sound from their AV-Receivers (RZ50, VSX-LX505, etc.) and this mysterious "limp mode"..
People simply LOVE to beat that dead horse and spread the myth all over the internet.

Yes, the receiver does click (switch relays) after a given time and the power consumption drops (measurably!)
We have established over a year ago that this is because of different voltage rails in the power supply and that the AVR switches to the lower voltage to conserve power.
Interestingly enough, this seems to have to do mostly with the video section, since the power consumption remains nice and steady.. (power consumption while playing music is fluctuating constantly, as can be seen with VU meters in a stereo amplifier, but listening at < 80 dB, the amplifier won't use more than 10 Watts anyways, so most of the power goes to Hdmi and other chips)
As soon as you turn the volume up to painful levels, you can hear that click of the relays again and the amplifier switches back to the higher voltage rail.

Why are people still whining about unrealistic test setups with everything we know by now?!



Nobody has ever seen the "protection mode" in the web interface.. ever!
Nobody, to my knowledge, has ever seen the stupid fan turn on.. Is it even connected to anything in the AVR?!


The whole discussion about "limp mode" and "protection mode" is utterly useless.
If you drive the device beyond rated spec, you cause it to go into protection mode, like you do any amplifier in any price class.. That usually cannot be reset without a power cycle..
But that doesn't happen with normal use.. EVER!

The thing that actual real people experience (relays switching to lower voltage rail) should be called an "eco mode"..
And yes, it would be great if they let you, the user, disable that in the menu.. but it lowers power consumption by 75% or therabouts.. so I'm not complaining, because wasting power on Hdmi is silly.. And the sound does not change at all!

 

[popej]

Nobody, to my knowledge, has ever seen the stupid fan turn on.. Is it even connected to anything in the AVR?!

On my Pioneer fan works, when updating firmware

The whole discussion about "limp mode" and "protection mode" is utterly useless.

Maybe not entirely, but constant repetitions are terribly boring.

 

[peng]

this circlejerk is absolutely fascinating..

Nobody in the real world has EVER reported any issues with the sound from their AV-Receivers (RZ50, VSX-LX505, etc.) and this mysterious "limp mode"..
People simply LOVE to beat that dead horse and spread the myth all over the internet.

Yes, the receiver does click (switch relays) after a given time and the power consumption drops (measurably!)
We have established over a year ago that this is because of different voltage rails in the power supply and that the AVR switches to the lower voltage to conserve power.
Interestingly enough, this seems to have to do mostly with the video section, since the power consumption remains nice and steady.. (power consumption while playing music is fluctuating constantly, as can be seen with VU meters in a stereo amplifier, but listening at < 80 dB, the amplifier won't use more than 10 Watts anyways, so most of the power goes to Hdmi and other chips)
As soon as you turn the volume up to painful levels, you can hear that click of the relays again and the amplifier switches back to the higher voltage rail.

Why are people still whining about unrealistic test setups with everything we know by now?!



Nobody has ever seen the "protection mode" in the web interface.. ever!
Nobody, to my knowledge, has ever seen the stupid fan turn on.. Is it even connected to anything in the AVR?!


The whole discussion about "limp mode" and "protection mode" is utterly useless.
If you drive the device beyond rated spec, you cause it to go into protection mode, like you do any amplifier in any price class.. That usually cannot be reset without a power cycle..
But that doesn't happen with normal use.. EVER!

The thing that actual real people experience (relays switching to lower voltage rail) should be called an "eco mode"..
And yes, it would be great if they let you, the user, disable that in the menu.. but it lowers power consumption by 75% or therabouts.. so I'm not complaining, because wasting power on Hdmi is silly.. And the sound does not change at all!

Agreed to a point, because while you are saying things I might have said too but I have to wonder what would be the things the users, and the likes of enthusiast ASR members do to pressure the manufacturers to improve on their protection scheme strategy? As it is now, there may in fact be 0% complaining, why there could be some who just not realize they could have a little more enjoyment if the limp mode was in fact not triggered, not just not noticeable by them.

As an example to make my point clear, if I hadn't used REW at all, I might have just run Audyssey, Dirac Live, or Anthem ARC Genesis once and then just enjoy the AVR/AVP enjoy the heck out of it regardless of the missing enjoyment from a otherwise more smooth bass response without a few major humps and suck outs. Not saying that's wrong either and I know I had done it in the earlier days myself, but it is just not as simple...

 

[EWL5]

this circlejerk is absolutely fascinating..

Nobody in the real world has EVER reported any issues with the sound from their AV-Receivers (RZ50, VSX-LX505, etc.) and this mysterious "limp mode"..
People simply LOVE to beat that dead horse and spread the myth all over the internet.

Yes, the receiver does click (switch relays) after a given time and the power consumption drops (measurably!)
We have established over a year ago that this is because of different voltage rails in the power supply and that the AVR switches to the lower voltage to conserve power.
Interestingly enough, this seems to have to do mostly with the video section, since the power consumption remains nice and steady.. (power consumption while playing music is fluctuating constantly, as can be seen with VU meters in a stereo amplifier, but listening at < 80 dB, the amplifier won't use more than 10 Watts anyways, so most of the power goes to Hdmi and other chips)
As soon as you turn the volume up to painful levels, you can hear that click of the relays again and the amplifier switches back to the higher voltage rail.

Why are people still whining about unrealistic test setups with everything we know by now?!



Nobody has ever seen the "protection mode" in the web interface.. ever!
Nobody, to my knowledge, has ever seen the stupid fan turn on.. Is it even connected to anything in the AVR?!


The whole discussion about "limp mode" and "protection mode" is utterly useless.
If you drive the device beyond rated spec, you cause it to go into protection mode, like you do any amplifier in any price class.. That usually cannot be reset without a power cycle..
But that doesn't happen with normal use.. EVER!

The thing that actual real people experience (relays switching to lower voltage rail) should be called an "eco mode"..
And yes, it would be great if they let you, the user, disable that in the menu.. but it lowers power consumption by 75% or therabouts.. so I'm not complaining, because wasting power on Hdmi is silly.. And the sound does not change at all!

Actual protection mode has only ever been known to turn on when there is a short (speaker wire touching 2 binding posts, etc).

Low impedance speakers never activate protection mode.

 

[peng]

Actual protection mode has only ever been known to turn on when there is a short (speaker wire touching 2 binding posts, etc).

Low impedance speakers never activate protection mode.

I suspect most people are not having trouble with or affected by the protection mode, but some may be affected by the limp mode, just may or may not realize it. I think it is something Onkyo can fix via FW updates, but if no one is or too many are complaining, they may not do it and that would even be reasonable/expected.

 

[EWL5]

I suspect most people are not having trouble with or affected by the protection mode, but some may be affected by the limp mode, just may or may not realize it. I think it is something Onkyo can fix via FW updates, but if no one is or too many are complaining, they may not do it and that would even be reasonable/expected.

I've come to the conclusion that the reason limp mode isn't an issue is because audiophiles (or at least self-proclaimed "audiophiles") are in the minority and the only ones that can really tell the difference. Quite a bit of those setups are probably connected to external amps too! Adopting the following philosophy for my own peace of mind!

 

[peng]

I've come to the conclusion that the reason limp mode isn't an issue is because audiophiles (or at least self-proclaimed "audiophiles") are in the minority and the only ones that can really tell the difference. Quite a bit of those setups are probably connected to external amps too! Adopting the following philosophy for my own peace of mind!

That's what I thought too, so it won't likely be "fixed" as it is deemed as not necessary. SINAD of AVRs/AVPs have only improved since ASR started measuring many of them a few years ago, but not before, for similar reasons/logic.

 

[Miker 1102]

I bought an avr r70 for Xmas. I think the invisible limp thing was fixed. I just need to find a home for this 3800 that's been sitting collecting dust.

 

[maxtlof]

I wonder if the RZ30 has a fix for this 2 RZ70 fixture:
The power stage that is locked for ever in a 20W protection mode without any indicator.
The clicking noise that happens during each sound format change coming from the source.
Does somebody has a RZ30?

I just purchased the RZ30 over the holidays to replace a Marantz SR5006 that was over a decade old. So far so good, but I'm not sure if this is the same thing you're referring to but anytime I'm on Netflix browsing for something to watch and when I scroll from one show to the next it will play the audio for each shows trailer and click. For example, I'll be on the the thumbnail for Squidgame, the trailer will start and the receiver will make this click when the audio starts, then I'll move from Squidgame to another show like Narcos, the receiver clicks and the Squidgame audio stops, half a second later it clicks again and the audio from the Narcos trailer starts. And it does this every single time I move from one show to the next. It's really really annoying. Does it on Prime Video app as well, but it doesn't do it on Peacock which makes it even more random. Anyone have any ideas how to stop it?

 

[popej]

My Pioneer clicks, when source is switching from stereo to multichannel. Your Netflix player could do it, when starting a trailer. You probably can see changes in active speakers on AVR display.
My solution is to set Dolby Surround mode for stereo and multichannel. This way all speakers are used for all modes. I still can hear quiet click from speakers, but not as disturbing as relay click.

 

[MbphotoX]

My Pioneer clicks, when source is switching from stereo to multichannel. Your Netflix player could do it, when starting a trailer. You probably can see changes in active speakers on AVR display.
My solution is to set Dolby Surround mode for stereo and multichannel. This way all speakers are used for all modes. I still can hear quiet click from speakers, but not as disturbing as relay click.

disturbing relay switching?!

Don't you find it more disturbing that there is extensive DSP being applied to the stereo signal just so "all speakers are used"

that said, I read somewhere that relays "need" to work from time to time, or they can get "baked" or something.. ?!

 

[popej]

Don't you find it more disturbing that there is extensive DSP being applied to the stereo signal just so "all speakers are used"

That was the case, until I added front height speakers. But sure, it is subjective.