Replace my denon x3700h?

[Xenio]

Hello,

I want to replace my denon x3700h because I have issues between my gpu and the denon. The audio is crackling/cutting for like 500ms at a not négligeable frequency.

I tried everything, changing the gpu (but staying with nvidia, which seems to be the problem), every single setting possible, even installing Linux. Nothing does anything besides not using a nvidia gpu or hdmi out

My motherboard doesn't have spdif out

I only use the tv/ht out of a computer

I want to replace the avr. My current setup :

X3700h
A 3e audio a7 as a power amp plugged to Focal aria 948s
Focal aria 906 / cc900
Focal sub1000f and arendal 1961 1s
Lg G5 77

So I already own a power amp (due to being afraid of the 2 Ohms capabilities of the denon since the speakers do go down to 2 Ohms).

I thought I could buy a Minidsp flex HT and 2 amplifiers like a fosi v3 mono for the center channel and a fosi bt20a for the surround.

It wouldn't be that expensive if I sell the denon, I would remove the hdmi from the equation, I could also have dirac (better than audyssey xt and I own a umik1)....
I would also gain some room, only thing is I would loose bluetooth/Spotify connect but it doesn't matter much

What do you guys think?

I could also buy a new motherboard with toslink output.. But it's way more annoying to swap motherboard lol, though it would be a fair bit cheaper.


I know I would gain nothing audio-quality wise, besides maybe a better room correction which could huge or not.. ?

 

[twsecrest]

Please list how everything is connected?
Make and model of your current motherboard?

 

[Xenio]

Rtx 5080 => denon avr x3700h to the 8k port in hdmi, cable brand new
Denon directly to : 2 focal aria 906, 1 aria cc900, 1 focal sub1000f, 1 arendal 1961 1s

Denon in rca to a 3e audio a7 with volume bypassed for the front speakers

3e audio to 2 aria 948

I don't have from the top of my head the model for the motherboard, but I don't use its audio and I don't have spdif out on it

 

[twsecrest]

Rtx 5080 => denon avr x3700h to the 8k port in hdmi, cable brand new
Denon directly to : 2 focal aria 906, 1 aria cc900, 1 focal sub1000f, 1 arendal 1961 1s

Denon in rca to a 3e audio a7 with volume bypassed for the front speakers

3e audio to 2 aria 948

I don't have from the top of my head the model for the motherboard, but I don't use its audio and I don't have spdif out on it

Your motherboard might have a built in S/PDIF, on the motherboard itself, just need an adapter.
But I do think using HDMI is better for full audio.
Are you running HDMI from graphics card to X3700, then HDMI from X3700 to TV?

 

[Xenio]

Oh wow yeah it does have an internal spdif, didn't know that was a thing. It's a gigabyte gaming x b660.


I guess I'll just buy a header then. Thanks !

I don't use the hdmi from the motherboard, directly plugged to the GPU. I don't even have an iGPU since I have a 12600kf.

Si yeah hdmi from gpu to denon then from denon to tv

Any idea if the quality of the spdif bracket matters a lot ?

 

[Redacted]

Isn't s/pdif limited to 2 channel uncompressed or 4 channel compressed data? I'm not seeing where all the other usual AVR channels come from, should you be playing a movie...

The bracket only needs to not collapse in use.

What's wrong with the HDMI off the motherboard?

The noise could be failure to extract clock signals - extreme jitter.

 

[Ruediger]

Rtx 5080 => denon avr x3700h to the 8k port in hdmi, cable brand new

It's unclear what you need to get over to the Denon. Is it just about getting audio from the PC? Or do you also want GPU video -> AVR -> TV?

In general the RTX5080 should have no problem with the AVR. But HDMI has a lot of options and negotiations going on, so a lot of possibilities for problems.

On the Denon:
- use a different HDMI in
- check the HDMI settings to match TV/cable capability, try lower just in case
- check the sources, make that input from the PC just one option and HDMI
- try the options to process or bypass HDMI

On the PC:
- install current driver for the RTX5080, do the full re-install with default settings
- check the settings of the HDMI sound device created in Win (optimizations, processing, bitrate, etc.), disable extensions
- think about other/previous sound software on the PC, mixers, sound effects, leftover from other software? If any leftovers, clean them up

Options:
- you could probably plug a 2nd cheap GPU and use that HDMI interface just for audio
- you could use some kind of cheap (external) soundcard to get sound digitally over to the Denon
- usb2optical plugs are very cheap and do the same, with less options
- a bracket for optical is also very cheap, if you can get one in a short amount of time

Many possible solutions to get audio over, but it depends on what you need exactly.

If you need to get video to the Denon and TV, then fixing the HDMI connection is it. You say you tried a lot already. Make sure to try all the options on the Denon. Make sure you don't demand too much from the cable. New or not, you could go higher than the specs with settings. Does the Denon have network and is up to date? Did you think about sending music over the network to it instead of a digital cable (if it's just about audio)?

 

[LTig]

Rtx 5080 => denon avr x3700h to the 8k port in hdmi, cable brand new

Try another cable first.

 

[Redacted]

It may sound unlikely, but in another forum (audio-related) I have observed that changing one "perfectly fine" HDMI cable for another did the job.
It turned out that some newer, high-spec cables did not work in some combinations of TVs & music devices, but the cheapest Amazon basics low-spec cable was fine.

Some higher spec cables seemed to have pin-out changes (or more specifically pins previously not used called into play) and while the spec is quite well defined, some (device) manufactures may have not correctly dealt with hitherto unused signal pins (float/high/grounded?), resulting in odd behaviours.

I'm not saying I have anything but anecdotal info on this, nor that changing you current cable will work, but I'd look at what the minimum spec* is you think you need, and don't buy above that spec.

*spec meaning versions, like HDMI 1.4....2.1, 2.2 etc.

 

[Ruediger]

There is also the problem with cables claiming to be high-spec but not actually achieving the bandwidth.

The basic amazon cables never failed me within their specs. For testing I would try one of these.

Another cable working out for me with a similar LG TV is the Monoprice 8k sleeved. Also cheap on amazon.

 

[Redacted]

As it happens, in the cases that I saw, the bandwidth needed was only that of CD quality (over maybe 1.5m), ~1.4mbps - almost do-able on wet string.
Yes, an 8K video with 7.1 audio channels needs a bit more (!) and I'm sure there are cables claiming to do this that cannot. Short length is good though.

 

[ehabheikal]

Hello,

I want to replace my denon x3700h because I have issues between my gpu and the denon. The audio is crackling/cutting for like 500ms at a not négligeable frequency.

I tried everything, changing the gpu (but staying with nvidia, which seems to be the problem), every single setting possible, even installing Linux. Nothing does anything besides not using a nvidia gpu or hdmi out

My motherboard doesn't have spdif out

I only use the tv/ht out of a computer

I want to replace the avr. My current setup :

X3700h
A 3e audio a7 as a power amp plugged to Focal aria 948s
Focal aria 906 / cc900
Focal sub1000f and arendal 1961 1s
Lg G5 77

So I already own a power amp (due to being afraid of the 2 Ohms capabilities of the denon since the speakers do go down to 2 Ohms).

I thought I could buy a Minidsp flex HT and 2 amplifiers like a fosi v3 mono for the center channel and a fosi bt20a for the surround.

It wouldn't be that expensive if I sell the denon, I would remove the hdmi from the equation, I could also have dirac (better than audyssey xt and I own a umik1)....
I would also gain some room, only thing is I would loose bluetooth/Spotify connect but it doesn't matter much

What do you guys think?

I could also buy a new motherboard with toslink output.. But it's way more annoying to swap motherboard lol, though it would be a fair bit cheaper.


I know I would gain nothing audio-quality wise, besides maybe a better room correction which could huge or not.. ?

Get a usb adapter with toslink out. Very low cost.

 

[Redacted]

Get a usb adapter with toslink out. Very low cost.

But does the OP want 5.1 or 7.1 sound? I dunno, but toslink is not going to do that. For just stereo sound, something like a Topping DX1 with USB to the PC is more than good enough, then going RCA out into any Aux input on the amp, cheaper than a new graphics card!

 

[Palmspar]

Use a rtx5070ti Marantz c40 and 4k120hz hdmi cable with no problems, try another cable first.

 

[Xenio]

Isn't s/pdif limited to 2 channel uncompressed or 4 channel compressed data? I'm not seeing where all the other usual AVR channels come from, should you be playing a movie...

The bracket only needs to not collapse in use.

What's wrong with the HDMI off the motherboard?

The noise could be failure to extract clock signals - extreme jitter.

Can't we do 5.1 in spdif ?

I don't have an igpu on my cpu, I can't use the hdmi off the motherboard

It's not just noise, it also cuts

It's unclear what you need to get over to the Denon. Is it just about getting audio from the PC? Or do you also want GPU video -> AVR -> TV?

In general the RTX5080 should have no problem with the AVR. But HDMI has a lot of options and negotiations going on, so a lot of possibilities for problems.

On the Denon:
- use a different HDMI in
- check the HDMI settings to match TV/cable capability, try lower just in case
- check the sources, make that input from the PC just one option and HDMI
- try the options to process or bypass HDMI

On the PC:
- install current driver for the RTX5080, do the full re-install with default settings
- check the settings of the HDMI sound device created in Win (optimizations, processing, bitrate, etc.), disable extensions
- think about other/previous sound software on the PC, mixers, sound effects, leftover from other software? If any leftovers, clean them up

Options:
- you could probably plug a 2nd cheap GPU and use that HDMI interface just for audio
- you could use some kind of cheap (external) soundcard to get sound digitally over to the Denon
- usb2optical plugs are very cheap and do the same, with less options
- a bracket for optical is also very cheap, if you can get one in a short amount of time

Many possible solutions to get audio over, but it depends on what you need exactly.

If you need to get video to the Denon and TV, then fixing the HDMI connection is it. You say you tried a lot already. Make sure to try all the options on the Denon. Make sure you don't demand too much from the cable. New or not, you could go higher than the specs with settings. Does the Denon have network and is up to date? Did you think about sending music over the network to it instead of a digital cable (if it's just about audio)?

I tried every single combination of settings in the denon.
On the pc too, I even tied another whole OS (Linux)

I had the same problem when I had a 3080ti
I don't have a problem when plugging my laptop with hdmi (same hz/resolution/bit depth), but it doesn't run on nvidia

I don't really need to get the video into the denon then to the TV, 99% of the time everything runs from the computer so it can be directly pluggued to the TV

Only thing I'd lose is atmos/dts, but to my knowledge in 5.2 like I am it won't change anything

 

[Xenio]

As for the people talking about hdmi
Yes I have changed it, i tried multiple ones over time, and right now it's a ugreen cable that can run the whole bandwidth without problem

Also limiting to 4k 60Hz not hdr doesn't help

I am fairly certain at this point that my avr + nvidia just don't go well together

But does the OP want 5.1 or 7.1 sound? I dunno, but toslink is not going to do that. For just stereo sound, something like a Topping DX1 with USB to the PC is more than good enough, then going RCA out into any Aux input on the amp, cheaper than a new graphics card!

Yeah I currently have a topping E30 in usb outputting in rca to the amp... But I want 5.1

Toslink supports 5.1 though... ? Maybe not through those usb adapters but with the internal mb port + bracket no?

 

[Redacted]

Toslink as an optical cable can support 5.1, Dolby etc, but AFAIK the TX and RX converters need to support it too, along with drivers - I suspect many toslink-based kit is geared around stereo PCM.

"I am fairly certain at this point that my avr + nvidia just don't go well together" - I think that might be right!

 

[Xenio]

I guess the internal spdif of the motherboard will support 5.1, though it will be compressed apparently, but "good enough" for movies/games. And at worst I'll have the stereo usb dac for music.

And one day or another I'll change the avr

 

[Ruediger]

I had the same problem when I had a 3080ti
I don't have a problem when plugging my laptop with hdmi (same hz/resolution/bit depth)

The problem is the card in the PC then.

Update your mainboard bios. Load optimized defaults. Check for L0, L1, L2 options for pcie slots. Defaults should be OK though. Do not alter other things and test again.

In Win make sure to use the max. performance powerplan.

You don't need to stick with these settings, but if it works it shows clearly where the problem is.

 

[twsecrest]

I guess the internal spdif of the motherboard will support 5.1, though it will be compressed apparently, but "good enough" for movies/games. And at worst I'll have the stereo usb dac for music.

And one day or another I'll change the avr

S/PDIF optical or coaxial can carry 2-channels of PCM (un-compressed) 24-bit/96k or 24-bit/192k of digital audio.
Or using software compression with Dolby Digital Live or DTS-Connect can carry 6-channel (5.1) of 24-bit/48k of digital audio.

You could get an add-on sound card for your Windows 11 PC.
One that supports Windows 11, comes with a S/PDIF (optical/coaxial) output jack and comes with Dolby Digital Live or DTS-Connect.
So run S/PDIF from PC to Denon and connect your graphics card's HDMI output to the HDMI input on your computer monitor or a TV.