HELP! Denon AVR 3311 doesn't recognize new Surrounds

[GoFastr]

I have been running a 3.1 configuration on my Denon AVR 3311CI.

I just got the wires pulled through my ceiling and walls to connect my surrounds. When I go into the amp menu and try to re-run the Audyssey it doesn't recognize the surrounds as in no tones are sent to them. I also went into the manual setup and tried it too. I made sure they are listed under the channel select but no tones are heard from them in this mode either.

I did the 9v battery check to make sure the banana plugs in the back of the amp are actually making a circuit all the way to the speakers as I do hear the little popping noise from them when I touch the battery to the banana plug. So at least I know the wiring should be ok.

The front height, front wide and surround back ports are still open on my AVR. Should I try to use one of these ports instead to try to determine if something is wrong with the surround ports on the back of the amp where I currently have them connected to?

 

[markw]

I think you need to revisit the speaker configuration areas somewhere in your setup menu(s) and tell it you have added these speakers. It doesn't recognize these things on it's own.

Also, these are simply "surround" speakers, not "rear surround" speakers.

 

[Rickster71]

^ To add to what Mark said ^
Check to make sure you are connected to "Surround" not "Rear Surround"
Have you made the changes in the Set Up menu that gets you from 3.1 to 5.1?

 

[GoFastr]

I have them connected to the Surround port on the back of the AVR. The Surround Back ports are still empty.

In the AVR Menu manual speaker setup, I changed the Surrounds from None to Small so they highlight in orange now when selected.

The sound level settings for the other speakers is what Audyssey set them to when it was first run before connecting the Surrounds. After connecting the Surrounds and turning them on in the speaker configuration they at least show up on the screen but no sound is heard from them during the test tones.

 

[Grador]

It really looks like you're doing everything right, but just for the hell of it, why not try plugging them into the other speaker terminals like surround back. I know you did the battery test, but if you want to be totally convinced everything is fine with the surround speakers themselves you could plug them in as the fronts.

 

[GoFastr]

Yeah I guess I could try plugging the new speakers into the Fronts and make sure they produce sound. Good idea.

You know, in the speaker configuration it was only after I changed the Surrounds from None to Small that the Surround Back, Front Wide and FrontHeight speakers even appeared on the screen.

Its like you have to at least have 5.1 before it allows 7.1, 9.1 or even 11.1.

 

[GoFastr]

Ok, just verified that the new speakers do work cause they produce good sound when plugged into the Fronts port on the AVR.

I just gotta get this Surround config figured out.

I plan on using the Surround Back ports for my Zone 2 patio speakers later on.

 

[Hocky]

Figure out the factory reset procedure for your AVR. I had a Denon AVR a couple years ago and had the exact same issue. After I did a factory reset, the surround worked just fine.

 

[GoFastr]

Figure out the factory reset procedure for your AVR. I had a Denon AVR a couple years ago and had the exact same issue. After I did a factory reset, the surround worked just fine.

Thanks, that was the first thing I did when I couldn't get them to work.

Seems like it has got to be a setting somewhere but dang if I can find it.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Use the surround pre-out to an external amp. Connect surround speakers to external amp. It's possible the surround channel internal amp is messed up in the Denon.

 

[GoFastr]

I'd have to borrow an external amp and try this to see. Thx.

 

[Grador]

If you've got a multi-meter you can check to see if the pre-out is doing anything. Just make sure it's set to AC, I've made this mistake before and tried to troubleshoot something that was working...

 

[markw]

Or he could just plug in his powered subwoofer into that channel's preamp out. It won't sound great, but it will make some noise to indicate some activity out of there.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I'd have to borrow an external amp and try this to see. Thx.

Another great excuse to have some extra amps around.

Even something cheap and small. 250wpc x 2ch 8ohm/ 500wpc x 2ch 4ohm for $90:

http://www.amazon.com/Pyle-Pro-PTA1000-1000-Amplifier/dp/B0010K6TXQ/ref=sr_1_20?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1333862113&sr=1-20

If it doesn't work out to your satisfaction, just return to Amazon w/ free shipping. No problem.

 

[GoFastr]

Thanks. I'm travelling a bit this month so maybe I'll have a chance to stop in and pick one up somewhere.

 

[GoFastr]

Well I've bit the bullet and had a professional installer come out to the house to verify that I wasn't a total idiot and had the configuration correct.

He couldn't find anywhere throughout all the settings in this Denon AVR-3311CI to make the surrounds or the surround back channels for Zone 2 work either.

He said they were an authorized Denon repair facility, so I took it into their shop for repairs. Hopefully I'll hear something back in a few days.

Watching the Olympics off of the TV speakers for now and the wife already said she misses the bass! I might just have to tell her that this AVR is fried and we'll have to upgrade to the new AVR-4520! ...(just don't want to wait another 2 months for it to be released)

 

[BM1]

Did you try the factory reset and make sure the firmware was up to date before taking it in for service? Those are kind of no-brainers but figured I'd ask.

 

[GoFastr]

Sorry, yes that was all checked as said in post #9.
I'm half expecting them to tell me it will require some board or another that will have to be ordered and it'll take xx weeks to come in.

All in all I might end up without an AVR for more than several weeks and with a couple hundred $ repair bill and still be right at the time frame that the new 4520 unit comes out!

I'll just have to wait and hear their diagnosis and then make up my mind.

 

[PENG]

Sorry, yes that was all checked as said in post #9.
I'm half expecting them to tell me it will require some board or another that will have to be ordered and it'll take xx weeks to come in.

Please don't get mad, but are you sure you did that reset (your post#9) correctly. If a processor reset cannot fix it, then it is unlikely that the problem is due to you messing up a setting.

I'll just have to wait and hear their diagnosis and then make up my mind.

I hope your repair man is trustworthy. It is just such a rarity that you would have two channels damaged when you have not even used them.

 

[GoFastr]

[/IMG]

This is what I followed when I did the reset.

But you know, you may be on to something because when I reviewed my notes I see that even after I performed this reset I noticed that I still had some settings that I had done. The Audyssey settings were erased and I had to do them again but my tuner FM stations were all still there along with favorites from internet radio that I had created under the Net/USB source setting.

Maybe I needed to do the reset again in order to get everything cleared. Of course I was only focused on getting the surrounds to work and I didn't notice these other settings were still there until later on when the wife came home and tried her tuner favorites and I was surprised they worked because I was going to tell her she had to set them up again.

Maybe this won't be an expensive fix after all? Thanks.