Marantz (and Denon) Eco Mode

[ryanosaur]

If the AVR was only acting as a processor and the amps are off or set to external...

In the D&M lineup, is there a place to tell the AVR which channels are pre-out vs speaker line-out?

 

[PENG]

So much talk about ECO mode, saving a few watts, and prolonging the life of your gear.

Come on, live a little!

It's like having a decent sports car and not putting the pedal to the medal!

I have never once considered putting my 4400 into ECO mode! Why would I compromise to run a few degrees cooler? That simply is not on my priority list.

I never had ECO options on my 12 year old Pio Elite, and it is still a robust amp and still running strong with daily use since it was new.

By the time a few degrees warmer kills my gear, it will likely be obsolete and ready to replace anyway.

I happen to agree, but I don't use the internal amps so I turn it "ON" because they is nothing to lose.

 

[Bookmark]

In the D&M lineup, is there a place to tell the AVR which channels are pre-out vs speaker line-out?

Not for all of them, on my Marantz 6012 it is only an option to assign the main LR as external, however disabling speakers does I think turn off the amps for those, like the heights/overheads. The top end Marantz and probably Denon too give a lot more scope for assignments.

I found this, no idea if it is useful or not.

 

[ryanosaur]

on my Marantz 6012 it is only an option to assign the main LR as external

I'm on a 6012 too. I don't see a way to set the Front L/R channels to external at all. I see Bi-Amp and Zone 2 options. I am using 11.1 with 5ch +rear, no height, no dolby. Would love to hear how you are setting up, pls! The manual and Marantz CS is pretty worthless in that regard... but the line seems to be that the pre-outs and speaker level connections are always live if you have them turned on. I haven't tried confirming this by connecting anything else, but have hoped for a way to effectively not power the internal amps that I'm not using.

 

[Bookmark]

I think I am wrong again, I should stay out of this thread. I checked the manual and my settings and could not find it either. Not entirely sure where I got this idea from. May have been a video about something, possibly the Denon 8500. Sorry about that if it got your hopes up. You can of course turn off the back surrounds or height channels if you are not using them.

 

[ryanosaur]

I think I am wrong again, I should stay out of this thread. I checked the manual and my settings and could not find it either. Not entirely sure where I got this idea from. May have been a video about something, possibly the Denon 8500. Sorry about that if it got your hopes up. You can of course turn off the back surrounds or height channels if you are not using them.

Ha! But that's part of the learning process. I was getting p'd at myself thinking I missed something blatantly obvious. Because! I had heard that you could, too, somewhere... It seems so simple and should be an obvious inclusion to the UX, being able to assign the signal to pre-out only. Dunno if the amps are actually powered/drawing energy if not connected at the speaker-level.
I do have the the extra 4 channels switched to none, so only the 7.x are active. FWTW.

Cool vid, though... I will use eco with my 5.x pre-out, and turn it off when I do any 7.x.x.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

I'm on a 6012 too. I don't see a way to set the Front L/R channels to external at all. I see Bi-Amp and Zone 2 options.

If I’m ten miles off disregard please! Lol

I have my 6012 with my L/R pre outs as “mains”. The other option iirc is top rear L/R.

 

[ryanosaur]

If I’m ten miles off disregard please! Lol

I have my 6012 with my L/R pre outs as “mains”. The other option iirc is top rear L/R.

But if ultimately running 7.2.4, that won't work, right?

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

But if ultimately running 7.2.4, that won't work, right?

We’ll sure. You could run the rear heights off an external amp but wtf... lol

 

[PENG]

Ipossibly the Denon 8500. Sorry about that if it got your hopes up.

You are correct about this, only the Denon AVR-X8500H has the "assigned" as pre amplifier. On page 81 of the Owner's manual, it says:

The Marantz SR8012 and Denon AVR-XX6500H do not have this "amp assign" feature.

 

[lovinthehd]

You are correct about this, only the Denon AVR-X8500H has the "assigned" as pre amplifier. On page 81 of the Owner's manual, it says:

View attachment 28222

The Marantz SR8012 and Denon AVR-XX6500H do not have this "amp assign" feature.

While not a current model my 4520 has this option as well (altho think Ryan wanted to know if there was a selection type option, which are on pre-amp and which are avr)

 

[VonMagnum]

Once you've had a Marantz AVR die on you with a flashing light indicating speaker short due to poor construction of binding posts (ah for the old days) plus constant heat expansion and contraction every time its used (even with Eco, the case will eventually make a flexing sound here after about 10-15 minutes (reminds me of my toaster oven), THEN perhaps that ten to fifteen degree difference in temperature won't seem like such a "minor" thing as someone suggested.

I'm using 7 of 9 on the Marantz 7012, 6 of 7 on the Yamaha plus two more from two Onkyo Pro Logic processors and an external 50W stereo amp (for rear wides) and 250W for the subwoofer. That's 18 amps total for 11.1.6. I'm looking at adding four to five more ceiling speakers (tops plus VOG using my 7010 when I get it fixed plus true discrete front wides instead of matrixed and perhaps extracted rear wides instead of matrixed) and possibly an additional sub next (even out rear of room for back rows). That would then be 11.2.11 I need all the heat reduction I can get. It's already a bit of a space heater.....

 

[fast fred]

So much talk about ECO mode, saving a few watts, and prolonging the life of your gear.

Come on, live a little!

It's like having a decent sports car and not putting the pedal to the medal!

I have never once considered putting my 4400 into ECO mode! Why would I compromise to run a few degrees cooler? That simply is not on my priority list.

I never had ECO options on my 12 year old Pio Elite, and it is still a robust amp and still running strong with daily use since it was new.

By the time a few degrees warmer kills my gear, it will likely be obsolete and ready to replace anyway.

I agree but for my setup which is a semi-closed cabinet, its more about when the AC infinity fan kicks on and disturbs our listening pleasure with quiet vocal scenes.

Thats why I am on the fence with ECO ON/ AUTO to prevent the fans from coning on during long movie nights

Would it really be distinguishable to the ears with ECO ON and playing a high volume movie such as Endgame?

I mean how much lower impact would the sound be with ECO ON??

With ECO off my temp ranges between 95-100 degrees

 

[slipperybidness]

I agree but for my setup which is a semi-closed cabinet, its more about when the AC infinity fan kicks on and disturbs our listening pleasure with quiet vocal scenes.

Thats why I am on the fence with ECO ON/ AUTO to prevent the fans from coning on during long movie nights

Would it really be distinguishable to the ears with ECO ON and playing a high volume movie such as Endgame?

I mean how much lower impact would the sound be with ECO ON??

With ECO off my temp ranges between 95-100 degrees

Man, external fans are for wussies

Just kidding, I get it, but again it isn't on my radar. I provide enough passive ventilation that I don't need to worry about external fans.

 

[Trell]

I agree but for my setup which is a semi-closed cabinet, its more about when the AC infinity fan kicks on and disturbs our listening pleasure with quiet vocal scenes.

Thats why I am on the fence with ECO ON/ AUTO to prevent the fans from coning on during long movie nights

Would it really be distinguishable to the ears with ECO ON and playing a high volume movie such as Endgame?

I mean how much lower impact would the sound be with ECO ON??

With ECO off my temp ranges between 95-100 degrees

Noctua has some very quiet 5V PWM fans of varying sizes that can be controlled by a Noctua PWM fan controller. The Noctua 5V PWM fans vary in size from small 40 mm to large 200 mm. The fans also comes with extra extenders and splitters that is handy.

I'm using a Noctua fan controller that I've attached two 80 mm 5V PWM fans that is powered now by my TV, but earlier it was powered by my Oppo player.

Noctua items are available on Amazon and other places.

Noctua NA-FC1 fan controller
Noctua fans

 

[VonMagnum]

I agree but for my setup which is a semi-closed cabinet, its more about when the AC infinity fan kicks on and disturbs our listening pleasure with quiet vocal scenes.

Thats why I am on the fence with ECO ON/ AUTO to prevent the fans from coning on during long movie nights

Would it really be distinguishable to the ears with ECO ON and playing a high volume movie such as Endgame?

I mean how much lower impact would the sound be with ECO ON??

With ECO off my temp ranges between 95-100 degrees

I have ECO on full most of the time. I did close comparisons with quality music I'm familiar with at loud volumes. I couldn't hear any difference at all so I leave it on and it runs luke warm at most with no fan.

 

[slipperybidness]

Noctua has some very quiet 5V PWM fans of varying sizes that can be controlled by a Noctua PWM fan controller. The Noctua 5V PWM fans vary in size from small 40 mm to large 200 mm. The fans also comes with extra extenders and splitters that is handy.

I'm using a Noctua fan controller that I've attached two 80 mm 5V PWM fans that is powered now by my TV, but earlier it was powered by my Oppo player.

Noctua items are available on Amazon and other places.

Noctua NA-FC1 fan controller
Noctua fans

You make a good point that I'm not sure has been discussed here, but is pretty well known in the custom PC builder world.

Larger fans will run quieter while moving the same volume of air as a small fan. So, it makes sense to go with the largest fan you can fit.

Those fans and controllers are nice, but that is really over-kill for this application.

 

[Trell]

You make a good point that I'm not sure has been discussed here, but is pretty well known in the custom PC builder world.

Larger fans will run quieter while moving the same volume of air as a small fan. So, it makes sense to go with the largest fan you can fit.

Those fans and controllers are nice, but that is really over-kill [my emphasis] for this application.

There ain't no such thing as over-kill on this forum

I've used Noctua fans and CPU coolers in my PC for years, and are quite happy with them, though they are a bit on the expensive side but they last for many years.

 

[highfigh]

Those fans and controllers are nice, but that is really over-kill for this application.

Overkill? OVERKILL??????????????

You seem to have forgotten that 'Overkill' is the middle name of many audio enthusiasts.

 

[fast fred]

I have ECO on full most of the time. I did close comparisons with quality music I'm familiar with at loud volumes. I couldn't hear any difference at all so I leave it on and it runs luke warm at most with no fan.

Great!!