Marantz 7012 Volume Low

[apolloNail1518]

I was wondering why I have to crank my Marantz 7012 volume all the way up to about 75 which is almost to the max to have a decent volume level? My speakers configuration are as follow: 2 front B&W 702 S2 Towee, 1 B&W HTM71 S2, 4 in-ceiling B&W CCM 662 for atoms, 2 in-wall B&W CWM 664 for my rear. I did ran Audyessey. Thank you for any help.

 

[apolloNail1518]

Sorry I posted this thread on the general AV forum too. I was wondering why I have to crank my Marantz 7012 volume all the way up to about 75 which is almost to the max to have a decent volume level? My speakers configuration are as follow: 2 front B&W 702 S2 Towee, 1 B&W HTM71 S2, 4 in-ceiling B&W CCM 662 for atoms, 2 in-wall B&W CWM 664 for my rear. I did ran Audyessey. Thank you for any help.

 

[lovinthehd]

If you're using the absolute scale 75 is close to reference level which is quite loud but hard to define what you mean by decent volume level. Is your complaint with a movie or music particularly? Do you have a way to measure the volume at your seat with the volume running at 75? What are the settings resulting after you ran Audyssey? How far away are the speakers from your primary seating position? No subwoofer in use?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Check the Speaker Channel Levels. See what the settings are for each speaker.

 

[tmurnin]

I had a similar question about my 6012. I ended up deciding I just had to get comfortable with the volume level being higher than I was typically used to. Not sure if it's a Marantz thing or what.

 

[PENG]

75 is not near max. For Marantz, maximum should be 98. It should be very loud at 75 though, because after running auto setup, 75 should be about 5 dB below reference level, and reference level is about as loud as what you hear in a movie cinema.

 

[andyblackcat]

Same here Marnatz SR6012.
Could be your all running low sensitivity speakers that are power hungry for db that needs more watts/voltage for SPL-db and the distance of the speakers as you lose db's over few feet and need more power or higher sensitivity PA speakers so sell the hi-fi and get some matched compact 12" 15" bass driver with HF horn and you'll hear more with less power.

Also there is a source level adjustment on AVR same I guess with the Denon or maybe most others?

Press set-up on remote look for INPUTS

Scroll down to SOURCE LEVEL and press button (oh no not that one Boom!)

INPUT/SOURCE LEVEL can be adjusted for each Video mode sorace input if the signal happens to be weak? Trouble is mots of you won't see the signal weak as you have no level meters device attached to the AVR but I can see some source signals that are very low on my input-level-meters.

Just use the remote left right arrows to increase or decrease form 0db. Use CAUTION if signal is high and the SOURCE is increased too High it will push the amp levels to near clip and the AVR will simply shut-down into PROTECTION MODE with red LED blinking. Press power ON button and AVR will turn back ON.

I'm running outboard gear so the Marnatz SR6012 are not being used but still the signal is still sent to its amps with no way to switch them off and I noticed few nights ago a PROTECTION MODE shut down but forgot to reduce INPUT SOURCE LEVEL down to 0db for Alien Covenant.

Maybe the manufacturer should place an ON/OFF bypass switch to deactivate the internal AVR amplifiers as the RCA will be used for outboard amplifiers and therefore will reduce a few power consumption watts. I mean I don't see the logic in spending £few grand for Marantz AV8805 I'm sure its all the bells and whistles but really XLR is as common as mud and XLR take up far too much space over a D25 connector that has the same function of unbalanced/balanced and more D25 can be placed on the AVR and everyone can have 30 or 60 channels at the same low price of under £1 grand. That's my beef with these AVR/AVP in this market.

 

[srks17]

I just got a Marantz 6015 to upgrade from Onkyo NR709, i observed that i have to go -11db to even get a good room filling sound. i have a 7.4 set up and its really strange and not sure how i can get this thing not to crank up that much to hear a good volume to fill the room.. Room size is about 19X 15 so its not big .. when i go around 10 to 20 db i cannot hear anything.. I read the above blog where it talks about inefficient speakers etc but i had the same speakers with my Onkyo NR709 but never had any issue.. I did try the Source Level and it does help but wondering if there is anything else that can suggested to be looked at?? appreciate your response.

 

[lovinthehd]

I just got a Marantz 6015 to upgrade from Onkyo NR709, i observed that i have to go -11db to even get a good room filling sound. i have a 7.4 set up and its really strange and not sure how i can get this thing not to crank up that much to hear a good volume to fill the room.. Room size is about 19X 15 so its not big .. when i go around 10 to 20 db i cannot hear anything.. I read the above blog where it talks about inefficient speakers etc but i had the same speakers with my Onkyo NR709 but never had any issue.. I did try the Source Level and it does help but wondering if there is anything else that can suggested to be looked at?? appreciate your response.

Did you calibrate the volume setup with Audyssey or manually in both units? -11 should be fairly loud, though.....but are you saying between -10 and -20 that you can't hear anything? What speakers? What source particularly?

 

[srks17]

Yes I Ran Audyssey -10db is good enough to fill the room. -50 -60 db i can barely hear anything.. its way low.. but isnt -10 db close to the max sound or 85% of the max sound> why do i have to max up my volume to watch a movie with decent sound? also is it not impacting the receiver in long run or my speakers>>
Regarding my Levels Set up by Audyssey I have LCR around -3.0 DB, SUB for -6.5 db and Sourround for -3.5 db and Surround Back L - 2.5 db and Surround back R -1.5 db.
Please suggest what can be done here.. when upgrading from my onkyo i thought i was going to be getting better but seems like i am getting less

 

[lovinthehd]

Yes I Ran Audyssey -10db is good enough to fill the room. -50 -60 db i can barely hear anything.. its way low.. but isnt -10 db close to the max sound or 85% of the max sound> why do i have to max up my volume to watch a movie with decent sound? also is it not impacting the receiver in long run or my speakers>>
Regarding my Levels Set up by Audyssey I have LCR around -3.0 DB, SUB for -6.5 db and Sourround for -3.5 db and Surround Back L - 2.5 db and Surround back R -1.5 db.
Please suggest what can be done here.. when upgrading from my onkyo i thought i was going to be getting better but seems like i am getting less

Was the Onkyo also based on Audyssey/calibration when comparing volume scale numbers? Then again volume scales aren't precision spl indicators either, and sources vary a bit with levels as well. You can always check resulting levels with an spl meter separately if you think something is missing in that regard....

I can barely hear anything at -50 or -60 as that is an extremely low volume. I have my avrs turn on at -40dB as I find that a good starting point, audible but not going to blast me out of my seat. Many rooms have a noise floor in the 40s alone to overcome, too. -10 dB to 0 (reference) would take 10x the amp power. Keep in mind it takes a doubling of power just to gain 3dB...

The levels set are a balance of your speakers' sensitivity and the distance you are from the speakers, for the goal of setting things properly at your listening position, and don't mean anything on their own particularly.

I wouldn't expect huge differences just from changing the avr. What Onkyo did you have? Your expectations were based on what particularly?

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

This is interesting. My 6012 at -10 with most material and 92db mains is pretty damn loud.
But also at -40 is very quiet. I have my start up volume at -30. If nobody else is in the house bangin around, it’s ok for starters. -20 to -25 seems to be where it is most of the time.

 

[srks17]

Was the Onkyo also based on Audyssey/calibration when comparing volume scale numbers? Then again volume scales aren't precision spl indicators either, and sources vary a bit with levels as well. You can always check resulting levels with an spl meter separately if you think something is missing in that regard....

I can barely hear anything at -50 or -60 as that is an extremely low volume. I have my avrs turn on at -40dB as I find that a good starting point, audible but not going to blast me out of my seat. Many rooms have a noise floor in the 40s alone to overcome, too. -10 dB to 0 (reference) would take 10x the amp power. Keep in mind it takes a doubling of power just to gain 3dB...

The levels set are a balance of your speakers' sensitivity and the distance you are from the speakers, for the goal of setting things properly at your listening position, and don't mean anything on their own particularly.

I wouldn't expect huge differences just from changing the avr. What Onkyo did you have? Your expectations were based on what particularly?

Yes Onkyo was based on Audyssey/calibration. I completely agree with you the levels set for speakers are balanced to provide good experience from the position we are sitting.. however is this normal to crank up to fill the room with the sound? Regarding the Onkyo i had it was the NR709 It was 170 Watt with Multi EX Audyssey
For Onkyo i was able to go upto -50DB and it was basically too loud for me..

 

[srks17]

This is interesting. My 6012 at -10 with most material and 92db mains is pretty damn loud.
But also at -40 is very quiet. I have my start up volume at -30. If nobody else is in the house bangin around, it’s ok for starters. -20 to -25 seems to be where it is most of the time.

Yeah -18 onwards seems to be clear for me - is that a ok number i should adjust myself to? if i am scaling up to lets say -9 or -7 will that have a negative impact for my receiver in long run?

 

[lovinthehd]

Yes Onkyo was based on Audyssey/calibration. I completely agree with you the levels set for speakers are balanced to provide good experience from the position we are sitting.. however is this normal to crank up to fill the room with the sound? Regarding the Onkyo i had it was the NR709 It was 170 Watt with Multi EX Audyssey
For Onkyo i was able to go upto -50DB and it was basically too loud for me..

Sounds like you had the opposite scale enabled in the Onkyo, the absolute scale, where you're using the reference scale in the Denon (but usually both units allowed either scale to be used). I have both Denons and a similar Onkyo to yours, I don't have particular level differences.....you're comparing with same speakers in same room, right? Could be something else going on, you may need to do some more digging or even simply reset/rerun Audyssey. Or not use Audyssey....are you using the Audyssey Editor App? (not sure that older model you have can do that)

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Yeah -18 onwards seems to be clear for me - is that a ok number i should adjust myself to? if i am scaling up to lets say -9 or -7 will that have a negative impact for my receiver in long run?

Unless you’re hearing distortion, imo you’ll be fine. As far as longevity, I don’t believe it will matter either. I used an only 808 for a lon time in my rig before the 6012. I do seem to recall having to go a few db higher for the same overall volume, but I chalked it up to the amps output gain structure, and possibly the better version of audyssey. Once I got used to it it’s been fine. I never listen at -0 and before I only ever went to around -5, and not often. So as long as it’s giving you the output without distortion, or distress I’d let er buck.

 

[PENG]

Yeah -18 onwards seems to be clear for me - is that a ok number i should adjust myself to? if i am scaling up to lets say -9 or -7 will that have a negative impact for my receiver in long run?

Agreed with William but I would still put a fan on top for longivity reason. The NR series may be a little weak, but if the spl calculator shows it can meet your power requirement than I would say it is a good choice, because I am biased against the useless HDAMs. The NR series skipped the HDAMs so they are technically the same as Denon's lower models with less output but in return you get the profile design, along with front channel pre outs, that make them a good choice for a 2.1 system using it as a preamp/processor too, but only at deep discounted prices imo.