Occasionally and seemingly at random, while using my Denon AVR-2312CI , I hear a clicking sound (similar to the sound it makes when turning on or switching channels), and the front left and right speakers stop functioning. After some time, also randomly, I hear the same clicking sound again, and the unit starts working properly.
Simply toggling the power on and off doesn't resolve the issue; I have to wait for a while before the front left and right speakers come back to life.
The problem is quite sporadic. Sometimes, I can go for weeks without any issues, but on other occasions, it may happen five or six times during a single viewing session. I attempted a full reset of the unit, which appeared to resolve the problem for a couple of weeks before it resurfaced.
In terms of my setup, I have a 5.1 speaker configuration connected to the unit.
You can try a reset, but it is unlikely to help. Your problem is that the timer circuit that works the speaker cut out relay is failing.
When you turn on you receiver, the speakers are disconnected. There is what is called an LM timer circuit that keeps the speakers disconnected until the circuits stabilize so you do not get a damaging turn on thump sent to the speakers. The click you are hearing is the relay operated by the timer opening and closing.
These circuits are all pretty much the same and use Texas instruments timer chips. The timing of the delay is set by capacitors connected to the Texas IC. There are standard formulas for working out the delay. As all capacitors age, they are inclined to change value and become unstable. When these LM timer circuits give trouble it is pretty much always due to the caps wandering out of spec.
I have no idea if that timer circuit is on its own board or part of a larger one. Service manuals are not usually issued these days, which is a disgrace.
The other problem is that components have been surface mounted by robots for some time. This makes it virtually impossible for humans to service the boards.
So the board that contains that timer circuit needs replacing. Manufacturers are only required to keep parts available for seven years, and actually they usually don't claiming they are out of boards and doing another run is not economically feasible.
This is all a long winded way of saying that your receiver likely needs replacement which is really disgraceful, but such is modern manufacture.
I essentially limit modern gear to AV circuits, like my AVPs, disc players, TVs and DACs, and keep my vintage gear going for the rest. Most of it I have owned since new. There is a reason that good older geat fetches nose bleeding prices on eBay and other sites, and your situation is a big driver of that.
