AVR-X3600H - A viable low cost alternative to the more expensive AVPs(Denon) and AVCs (Yamaha)?

[lovinthehd]

Am I missing something as to the reason on to plug the fan into the usb on the receiver? I thought that is what the usb on the x8500 was for.

FWIW I was using a single fan within the usb port's limits on my Denon 4520 for several years but I changed over to a dual fan that drew a bit more juice and decided to use a wall wart this time to also free up the usb port for a usb drive with music on it....you only get to use one usb port at a time so that was a bit more encouragement to use other than the usb port for power.

 

[mtrot]

https://www.amazon.com/AC-Infinity-MULTIFAN-Receiver-Playstation/dp/B00JLV4BWC/ref=sr_1_8?crid=3NNTB9L44PE0K&dchild=1&keywords=ac+infinity&qid=1587399715&sprefix=AC+Infin%2Caps%2C322&sr=8-8

I used three AC Infinity 120mm fans for my Denon AVP-A1HDCI, which got really hot. The fans kept the Denon chassis less hot, but I have to wonder what's the actual temperature on those Circuit Boards INSIDE the chassis even with 3 x 120mm fans on the outside of the chassis.

My Denon AVP-A1HDCI died after 8 years even with the 3 fans, so I don't know if these fans can actually decrease the "mortality and morbidity" of these "Febrile" AVR's.

In the spirit of COVID19, it's like being Febrile and having to use FANS to keep your fever down vs being Afebrile in the first place.

Now that I have all Yamaha and no more DM products in my house (except for the AVP-A1HDCI chassis used for my Karaoke Mixer), I can put all those fans in the closet.

Thanks for the suggestion of those fans. I just received them today and took temperature measurements with ECO mode turned OFF. With the 5200 turned on and not playing anything, the top of the chassis measures 120 degrees and is really hot to the touch, feels like I can't keep my hand there. With the two fans running on the middle speed setting, the top of the chassis measures 87 degrees and is cool to the touch. Of course, I cannot say for sure what the relative temps are inside the unit, but surely it is cooler with the fans running. I cannot hear the fans at all from my listening position 10 feet from the equipment rack. I plugged the fans into a wall wart that I found.

 

[ryanosaur]

With the two fans running on the middle speed setting, the top of the chassis measures 87 degrees and is cool to the touch. Of course, I cannot say for sure what the relative temps are inside the unit, but surely it is cooler with the fans running. I cannot hear the fans at all from my listening position 10 feet from the equipment rack.

good

 

[PENG]

So I must have exception hearing in the lower frequencies as I can hear even one of the smaller (80mm) fans unless set to lo from my mmp that is 11 ft. I have half a dozen of them bought at different time so it can't be just hard luck that I got the bad ones.

Now I know why I seem to be the odd one that I have not much issue with Audyssey's default subwoofer target curve when just about (80%?) everyone including Dr. Olive's study prefer to 30-35% slope.

 

[DJ7675]

Now I know why I seem to be the odd one that I have not much issue with Audyssey's default subwoofer target curve when just about (80%?) everyone including Dr. Olive's study prefer to 30-35% slope.

There certainly is some room for personal preference, in particular with bass. Do you use DEQ? Is your typical volume very loud?

 

[mtrot]

So I must have exception hearing in the lower frequencies as I can hear even one of the smaller (80mm) fans unless set to lo from my mmp that is 11 ft. I have half a dozen of them bought at different time so it can't be just hard luck that I got the bad ones.

Now I know why I seem to be the odd one that I have not much issue with Audyssey's default subwoofer target curve when just about (80%?) everyone including Dr. Olive's study prefer to 30-35% slope.

Well, in my family room in which the system resides(which is open to the kitchen), there is always a bit of ambient noise. And I am also over 65, so also take that into account, as to why I may not be hearing the fans. Also, I'm now running the fans on LO because that setting seems to keep the 5200 quite cool.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Now I know why I seem to be the odd one that I have not much issue with Audyssey's default subwoofer target curve when just about (80%?) everyone including Dr. Olive's study prefer to 30-35% slope.

If I'm watching Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, and Howard's End, and I don't hear my subwoofers, then there isn't enough bass.

 

[PENG]

There certainly is some room for personal preference, in particular with bass. Do you use DEQ? Is your typical volume very loud?

I use DEQ, all the time because my vol rarely goes above -20, occasionally up to -15 when watching BR movies and I do bump the sub level up 2 dB. I am trying a slop up curve now instead of just increasing the sub level trims.

 

[KEW]

So I must have exception hearing in the lower frequencies as I can hear even one of the smaller (80mm) fans unless set to lo from my mmp that is 11 ft.

Same for me, I suspect his room just has a higher noise floor than ours!

 

[Pogre]

There certainly is some room for personal preference, in particular with bass. Do you use DEQ? Is your typical volume very loud?

DEQ is my house curve. I dial everything in as flat as I can with my subs in deepest extension mode then switch to output/headroom mode (EQ2 both ports open) and turn DEQ on. I just play with the different RLOs for different material. Say, -10 for music and 0 for movies.

 

[lovinthehd]

So I must have exception hearing in the lower frequencies as I can hear even one of the smaller (80mm) fans unless set to lo from my mmp that is 11 ft. I have half a dozen of them bought at different time so it can't be just hard luck that I got the bad ones.

Now I know why I seem to be the odd one that I have not much issue with Audyssey's default subwoofer target curve when just about (80%?) everyone including Dr. Olive's study prefer to 30-35% slope.

The single fans I was using in a couple places were a bit noisy, altho not with content on. I'm at about 13.5 ft away, too. Then I switched to a double fan of the same style that has a speed controller and set on low not audible except by being very close to the fans.

 

[EBN]

Arcam AVR390 bit mixed bag for the high asking price! Another Dirac Live machine doing poorly.

Conclusions
A great analog engineer designed the amplifier in the Arcam AVR390 and did a great job both in measured performance and proper cooling. Sadly the digital section received no scrutiny and produced some of the worst results I have seen at its max output of just 1.3 volts. Given the legacy of Arcam and marketing material for the product/brand, this is truly shameful performance.

Needless to say, as a package I cannot recommend the ARCAM AVR390. Maybe wait a few years until they are given away for nothing and buy it for its amplifiers and run them in direct mode.

Arcam AVR390 AVR Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Arcam AVR390 Audio/Video Receiver (AVR). It is a 7.1.4 unit kindly purchased and drop shipped to me (refurbished unit). It seems to have been announced back in 2017 and available in 2018. I don't know if it is still a current unit or not. It...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[Shanman]

I would second this and only use the AVR USB Port if the manufactureer says it is OK for powering an external device. Some USB Ports are not recommended for that, after all, and it would be a shame to fry your AVR doing something that is meant to help extend its lifespan.

Argh, but I really loved using the usb on my 3300W for my fans, so nice to have them automatically kick on when the AVR was powered up!

 

[lovinthehd]

Argh, but I really loved using the usb on my 3300W for my fans, so nice to have them automatically kick on when the AVR was powered up!

I use a smart power strip keyed to my avr (for external amps/subs) anyways so just plug the wall wart into that now.

 

[PENG]

ASR measured the AVR-X4700H, it beats the AV7705 but not the AV8505 in SINAD like the X3600H did. I have a theory on why the more expensive models that most likely have the same parts (except the HDAM thing just to be clear..) and circuitry could measure so differently.

Below is what just posted over there (ASR reive on the AVR-X4700H)

The volume control IC has tolerances that may explain why DUTs could measure differently in SINAD by a few dB, though there is definitely something wrong with the noise behavior when HDMI is involved in this case.

Below are the tolerances of SINADs between the volume IC used in the Denon/Marantz and Yamaha's AVRs/AVPs/Integrated amp:

Yamaha A-S801:
BD3483KS2........................... Typ. 0.0004 %, Max. 0.02 %

RX-A3070:
BD34703KS2........................ Typ. 0.0004 %, Max. 0.02 %

Denon/Marantz:
NJU72343AV........................ Typ. 0.0004 %, Max. 0.01 %

The DAC ICs ES9010KS2, AK4458, ES9006 used in such devices all have slightly better SINAD specs so as Dr. Rich of HTHF said before, the volume control IC was usually the bottleneck.

If true (Amir, do you have any opinion on this?), and if you look at the X4700H's SINAD, it is still within the tolerance spec of the NJU72343, and obviously the AK4458 as well.

Also, take a look of Denon AVR/Marantz AVP/AVR publish specs:

AV8805/AV7705's preout..................0.005 %, (that's 86 dB in SINAD)

AVR-X4500H/SR7013
amplifier output....................................0.05 % at rated output
analog input (Direct mode)..............0.005 % (again, that's 86 dB SINAD) at 1.2 V
D/A output..............................................0.008% (1 kHz, at 0 dB)

AVR-X3600H/SR6014
amplifier output....................................0.08% at rated output
analog input (Direct mode)..............0.005 % (again, that's 86 dB SINAD) at 1.2 V
D/A output..............................................0.008% (1 kHz, at 0 dB)

Based on the above figures, so far all the units ASR has measured were within D+M specifications, though depending on interpretation, the D/A output specs would have met or exceeded their specifications only if the internal power amps were disconnected.

Amir, or others who have read the spec sheets and SM's, any comments?

My source of info above were all Googleable, i.e. Rohm, NJR published data sheets for their volume control ICs, D+M's manual.