Do I need a new AV Receiver?

[4Ron]

I currently own a five year old Denon AVR 2100W which I use for streaming spotify as well as watching movies. My problem is I am able to stream about 3 or 4 songs and then I lose the connection and the music will only play on my phone. Is this my receiver or is it the wifi causing the problem? Are newer receivers or another brand better at streaming spotify today as compared to 5 years ago?

Thanks

 

[Bryce_H]

Do I need a new AV Receiver? - the answer is always "Yes, yes I do need a new receiver!"

But seriously, I would trouble shoot the wifi first. Have you recently changed your service? did the gateway/modem/router recently update its firmware? Did you change anything? Is there a firmware update available for your receiver?

Try starting the service from scratch - i.e. log completely out, reboot, re login, etc.

Good luck.

 

[tmurnin]

I currently own a five year old Denon AVR 2100W which I use for streaming spotify as well as watching movies. My problem is I am able to stream about 3 or 4 songs and then I lose the connection and the music will only play on my phone. Is this my receiver or is it the wifi causing the problem? Are newer receivers or another brand better at streaming spotify today as compared to 5 years ago?

Thanks

Have you tried the receiver with a different phone and/or wifi environment to try and isolate the problem? If Spotify continues to play on your phone but you are losing the connection to the receiver, then the problem likely isn't wifi (because your phone is still streaming adequately) but with the Bluetooth connection between the receiver and the phone. You could continue to isolate it by trying something like placing a small portable BT speaker next to the receiver and try streaming the phone to that. If that plays successfully, then you know the issue isn't with your phone or interference in the room environment, but with the Bluetooth on your AVR. You could confirm that by trying to connect to the receiver with a different phone or streaming device via Bluetooth and see if you have the same issue. If so, you can either replace the receiver, try adding a different streaming device that connects directly to the receiver (something like a Fire Stick or AppleTV), or connect your phone to the AVR via a dock or cable.

 

[IansDad88(Don)]

I currently own a five year old Denon AVR 2100W which I use for streaming spotify as well as watching movies. My problem is I am able to stream about 3 or 4 songs and then I lose the connection and the music will only play on my phone. Is this my receiver or is it the wifi causing the problem? Are newer receivers or another brand better at streaming spotify today as compared to 5 years ago?

Thanks

I have a little bit of actual experience with this. I'm not sure it's an exact analog to your situating, but I think it's close if not the same.

My new AVR - Marantz 6013 sits near the floor among a range of wires, and right near an outlet. It has only dropped my FLAC Tidal streaming once, and never dropped a Movie being streamed.

My router sits about 5 feet away in the adjoining room.

My 5 year old Onkyo Stereo TX-8140 with 2 Antennae up and just about 10 feet from the same router drops all the time. To the point where when I use it I pull out a long cat 5 ethernet and use that.

I have some experience in IT as well and troubleshooting your Wi-Fi is always a good idea, but generally speaking if everything else is running well off your Wi-Fi the next leading culprit in my opinion would be an old or weak nic (Wi-Fi connection) in your AVR. This is really not at all uncommon, and I believe the reason my Onkyo prefers to be close and unobstructed, whereas my newer Marantz works fine.

-Run a free Speed test on your Wi-Fi
- If it's old, your AVR likely is already on the 2.4 Ghz channel because it doesn't have an option for the 5 Ghz. So the second thing I'd try is to make sure there's nothing blocking your signal. For testing, you can move the AVR to the same room as the Router.
-Be mindful that a wireless home phone, smart plugs, and other zigbee hubs might all be trying the same 2.4 Ghz. So they "could" be competing for signal.

Having did all that, if you have a decent speed test result, an unobstructed, uncluttered path from Router to AVR, I'm going to still think that it's possible either the mic or Wi-Fi antenna in the AVR is tired.

You can always try the Ethernet line direct also if your AVR has a port, and you have room for the cable. Might not be pretty but if you don't want to buy a new piece of equipment and want to bypass the Wi-Fi entirely.

 

[lovinthehd]

Have you tried the receiver with a different phone and/or wifi environment to try and isolate the problem? If Spotify continues to play on your phone but you are losing the connection to the receiver, then the problem likely isn't wifi (because your phone is still streaming adequately) but with the Bluetooth connection between the receiver and the phone. You could continue to isolate it by trying something like placing a small portable BT speaker next to the receiver and try streaming the phone to that. If that plays successfully, then you know the issue isn't with your phone or interference in the room environment, but with the Bluetooth on your AVR. You could confirm that by trying to connect to the receiver with a different phone or streaming device via Bluetooth and see if you have the same issue. If so, you can either replace the receiver, try adding a different streaming device that connects directly to the receiver (something like a Fire Stick or AppleTV), or connect your phone to the AVR via a dock or cable.

How do you figure the phone is streaming to the avr via bluetooth? The streaming to avr via Spotify is via the internet/wifi, not bluetooth.

I'd suspect the wifi mostly, but possible the Denon in part. Can you hardwire this Denon via ethernet?

 

[tmurnin]

How do you figure the phone is streaming to the avr via bluetooth? The streaming to avr via Spotify is via the internet/wifi, not bluetooth.

I'd suspect the wifi mostly, but possible the Denon in part. Can you hardwire this Denon via ethernet?

Not sure what the connection is between the phone and AVR. I assumed Bluetooth but it could be wifi or even Airplay. Same principle would apply. Isolate the phone first, then test the rest of the equipment.

 

[4Ron]

Thank you everyone for your detailed and helpful answers. I bought a new receiver (Yamaha TSR - 7850). Got it at costco for a great price. I believe this receiver is identical to the Yamaha Aventage RX-A780. I checked the specs and they are exactly the same. Spotify works flawlessly with this receiver!!!! What a difference. Also sounds a little cleaner.

 

[lovinthehd]

Not sure what the connection is between the phone and AVR. I assumed Bluetooth but it could be wifi or even Airplay. Same principle would apply. Isolate the phone first, then test the rest of the equipment.

While most phones (all?) can transmit some music via bluetooth to a bluetooth enabled device, the streaming services aren't using bluetooth to stream via your phone to your avr, that's wifi based (such as Airplay or DLNA), which is better as it's not only higher fidelity but better range. If you have Spotify Connect in your avr you can start the stream on your phone and then turn it off and the stream will keep playing....which can be a bit annoying actually. The phone acts more as a remote control via wifi....

 

[tmurnin]

While most phones (all?) can transmit some music via bluetooth to a bluetooth enabled device, the streaming services aren't using bluetooth to stream via your phone to your avr, that's wifi based (such as Airplay or DLNA), which is better as it's not only higher fidelity but better range. If you have Spotify Connect in your avr you can start the stream on your phone and then turn it off and the stream will keep playing....which can be a bit annoying actually. The phone acts more as a remote control via wifi....

But that depends on your method of transmittal. Obv if someone is using AirPlay or Spotify Connect, they aren’t using BT, but the OP didn’t indicate which technology he was using and many people default to BT for everything because it’s what they’re used to doing with their phones in their cars, with portable speakers, etc

 

[lovinthehd]

But that depends on your method of transmittal. Obv if someone is using AirPlay or Spotify Connect, they aren’t using BT, but the OP didn’t indicate which technology he was using and many people default to BT for everything because it’s what they’re used to doing with their phones in their cars, with portable speakers, etc

In the case of a Denon avr as in this thread?

 

[tmurnin]

In the case of a Denon avr as in this thread?

Sure, why not? Despite all my attempts to convince them otherwise, my kids connect to my Denon (and my NAD) exclusively with Bluetooth. That’s just how they use the phone, doubt they’re unusual in that

 

[lovinthehd]

Sure, why not? Despite all my attempts to convince them otherwise, my kids connect to my Denon (and my NAD) exclusively with Bluetooth. That’s just how they use the phone, doubt they’re unusual in that

LOL I wasn't thinking of that, more used to thinking about how to do it best....