Marantz MCR610 going into protection mode

[sergiob12]

Hi all,

I've got a Marantz MCR610 connected via RCA out to the line in of an Onkyo RBX500 music system.
Everything works fine, but when I set the Marantz volume at the maximum value it goes into protection mode, with its red light blinking two times per second, and I need to unplug it from power and restart.

Going into protection mode is suspicious by itself, but the even stranger thing is that the volume change in the Marantz has no actual effect as the speakers are connected via RCA out, hence they skip the amp stage, yet it causes the unit to shutdown.

Any ideas how this could happen? Does it look like an hardware fault, or is it "normal" operation given my setup?

Thanks!

 

[macddmac]

Sounds like your line out (RCA)is a variable type.
Otherwise, you wouldn't be able to control volume at all with it.
Are other speakers hooked up to the marantz?
What happens when you set the marantz volume lower
And use the remote for the onkyo for volume adjustment?
Edit: not a good idea to turn any receiver to max volume
As they will clip and shutdown in most cases.
Cheers, Mac

 

[sergiob12]

Sounds like your line out (RCA)is a variable type.
Otherwise, you wouldn't be able to control volume at all with it.

But I can't actually control the volume via the Marantz: changes have no effect on the RCA output. If you're wondering why I changed the volume if it has no effect, it's because it automatically happens when connecting via Airplay and changing the volume of the Airplay source. Then obviously, I just tried to reproduce the problem by changing the volume via the Marantz remote.

Are other speakers hooked up to the marantz?

No.

What happens when you set the marantz volume lower
And use the remote for the onkyo for volume adjustment?

Everything works fine in this case.

Edit: not a good idea to turn any receiver to max volume
As they will clip and shutdown in most cases.

But is it the case even if no speakers, except the RCA ones, are actually connected?

Thanks for your answers!

 

[macddmac]

Don't set the Marantz to max then and everything is fine.
You could be clipping the preamp output causing a protection circuit shutdown.
Why are you hardwiring the two if you're using airplay?
Could just be a design anomaly.

 

[sergiob12]

Don't set the Marantz to max then and everything is fine.
You could be clipping the preamp output causing a protection circuit shutdown.
Why are you hardwiring the two if you're using airplay?

Could you suggest any online resources explaining how that could happen, given the volume change has no audible effect?
Also, what are you referring to in terms of hardwiring?

 

[macddmac]

Have you tried a factory re-set?
Pg113 in English manual
Also, disconnect the audio out to see if that affects the volume setting when connecting with airplay

 

[sergiob12]

Have you tried a factory re-set?
Pg113 in English manual
Also, disconnect the audio out to see if that affects the volume setting when connecting with airplay

Yes, I've tried a factory reset, but nothing changed.
Not sure what you mean about AirPlay: the AirPlay source volume and the Marantz one are somewhat "connected", but they still have no effect on the audio output.

 

[sergiob12]

Have you tried a factory re-set?
Pg113 in English manual
Also, disconnect the audio out to see if that affects the volume setting when connecting with airplay

I tried disconnecting all audio outputs, leaving the Marantz volume high enough, and I noticed I can still hear the music coming very low from inside the receiver ... how is that possible?

 

[agarwalro]

What macddmac proposed in Post#4 is exactly what is happening.

The RCA out on the Marantz is most likely variable level (the manual does not state this, but, it does not explicitly say Line Out either). The Onkyo has a Line In (aka. it is expected to be a fixed level signal). As you increase the volume (via the Apple device or physically on the Marantz) it will eventually clip the output.

The way to use your setup safely would be to not use the Marantz or Apple device for volume control. Instead, set the volume at a level that it is not going into protection and then use the Onkyo for volume control.

If you must use the Marantz for volume control, the only way around this is to Max out the volume on the Onkyo and hope the Marantz signal level does not max out before the Onkyo is sounding like crap from playing louder than it is designed. Hopefully, you will never need to put the Marantz volume at a level that causes it to go into protection. That said, now your Onkyo is at risk of being blown and the Marantz might still to into protection if some party guest does not know this trick. Double trouble.

With regards the music coming from the Marantz with nothing connected....

Just curious, why the kluge? Why not connect the Apple device directly to the Onkyo? It has sufficient wireless capabilities to make this a breeze.

 

[sergiob12]

Thanks for your detailed answer agarwalro.

I have no problems running the Marantz at zero volume and only manage the Onkyo, I was just wondering why the Marantz was going into protection mode, and if it could have been an hardware issue; I'm still not that confident I have an answer for that (i.e. why isn't the Onkyo volume changing *at all* if the Marantz output is variable level?), but that's alright.

Regarding your last question, the Onkyo only supports Bluetooth, which is lossy and short-range; also, I use the Marantz for playing CDs too, so I'd like to keep one single source.

What macddmac proposed in Post#4 is exactly what is happening.

The RCA out on the Marantz is most likely variable level (the manual does not state this, but, it does not explicitly say Line Out either). The Onkyo has a Line In (aka. it is expected to be a fixed level signal). As you increase the volume (via the Apple device or physically on the Marantz) it will eventually clip the output.

The way to use your setup safely would be to not use the Marantz or Apple device for volume control. Instead, set the volume at a level that it is not going into protection and then use the Onkyo for volume control.

If you must use the Marantz for volume control, the only way around this is to Max out the volume on the Onkyo and hope the Marantz signal level does not max out before the Onkyo is sounding like crap from playing louder than it is designed. Hopefully, you will never need to put the Marantz volume at a level that causes it to go into protection. That said, now your Onkyo is at risk of being blown and the Marantz might still to into protection if some party guest does not know this trick. Double trouble.

With regards the music coming from the Marantz with nothing connected....

Just curious, why the kluge? Why not connect the Apple device directly to the Onkyo? It has sufficient wireless capabilities to make this a breeze.

 

[agarwalro]

I have no problems running the Marantz at zero volume and only manage the Onkyo

That won't work. You need some signal output on the Marantz Output so that the Onkyo Line in gets something.

I was just wondering why the Marantz was going into protection mode, and if it could have been an hardware issue; I'm still not that confident I have an answer for that (i.e. why isn't the Onkyo volume changing *at all* if the Marantz output is variable level?), but that's alright.

Neither device is malfunctioning. Heck, the Marantz it doing exactly what is expected. The issue is in how you're using the Marantz variable output with a Onkyo Line In input expecting fixed level. The Onkyo will not respond to level changes on the Line In. No device will/should respond to changes in Line In signal level.

Onkyo only supports Bluetooth, which is lossy and short-range; also, I use the Marantz for playing CDs too, so I'd like to keep one single source.

The Onkyo has a dock connector for Apple devices.

You're using a dock speaker and gripe about lossy audio. If you're truly concerned about the audio quality, trash the Onkyo and get proper speakers for the Marantz.

 

[sergiob12]

That won't work. You need some signal output on the Marantz Output so that the Onkyo Line in gets something.

It does work.

The Onkyo has a dock connector for Apple devices.

This doesn't help me with AirPlay support.

You're using a dock speaker and gripe about lossy audio. If you're truly concerned about the audio quality, trash the Onkyo and get proper speakers for the Marantz.

Speakers would obviously sound best, but the difference between lossy Bluetooth and AirPlay (or any other lossless protocol) is absolutely noticeable even with worse speakers than the Onkyo dock system.