Sound United to Increase Prices after June 5, 2025

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I just got my dealer email. Sound United said they are increasing prices after June 5th. They didn’t say the specific amount of increase.

 

[TLS Guy]

I just got my dealer email. Sound United said they are increasing prices after June 5th. They didn’t say the specific amount of increase.

I know, I found that out yesterday. I hope my AVP 10 arrives before then.

I have found out how to live with the 7706. It is a really weird fault. The buzz starts quietly and increases over a few hours. You can only stop it by unplugging it for an extended period. Having two fans on top in high greatly increases the listening time. This is strange as my laser thermometer shows the top and side case never goes over 95F which is well within the acceptable range. With the fans on full the temperature of the case stays the same as the room. In this mode the unit operates as quiet as a mouse for the greater part of a day. But the buzz always starts to return at some point.
So this does seem to be heat related and most likely a problem with a solid state device. This is somewhat similar, but significantly different also to what happened to the 7705. These units are very similar and from videos the internal architecture is suboptimal in my view and in places crowded. Given there are no power amps this was not necessary. However, I suppose they want too much in common with the related AVR.

 

[j_garcia]

I know, I found that out yesterday. I hope my AVP 10 arrives before then.

I have found out how to live with the 7706. It is a really weird fault. The buzz starts quietly and increases over a few hours. You can only stop it by unplugging it for an extended period. Having two fans on top in high greatly increases the listening time. This is strange as my laser thermometer shows the top and side case never goes over 95F which is well within the acceptable range. With the fans on full the temperature of the case stays the same as the room. In this mode the unit operates as quiet as a mouse for the greater part of a day. But the buzz always starts to return at some point.
So this does seem to be heat related and most likely a problem with a solid state device. This is somewhat similar, but significantly different also to what happened to the 7705. These units are very similar and from videos the internal architecture is suboptimal in my view and in places crowded. Given there are no power amps this was not necessary. However, I suppose they want too much in common with the related AVR.

Would the AVRs have a worse time with this then? My 7705 has been problem free since I bought it. Mine is in a fully exposed rack, though the two amps sit below it, separated by shelves.

 

[TLS Guy]

Would the AVRs have a worse time with this then? My 7705 has been problem free since I bought it. Mine is in a fully exposed rack, though the two amps sit below it, separated by shelves.

No idea, but my 7705 lasted just over five and a half years, and finally blew up spectacularly and could have done a lot of speaker damage, if my speakers were not really robust.

The 7706 has had problems after four months. I have to feel that Masimo were not good stewards of Sound United and were likely penny pinching to a fault and shopping in the cheapest markets for components. The other issue is that both these units were made in Vietnam and may be their factories are a grade below China. One of the reaons I have ordered an AVP 10 is because it is made in Japan. They have a good history of quality electronic construction now.

I look to keep my gear for the long term. I have working units in the system over half a century old, and they sound really good. You would never know it if you heard them.

 

[lovinthehd]

Good to know pre-pros were not a particularly great investment over equivalent avrs.

 

[TLS Guy]

Good to know pre-pros were not a particularly great investment over equivalent avrs.

They absolutely should though, as there are no power circuits. My other AVPs in the family room and great room are working just fine. However that was before Masimo got their muckers on the company. I am hoping the AVP 10 made in Japan will have longer legs. Gene has been very happy with his.

I am just not used to equipment giving a lot of trouble. I expect when I pay good money, to get long service and that has usually been the case.

 

[lovinthehd]

They absolutely should though, as there are no power circuits. My other AVPs in the family room and great room are working just fine. However that was before Masimo got their muckers on the company. I am hoping the AVP 10 made in Japan will have longer legs. Gene has been very happy with his.

I am just not used to equipment giving a lot of trouble. I expect when I pay good money, to get long service and that has usually been the case.

Lol after your failures more than any of my avrs, not so much belief there. You are weird.

 

[TLS Guy]

Lol after your failures more than any of my avrs, not so much belief there. You are weird.

No, these failures are either due to shopping for components in the cheapest markets, shoddy workmanship or both. A preamp with no power circuits or high voltage circuits should last a lifetime.

 

[oniiz86]

No idea, but my 7705 lasted just over five and a half years, and finally blew up spectacularly and could have done a lot of speaker damage, if my speakers were not really robust.

The 7706 has had problems after four months. I have to feel that Masimo were not good stewards of Sound United and were likely penny pinching to a fault and shopping in the cheapest markets for components. The other issue is that both these units were made in Vietnam and may be their factories are a grade below China. One of the reaons I have ordered an AVP 10 is because it is made in Japan. They have a good history of quality electronic construction now.

I look to keep my gear for the long term. I have working units in the system over half a century old, and they sound really good. You would never know it if you heard them.

@TLS Guy I'm sorry but the AV10 simply being "Made in Japan" is no longer indicative of "quality", the irony is that Marantz's flagship AV10 processor has been the most problematic upon release with the well documented "speaker crackling noise" issue with a few of the initial production batches mostly with Build Dates of September/October 2022, yes the problem has been rectified but still a "flagship" product shouldn't be having those types of issues upon release with its exorbitant price, the QC process appears to be subpar also the fact that Nichicon capacitors are no longer used like in my 2018 Denon X8500H AKM DAC based AVR, D+M now utilize 2nd tier low grade Taiwanese "Suscon" capacitors which is disappointing.

 

[highfigh]

No, these failures are either due to shopping for components in the cheapest markets, shoddy workmanship or both. A preamp with no power circuits or high voltage circuits should last a lifetime.

FYI- these aren't soldered by hand, the circuit boards are usually populated via automation and wave soldering has been the rule for a long time. Can you imagine manually soldering every component and clipping the leads? Surface mount devices don't survive excessive heat during or after assembly.

Looking at the photo on the Crutchfield link, I wonder if the cable from the face to the HDMI board is seated properly.

 

[PENG]

However, I suppose they want too much in common with the related AVR.

I know you have access to those service manuals. You will see that the AV7705 and SR7015 (AVR) really are the same except of course it has no power amps, so the power supply will be different, and that the AV has XLR I/Os.

If you compare it with the Denon AVR-X4500H, then you will see the same thing, except in that case the Denon skipped the silly heat producing do nothing HDAMs. We told you before, AVPs (most of them anyway) aren't more reliable than their AVR cousins because power amps rarely failed if you keep them cool enough and don't overload them. AVP, being called separates is a big myth, it is only "separate" based on the artificial low bar, that it has the power amp section separated, in a "separate" box lol..

Just curious, the AV20 is out any day now, it is rack mountable, have the same guts as the AV10, just fewer channel count, though you are not particularly keen on high channel count that includes channels you don't need, wonder why you wouldn't go with that one that presumably with have most if not all all bugs/issues addressed, being made at least two years after the launch of the AV10.