Question SOLVED (thanks for responding): Extremely quiet Denon AVR-3803. both speakers and headphones

AudioEnthusiast

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Would someone help me figure out what's going on? I just picked this up. I usually don't have trouble setting up receivers.

Before I figured out how to do the "factory reset" (holding the Zone 2 and Pure Direct buttons simultaneously while manually powering up the unit), the audio was leaking in between input channels equally (audio input @ line level plugged into TV, for example, would make an equivalent volume level when switching receiver selected input from TV, CD, VCR, etc). After the factory reset, it is similarly quiet (~45 dB sound output @ receiver setting of -20 dB) except it properly selected between the channels.
Processing is off. When processing is on, it's slightly more quiet.
The symptoms in the headphone jack are very similar. Before the reset, switching from -20 to -19.5dB would immediately cause distortion in the right ear, and would cease when switching back. After the factory reset, the distortion happens around -11dB on the volume control knob (source track is normalized to -0.0dB)

The audio seems to be fairly low fidelity, too.

any ideas? Is this a blown processor?
 
It sounds very much that the unit has a problem and with the headphone jack also being effected it could be the processor or the power supply failing. It's quite an old unit being a 2008 model. Unless you know it's history it could have been driven very hard and heat is not a friend of AV equipment especially if abused.

It may be worth you taking it to a repair centre for an estimate on repair costs but I would imagine that, due to it's age and lack of modern sound modes, that the repair would be financially viable.
 
well, fortunately, I tried something on a whim and the problem was apparently, at least mostly, solved.

I took off the cover and blew air all inside of it. I also budged the pins on one of the items (diodes? transistors?) that's attached to the heatsink. Initially, one of the pins was returning a no conductivity result, but after scraping the probe against it, it seemed to work properly. Whether this was due to user failure or damaged parts, I don't know.

Even though it had been primarily stored in a receiver box and covered in cloth, and even though there was no appreciable visible dust cover, I decided to give it a shot. I blew compressed air into the headphone jack as well, despite my symptoms differing a bit from the apparent symptoms of the dusty headphone jack issues that I'd read about. (the receiver would previously audibly switch between speakers and headphones, and also put text on the screen saying that it was switching between the two. that appears to be differing symptoms to people who usually have the headphone jack quietness problem.

Part of the low fidelity sound through the sennheiser hd-595 was the fact that, apparently, after years of sitting inside of the drawer, the unit had deteriorated. This was discovered after, on a whim, plugging in the hd-380 pros. much better sound.

Output through the garage speakers was acceptable. Not loud. At -24 dB on the receiver, it seemed like perhaps 85 dB at listening position (1 speaker connected, 6' from earshot. -6dB source track volume peaks, sent through laptop headphone jack which I doubt is at line level)

Why "for the most part" solved?
A) I don't know if I actually fixed a problem, or if I just patched the problem (IE shifting transistor lead around and later it might shift back into the fail position would be patching the problem. some sort of electrical problem making it particularly prone to dust issues would be another problem which would qualify as a patch)
B) audio output doesn't appear to match specs. While even at -8db (receiver goes to +18), it's louder than my Scarlett 2i2 which I usually listen to headphones through, the output of the system (with Windows 7 being part of that system) doesn't match specs; I put windows on volume level 10/100, which is reportedly -20dB. then I cranked the receiver to max (+18). I found that the audio levels being put into the headphones were approximately equivalent to a 100/100 Windows output and a -15 receiver output, making 35dB on the receiver ACTUALLY equivalent to 20dB. 'seems a bit strange.
C)Sound quality in the garage is inferior, I can't test output quality poorly. it's 1 AM so I can't blast the stereo, and the garage speakers are poor quality to begin with, so it would be silly to attempt it. the area in the testing garage featured a dusty laptop with poor quality interconnects. The sound quality through the headphones and out of the laptop was lacking. I haven't tested the unit with higher quality sources to see whether it's going to be as crisp as my typical Scarlett 2i2 setup..
the sound was still quite good through the headphones though. 'just didn't seem as crisp as I'm used to. I'm the type who can definitely tell a .wav from a .mp3, presuming that the original file contains reasonable quality.

My eyes are watering; it would have been a real shame to have lost it. It's not an absolutely fantastic receiver, but it's pretty damn good.
 
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